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Nyepi and the ogoh-ogoh
Bali's day of silence, preceded by a night when giant demon effigies are paraded and burned.
About Nyepi and the ogoh-ogoh
The day before Nyepi, ceremonies of exorcism (tawur kesanga) are held at crossroads, and at dusk youth groups carry ogoh-ogoh, huge papier-mache or foam figures of demons, through the streets with torches and clanging, before burning them. The noise is meant to chase out harmful spirits and drive them toward the effigies. On Nyepi itself, the island falls silent for 24 hours: no fires or lights, no work, no travel and no entertainment, even the airport and roads close. Many Balinese say this is meant to convince the spirits that the island is empty and uninhabited, so they leave. Beyond belief, the day is observed as a quiet time of self-restraint, and non-Hindu residents and tourists are asked to stay indoors.
Entries tied to it
Also part of it, and being written: Bhoot (A related idea of unquiet spirits in Indian tradition.).
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Nyepi" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family, and are described as belief and practice. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ogoh-ogoh: Simondodit, CC BY-SA 4.0, source