Hindus In Mataram Fire War Celebrate Nyepi Day

Hindus from the Sakah State and Sweta Cakranegara neighborhoods held a fire war ritual to welcome the Silent Day of the Caka New Year 1944 in Mataram/ ANTARA/Awaludin

MATARAM - Hindus in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, held a fire war ritual to welcome the Silent Day of the Caka New Year 1944.

The ritual, which involved 70 residents of the Sakah State and Sweta Cakranegara neighborhoods, was held at the three-way intersection of Sakah State, Jalan Selaparang, Cakranegara, Mataram City, at 17.30 WITA, Wednesday, March 2.

One of the Hindu leaders in Cakranegara, Komang Kertayasa explained that the fire war using dried coconut leaves (bobok) was burned as a ritual carried out by Lombok Hindus before the Nyepi celebration.

"The tradition of the Lombok Hindus has been carried out from our ancestors. The fire war is carried out because it is believed to be a lifter of reinforcements and diseases that must be carried out," he said.

The fire war was carried out by residents of the two neighborhoods by attacking each other and hitting the opponent using a lighted bobok.

The tradition, which took about 10 minutes, was watched by hundreds of Mataram City residents.

The implementation of the traditional Fire War activities received security from a combination of personnel from the NTB Police, Mataram Police, Sandubaya Police and Cakranegara Koramil, led by the Sandubaya Police Chief Kompol Moh Nasrullah.

As many as 80 personnel assisted by Pecalang and PAM Swakarsa Dharma Wisesa Cakranegara Mataram, carried out security.

"The ritual of the fire war in welcoming the Silent Day of the Caka New Year 1944 took place safely and smoothly," said Nasrullah.