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Having watched the Melasti and Nyepi Processions here in Bali over the last couple of days; it leaves me still in awe with its colours and sounds. Thousands of people processing from temples to the beaches on the ‘Island of the Gods’.

Bali as the only Hindu oasis in a sea of 17.000 Muslim islands in Indonesia is very serious about its ceremonies.

What’s the low-down?

Melasti is a purification ritual that takes place every year, usually in March or early April, precisely two or three days before the Bali-Hindu New Year day of Nyepi (the Day of silence).

The Melasti ritual is marked by a long procession from village to the beach and vice versa. In the past, people carried all of the religious paraphernalia while walking, but more recently wheeled-carts or even trucks are used to lighten the load. Thanks to technology and the smooth asphalt it has become less of a burden for the procession participants. Besides the beach, Melasti is also made lakeside or by a river, especially for those who live far from a beach. Water is the important element.

During the one day ritual, almost every beach in Bali fills with people in traditional attire, gamelan music, and colourful religious paraphernalia such as the umbrellas, statues, spears and other sacred objects that are usually stored in temples. While the day is usually hot and humid at Bali’s beaches, some people like to take a swim during Melasti, though it is still not a common activity.

While tourists are discouraged from coming to the beach to swim on Melasti Day, it is the best time to see one of Bali’s grand rituals. Melasti ritual is also held on other auspicious days in conjunction with important temples festivals over the island, or festivals for newly renovated temple.

Such festivals commence by bringing all the temples’ religious paraphernalia to the beach for purification. But this time, they carry them by car or truck. There is nothing like the annual Melasti Procession.

Some short video impressions:

Here are some videos from the Melasti Processions at Petitenget Temple and Beach a few days back :

Overwhelmed by spirits:

Another one at Petitenget Beach:

And the last one at Petitenget Temple:

As I will be on my Visa Run to Singapore from tomorrow onwards, I might not be able to update the blog so frequently for the next week or so. Yes, it’s been 6 months here already. Time really flies on the ‘Island of the Gods’!

:-)

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written by Chris