Omed-omedan is held in a day after Nyepi (silence day) by people of Banjar Kaja, Sesetan village, South Denpasar. The teenagers who belong to this Banjar play the main role on this tradition. They -the boys and the girls- embrace each other by turns with wet body. They push a chosen boy and a chosen girl’s waist until they embrace and kiss ech other then he and she are pulled back to their initial position (see the complete information of omed-omedan on the previous posting).

Omed-omedan come from ‘omed’ meant pull. Many people outside Banjar Kaja often call omed-omedan with med-medan. “Actually, this tradition was held on Nyepi day,” said I Wayan Sunarya, Kelian Adat (Head of Banjar) Banjar Kaja. In the bygone days, Raja Puri Oka, authority of Sesetan village, was sick. He was still sick until Nyepi but the teenagers of Banjar Kaja were bored staying in home during the silence day. So, they went out gathered together. They played and chatted noisily that Raja Puri Oka was disturbed. Raja Puri Oka felt angry and commanded them to get in their house. But a miracle happened. Raja Puri Oka got well and became really healthy. Since that day, Raja Puri Oka told Banjar Kaja’s teenagers to do ‘omed-omedan’ in Nyepi Day.

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The tradition is performed on Ngembak Geni Day, the day following Nyepi, or the Hindu Day of Silence, which fell on Tuesday at Banjar Kaja, Sesetan.

Med Medan
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Banjar Kaja, Desa Adat Sesetan, located in Jalan Raya Sesetan after Jalan Diponegoro. It was afternoon about 03.00 pm; the road was closed by Pecalang. It was tradition a day after Nyepi, Member of this Banjar took place special ritual called Med Medan.

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