Bali Governor Allows Nyepi Ogoh-Ogoh Parade
February 19, 2022 👁 454 views
Ogoh-ogoh statues made by different neighborhoods in South Bali’s Pecatu are lined up before the big parade on March 16, 2018. Photo: Jan Glenn/Coconuts Bali
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster gave permission for the yowana or the younger generation to carry out the Ogoh-Ogoh parade on the eve of the Nyepi Holy Day of the Saka New Year 1944.
The decision was made after the Governor coordinated and communicated with the great village chief and the great secretary or treasurer of the village of the Traditional Village Council (MDA) of Bali Province.
“I, as the Governor of Bali, together with the Bali Province Traditional Village Council, have agreed to the wishes conveyed through the aspirations of the Yowana MDA provinces, regencies and cities throughout Bali. To the yowana who have made Ogoh-ogoh, I ask that they continue to be made until it is finished, don’t stop before 2nd March 2022,” said Koster in a written statement on Thursday 17th February 2022.
He also said that yowana all over Bali need not hesitate any longer and the Ogoh-Ogoh parade can be held in a neighbourhood or with a maximum of 25 yowana, it must be an environmentally friendly Ogoh-Ogoh without plastic and styrofoam materials, and the event must use disciplined health protocols.
“Wear masks, have full doses of vaccination, provide hand sanitizer, and take antigen tests which are offered free of charge by the Bali Provincial Health Office,” he added.
Koster also said that he really appreciates the artistic, innovative, creative works of the younger generation of Bali and the character-building and spirit of art and culture in the Ogoh-Ogoh products that were created.
With that, there will be an assessment of the work of Ogoh-Ogoh and the results of this assessment will be used as the basis for giving prizes, namely the best work for the three Ogoh-Ogoh in each district, then given prizes for rank I, II, and III in all regencies and cities in Bali.
Meanwhile, at the sub-district level, the three best Ogoh-Ogoh works will be awarded a prize of Rp5 million each. In the regencies and cities, the first rank will be given a prize of Rp50 million the second rank will get a prize of Rp35 million and the third rank will receive a prize of Rp25 million in all regencies and cities in Bali. The total prize pool is almost Rp1.9 billion.
“This will be processed by a team of judges who will go down to each banjar (neighborhood) to assess the work of the Ogoh-Ogoh. What is judged is not the competition, but the work of the Ogoh-Ogoh, based on creativity and innovation,” he said.
Editor Lawrence With Ogoh, OgohNyepi 2018
24 Years of Nyepi in Bali.
As a Tripadvisor Hall of Fame award-winning hotel manager for the past 24 years, I have just about heard every question there is in regard to Bali’s annual Day of Silence, Nyepi comming up on March 3rd.. 2022 .
Common questions are,
· What are we allowed to do?
· Can we keep the lights on?
· Can we keep our televisions on?
· What time do the restaurants close?
· What time is the Ogoh, Ogoh parade?
· Will there be any Internet?
Where are you Going for Nyepi?
My friends will ask where are you going for Nyepi?
Most of them will escape to hotels or other islands to avoid being clustered into their apartments or homes on a day that it’s imperative that you keep quiet and lights are off at night.
Unfortunately, you will have to share that hotel with a bunch of strangers and may have to spend $50 to $120 for a room that usually is only be 30 m² to 60 m².
If you have children you need two rooms and pay from $100-$240 a night.
Omicron health concerns:
Another concern this year is that Omicron spreading rapidly throughout in Bali.
I know of one hotel manager that has had two bouts of COVID - 19 already.
When you go to a hotel you don't know how clean the staff are who are cleaning your room.
You certainly don't know how clean the chefs and service staff are when they feed you your food.
So my answer to my friends and all others when they ask me where I went to spend Nyepiis simple “I’m going to spend it at our beachfront home the way I always have.
Why would I want to go anywhere else?”
To me, Nyepi is a very special day. A unique day that is celebrated in only a few places in the world.
A day when you can escape the sounds and pollution associated with modern civilization.
It’s like going back several hundred years before the invention of the internal combustion engine and the cell phone.
A day where you don’t feel guilty if you just sit back and do nothing.
If you would like to spend Nypei in our beachfront resort here is a very limited opportunity
Bali Paradise Beach Estates Nyepi Special.
Starting as low as Rp 270,000 ($19.00 U.S.D.) per guest per night
Private 450 m² Four bedroom five bathroom Executive estate in beachfront complex
Your own private 14 m swimming pool to frolic around during Nyepi
Magical sunrises from your bedroom windows. 
