Hindus In Denpasar Follow The Melasti Ritual At Padanggalak Beach

DENPASAR - Hindus from various traditional villages in Denpasar City, Bali, packed Padanggalak Beach, Denpasar, to take part in the Melasti ritual ahead of Nyepi Saka's 1946 Holy Day.

"Many components are involved for this Melasti ritual so that it can run smoothly," said the Indigenous Village Head (Chairman of the Traditional Village) of Sumerta I Made Ariawan Payuse on the sidelines of the Melasti ritual as reported by ANTARA, Friday, March 8.

The Sumerta Traditional Village, he continued, had previously coordinated with various components in traditional villages, ranging from pemangku (religious figures), pecalang (adat security officers), Pangemong (responsors) temples and traditional behaviors (dastinated hamlets managers).

"Everything we invite to coordinate and have a long preparation so that today it can run smoothly," said Payuse.

Hindus can be seen walking hand in hand by upholding or bringing bantens (sesajens), pratima (precise objects), pendung (payungs), tubers, barongs to the beach. They walk accompanied by gamelans combined with gamelans of genta and mantras of the stakeholders.

Ritual Melasti is a ceremony performed to purify oneself before entering Nyepi Holy Day. The ceremony is also a cleansing of the great or universe and aims to seek water for life as material for purification.

Payuse hopes that the Melasti ritual, which continues to run smoothly even though it is covered in clouds until heavy rains, will also continue until the implementation of the Corruption Night on March 10, 2024 and Catur Brata Penyepian on March 11, also runs smoothly.

"For Pangerupukan Night, there will also be an ogoh-ogoh competition in the Sumerta Traditional Village. So, we hope that there will not be friction between groups of youths who parade ogoh-ogoh," he said.

Likewise, the implementation of Catur Brata Penyepian when Nyepi Saka 1946 on March 11, 2024, can also run solemnly.

"Nyepi, which coincides with the beginning of fasting, we hope Muslims can obey the rules and conditions that have been agreed upon," Payuse said.

Previously, based on the circular letter from Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) Bali Province, Melasti could be implemented from 7-9 March 2024. This circular letter from PHDI Bali contains guidelines for implementing Nyepi starting from Melasti to Ngembak Geni. The circular letter numbered 318/PHDIBali/XII/2023 dated 18 December 2023.

"This circular is a guideline for the implementation of Nyepi Holy Day in Saka 1946," said PHDI Chairman of Bali Province I Nyoman Kenak.