Lebaran, Hindus Participate In Pilgrimage At Wanasari Muslim Cemetery

Muslims and Hindus undergo a pilgrimage tradition at the Wanasari Muslim Cemetery, Denpasar, Monday (31/3/2025). (ANTARA/Ni Putu Putri Muliantari)

DENPASAR - Hindus in Bali who have Muslim families follow the pilgrimage tradition at the Wanasari Muslim Cemetery in Denpasar during Eid al-Fitr 1446 Hijri.

One of the pilgrims, Putu Mita Oktaviari (30) said the grave pilgrimage had become an annual routine, because his family's descendants were not only from Hinduism but also Muslims who had always migrated to Bali.

"We are Hindu, we are still tolerant even though we have different religions, especially when today's activities on pilgrimages with families are normal, routinely every Eid," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, March 31.

Putu Mita, who came with dozens of her extended family members on a pilgrimage to the graves of her late grandmother, grandfather, and uncle, where they all gathered at the Wanasari Muslim Cemetery at around 9.30 WITA.

"We are a large group from Klungkung, Gianyar, and Singaraja, mixed, we come to clean the graves, sow flowers, and take turns giving prayers," he said.

Slightly different, other Hindus who have been on pilgrimage at the existing graves since 1811 are Fala (40) who was once a Muslim, but now they have followed the religion that her husband hugged.

He admitted that he continued this pilgrimage tradition to pray for his late mother, as well as sowing flowers to keep his mother's tomb beautiful.

"I sprinkled flowers at my mother's funeral who had been dead for eleven years, I myself entered Hinduism, and this became a tradition for me," said Fala, who came accompanied by her two in-laws.

Muslim Cemetery Secretary Wanasari Ahmad Tosan said the pilgrimage tradition is a habit that has been formed for a long time, where Muslim funerals in the center of Denpasar City have begun to be visited by pilgrims since before fasting and h-3 Eid al-Fitr.

Generally Muslims visit their families' graves to pray, but considering the long history of the tomb and the strong relationship between people in Bali, it is not uncommon for other religious communities to come with heterogeneous families.

"Ziarah or flower sowing has become a tradition for Indonesians, especially Muslims, this pilgrim has started to be crowded since Monday (24/2) before fasting, those who come not only from Denpasar, but also from outside the district here and a semeton Hindu Bali," he said.