Bali Rituals and Ceremonies to Know Before Travelling There

Even though a lot of people come to Bali to travel and have fun, there are a lot of interesting cultures they can find there. Bali rituals and ceremonies are keeping this beautiful island to stay sacred and hold meaningful stories in it.

For example, if you take a walk in Bali, you will surely find a lot of offerings lying here and there. People have to understand that it is scared. Usually, the offerings consist of flowers, rice, biscuits, sweets, and so on. Many assume that if you step or nudge on the offerings, you will experience an unpleasant event afterward.

If it is your first time visiting Bali, then you should know that it’s important to know some of these rituals and ceremonies beforehand. In addition to that, Bali has a lot of unique cultures, which means there are certain etiquettes to follow.

Therefore, we will talk about several of these rituals for you to understand. Of course, there are more important and interesting rituals than mentioned here. But, by knowing some of these Bali rituals and ceremonies, you can get the big picture of how sacred and cultural Bali is.

Canang Sari, A Ritual Offering

The majority of Balinese people who are Hindus start the day with prayers accompanied by flower offerings to be offered to the Gods of Bali. Offerings have sacred values ​​for Balinese citizens. They believe by offering offerings, they will get good luck, while rejecting bad luck.

In addition to getting good luck, Bali rituals and ceremonies are also a way for Balinese people to thank the Gods who have given prosperity to their lives. This tradition has been done for a long time, it can be said to have come from our ancestors who had religious thought.

There is a symbol in giving offerings, namely simple offerings are offered every day. Meanwhile, special offerings are prepared for certain religious events. In the shrine, offerings for the gods and the spirits of the ancestors were placed on a high altar, while offerings for demons were placed at the bottom.

The form of Bali rituals and ceremonies offerings that we often encounter in Bali is flowers. Flowers mean philosophical so that we and our families always get the fragrance from the ancestors. The fragrance is an allusion to the abundant blessings of the ancestors and can flow to the offspring.

The Sacred Accessories

Penjor is in the form of bamboo with a curved end with several complementary accessories according to its type. In general, Penjor is divided into sacred and decorative trim. Each Penjor has different accessories and uses. Sacred Penjor is only installed in time, place, and special conditions.

This type of Penjor has several complementary attributes related to its function in Bali rituals and ceremonies. Meanwhile, decorative trims are installed freely without special conditions, but there are a number of complementary accessories from the sacred Penjor that should not be present in decorative trimmings.

The entire shape of the Penjor that rises with a curved end represents the Great Mountain and the earth which is a symbol of life, well-being, and safety. In addition, each component in the sacred Penjor is a symbol of the power of the gods.

Bamboo became a symbol of the power of Brahma, the symbol of the power of the Hyang Mahadewa, the coconut symbol of Hyang Rudra’s strength, the three types of produce symbolizing the power of Lord Vishnu, and denies symbolizing Lord Shiva. Three types of crops and snacks represent the types of plants bestowed by Sang Hyang Widi Wasa.

Omed-omedan Ceremony

If you want to witness truly unique Bali rituals and ceremonies in Bali, come after the retreat. There is usually an Omed-omedan ceremony that takes place in the Banjar Kaja area, Sesetan, Denpasar, Bali. This ceremony begins with mass worship at the temple. Furthermore, two groups of young men and women not married with the age range of 18-30 years will start dealing.

Usually, there will be one young man and a young woman going forward then pouring water. They will try to fight each other and sometimes end with kissing each other. The Omed-omedan tradition is said to have existed for decades and is still maintained today by residents of Denpasar.

The event begins with a prayer together at the temple and continues with the staging of Male and Female Barong Bangkong. After that, the young people of the Omed-Omedan participants entered the courtyard of the temple to perform the Bali rituals and ceremonies.

Participants were divided into two groups, namely groups of men and women who were single and aged between 17 and 30 years. Both groups are in a position to face each other. When the two groups are approaching, each group will hug each other, then kiss, then flush the water, and the other participants draw.

Purification Ceremony

Melasti is the next big Bali rituals and ceremonies that are always held annually. Usually three days before the Nyepi celebration, Hindu residents in Bali perform the Melasti ceremony by performing self-purification. They will come to sacred water sources such as lakes, springs, to the sea which is said to store the springs of eternity.

In this event, Hindu stakeholders will sprinkle holy water on the heads of everyone who comes. The purpose of this sprinkling is to shed all the dirt and bad things in the body so that the soul and body return to holiness.

Melasti ceremony for Hindus is a means of cleansing themselves from all impurities of the mind, including the universe, at this time also all Pratima or Pralingga which are sacred objects of Sthana from Ida Sang Hyang Widi Wasa, from a temple or Banjar carried and carried in the procession this is for the purpose of scrupulous cleaning.

The implementation is carried out on beaches, lakes and also purified springs. Some beaches that are often used for the purpose of the Melasti ceremony are the beaches of Sanur and Kuta, where the place is also a tourist attraction that is often filled with tourists. Bali rituals and ceremonies such as these become unique and interesting for tourists.