Three days before Nyepi, Balinese new year is celebrated a melasti must be performed. Melasti, according to the ancient scripture of Sundari Gama and Swamandala is “melasti ngarania ngiring prewatek dewata anganyutaken laraning jagat, papa klesa, letuhing bhuwana, amet sarining amertha ring telenging segara“. In English this sentence means “Melasti means to follow the deity in the purpose to drift away impurities, miseries and poor mundane elements and take tirtha amertha, or holy water of life in the sea”.

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Every religion or culture all over the world has its own way to define and celebrate their New Year. The same thing also occurs in Bali, however the Balinese commence this occasion with a 24 hour period of silence. This is called Nyepi, which falls on the day following the dark moon of the spring equinox. It is a day to make and keep the balance of nature.

The lead up to Nyepi day (usually three days prior) involves the Melasti or Melis ceremony. This is essentially a ritual cleansing rite where all the effigies of the Gods (Pratima) from all the village temples are taken to the river or sea in long and colourful parades to be purified by the waters.

Exactly one day before Nyepi, all villages in Bali hold a large exorcism ceremony (Tawur Agung Kesanga) at the main village cross-road, which is believed to be the meeting place of demons. The community usually makes Ogoh Ogoh (large monster effigies) that symbolizes the evil spirits that exist within our environment. Noisy processions of these effigies take place just after sunset and are held all over Bali – called Ngrupuk. Every Hindu household will also hold a small, boisterous ceremony by clanging tin pots and burning torches to eliminate the presence of evil spirits and their disturbing forces.

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Exactly 3 days before the celebration of Nyepi, most of the Balinese Hindus would carry out the “Melasti” procession as one of the series of rituals before the ultimate celebration of the Saka New Year. Through morning to sunset, the Hindus will flock on the beaches in all over Bali to purify the “pratima” (sacred object to symbolize God).

According to Drs.I Ketut Wiana, one of the Balinese Hindu figure, Melasti has a very deep substance, not only to purify the “pratima” or other sacred symbols. He said that in “Aji Swamandala” manuscript, it was mentioned that Melasti is also aimed to wash away the ”laraning jagat” (world’s pain), to cash away the “papa klesa” (sadness) and to clean up the “letuhing bhuwana” (world’s dirt), while in “Sunargama” manuscript, it was mentioned that Melasti is aimed to pick up the nucleus of live in the sea, through the ritual.

Melasti on Purnama Beach, Sukawati Gianyar
Date: Sunday, 26th March 2006

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An Ogoh Ogoh is made from a wood frame with bamboo strips intricately weaved to form the body which is then covered with papier mache.

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