Hindus Hold Ogoh-ogoh Parade For The First Time, Cak Eri: Home Hall For All Religious Owners

Hindus paraded Ogoh-Ogoh in Surabaya, East Java, Sunday (10/3/2024). The Ogoh-Ogoh Parade circled the Surabaya City Hall to welcome Nyepi Day. BETWEEN PHOTOS/Didik Suhartono

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi said the city hall is a big house for all religious adherents in the City of Heroes. Therefore, religious activities may be held at that location. He conveyed this when giving a speech at the ogoh-ogoh art parade which was first held at the Surabaya City Hall to commemorate Nyepi 1 Saka 1946. "As stated by the Chairman of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) East Java, Nyepi Day is a momentum for self-introspection and memory of what has been done for religion, city, and self," he said as quoted by Antara, Sunday, March 10. In addition, said Cak Eri, his nickname, at the same time as Ramadan and Easter, tolerance is the main thing in carrying out all religious activities. "Surabaya was born with a high tolerance and the city hall is a big house for all religions in Surabaya. Because in Surabaya only one NKRI has a fixed price," he said. Therefore, he invited all Surabaya people to get along well with each other and keep the city safe and comfortable for all. "Pray for Surabaya to become a city that still understands and understands tolerance, can respect, because in fact this city was built with a spirit of mutual cooperation," he said. In addition, Cak Eri also congratulated the holding of the ogoh-ogoh parade and may Surabaya always get Rahmat from God Almighty. "Hopefully with this parade, Surabaya will continue to receive the One God, from the prayers of all the people, especially from the prayers of Hindus who are celebrating Nyepi Day," he said. "We, all of us from the Surabaya City Government, wish you a happy Nyepi Day, congratulations on carrying out Catur Brata Penyepian, so that you become a better human being," he added. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the East Java PHDI I Gusti Putu Raka Arthama said Sunday, March 10, 2024, was an extraordinary day for Hindus because they received permission to hold the ogoh-ogoh parade for the first time at the Surabaya City Hall. "Today was an extraordinary day, because it was allowed to hold the ogoh-ogoh parade for the first time at the Surabaya City Hall," he said. Therefore, his party appealed to all Hindus, especially those in Surabaya, to interpret Nyepi Day by evaluating themselves. "Nyepi Day is a form of self-evaluation, so it can become a new person during Saka New Year," he said. In this activity, thousands of people packed the courtyard of the Surabaya City Hall to see the ogoh-ogoh art parade to commemorate Nyepi 1 Saka 1946 which was first held in the courtyard of the building. The parade activity began with the playing of Balinese music which was followed by the giving of a special headband for the Island of the Gods to the Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi.

The parade features a number of large and small ogoh-ogoh statues as well as lion dances that are paraded with routes from the city hall yard to Jalan Sedap Malam, Jalan Jimerto, Jalan Jaksa Attorney General Suprapto, twist Jalan Wali Kota Mustajab and ended up in front of Mayor Eri Cahyadi's residence.