Today, Redite Pon Julungwangi, Balinese celebrates Siwaratri, here is the interesting article on last year edition:

Tomorrow, on the dark moon of the seventh month based on the Balinese lunar calendar system, Balinese will celebrate the Siwaratri or the Night of Siwa. This holy day is devoted to God Siwa, the destroyer. Balinese believes that on this day, God Siwa, the destroyer meditate for the welfare of the world, and the God Siwa will bestow a pardon for all sin to someone if he accompany the God Siwa in his meditation by observing some self restriction and meditate on the night of Siwaratri.

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The Brata (self-restriction) of Siwaratri includes Jagra (staying awake all night long), Upawasa (fasting), and Monabrata (silence). There are three major level of self- restriction, Balinese can choose a level of self-restriction according to his capability. The Kakawin (old poetry prayer) of Siwaratrikalpa explains the three major level of self- restriction that should take place on the Siwaratri night as follow Utama (top self-restriction) includes Brata (self-restriction) like Monabrata (silence), Upawasa (fasting) and Jagra (staying awake all night long). Madya (middle self-restriction) includes Upawasa (fasting) and Jagra (staying awake all night long). Nista (lowest self-restriction) includes only Jagra (staying awake all night long). The Brata (self-restriction) is held over a period of 36 hours, starting with the sunrise on January 17 until the sunset of ‘Tilem Kepitu’ on January 18, 2007.

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Vacationers who plan to spend their time sunbathing in Bali may find a small problem in their long-prepared plan. The rainy season comes late and the windy weather period comes early this year. They collide at the end of December 2007 which results in a kind torrent rain combines with strong wind and the span of the rain may last for a couple of days. And it is surely a bad news for the beach lovers.

The rainy season that usually starts at the end of September comes late this year. Bali begins to receive a good amount of rain at the end of December this year, and the rain last more than two days causing minor floods in various parts of the island and the worse news is the center of sunbathing and surfing in Bali, Kuta, is vulnerable to flood. The torrent rain which poured on Tuesday (12/25/07) until Wednesday (12/26/07) caused a 1–km flood on Dewi Sri Street Kuta and paralyzed the traffic.

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