Captivating views of Mount Agung and rice paddies
Luxuriuos Estate Beachfront Complex Start Rp 270,000 ( $19.00 USD) night
Here’s a schedule of the special prices I am charging for the one unit only with up to four bedrooms catering up to eight guests with a private 14 mtr. swimming pool and two televisions.
Since you must check in the night before on March 2nd. and stay for Nyepi on March 3rd. this offer is for a minimum of two nights.
Contact me direct at 62 – 812-381-4014 to confirm . Photos and details at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/15345034
Selamat Nyepi to everyone. I hope you too decide to stay in Bali and enjoy this very special day.
Also Bali luxury villas in Sanur starting at Rp 400,000 ($28.00) per night per Guest.
Bali Luxury Villas Sanur starting at Rp 400,000 ($28.00) per night.
Contact me direct at 62 – 812-381-4014 to confirm a reservation for this one of these few only Luxury Villas available . Photos and details at https://www.baliluxuryvillassanur.com
Bali Luxury Villas Sanur Nyepi Special 2022
Since our home at Bali Paradise Beach Estates is listed as a hotel, we are able to easily walk around almost 3,000 m² of grounds at any time of the day.
Unlike a hotel there’s nobody around bother us I could walk around nude if I wanted but won’t.
We can look out over the straits between Lombok and even walk down to the beach on our private beach entrance, but not on the beach.
Although every day is like paradise here because nobody is in close proximity to us it will be even more profound in that we won’t hear any motors at all.
We also won’t hear people on the beach, as that is prohibited.
Nyepi Eve Wed March 2nd. 2022
The night before Nyepi March 6th we will venture into Sanur and have dinner at a beachfront restaurant.
Following that, we will go to the corner of Jalan Bypass and & Jalan Danua Buyan across the street from McDonald’s and anxiously wait for the yearly Ogoh, Ogoh parade.
Massive paper Mache monsters will be paraded past us.
Sometimes they are very creative. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Omicron or Covid-19 monster.
There will be a lot of excitement because the Balinese believe that when 15 to 20 males carry these huge monsters around and make a lot of noise yelling and screaming, they can scare off the evil spirits.
The whole idea is to scare them away the night before the Day of Silence and then on the Day of Silence pretend that nobody’s here.
When they come overhead, they will just pass by believing that there’s nobody to bother.
At least that’s a foreigner take after the 24 years that I’ve lived here.
The photo ops during the Ogoh, Ogoh parade are unbelievable.
Here are just a few of my shots from the past.
Following the Parade, we will head out to our home on the beach and retire as we usually do at 9-10 p.m.
Nyepi Thurs. March 3rd. 2022
Towering 3200 Mount Agung Volcano as seen from Bali Paradise Beach Estates
The next morning, we will make absolutely sure that at 6 AM there are no lights, no open fires and nothing that will violate the Day of Silence strict regulations.
View across the Lombok Straits from Bali Paradise Beach Estates
We can stay indoors with the air conditioners on and Read, watch TV or partake in an ancient tradition of carrying on a conversation.
The Monopoly and Scrabble boards will be on the table and utilized until we're bored.
For a few hours of Nyepi I’ll probably be on my computer producing blogs, emails etc.
The day before we will make sure we have plenty of food including a lot of snacks for the children.
Say goodbye to Keto diet for one day.
Several times during the day we will frolic in our beachside jacuzzi and pool for exercise, listening to the sound of waves with no modern machines or anybody on the beach violating that silence.
Dinner will be served before it gets dark which allows us time to clean up.
Although we are registered as a hotel and could keep our lights on, we prefer to be in harmony with the Balinese and their culture.
Therefore, lights will go out and everyone will have a flashlight to get around.
Televisions, computer screens for the children will be the only source of light.
There is a strong possibility that the Internet providers will stop service for 24 hours so finally, our children will take a break from Utube and Instagram and we can sit together and talk about their future.
A couple of hours later we will all go to sleep.
The day after Nyepi Fri. March 4th. 2022
The next day we have a tradition of our whole family walking on the beach before the sun rises.
We also would go for a swim in the warm Indian Ocean.
Although where we live has some of the cleanest air in the world since there is no pollution coming off the trade winds for tens of thousands of kilometers it should be exceptionally clear at this time of the year with visibility as far as 140 km away.
Unless it’s overcast, which is unusual, we should be able to obtain vivid shots of towering 3,200 m Mount Agung Volcano, which is approximately 40 km from us. Perhaps it will vent off some steam as it did yesterday.
This will make for some memorable shots.
I also expect to fully be able to see Mount Rinjani Volcano 140 km away on the Island of Lombok close to the devastating earthquakes that took place last year.
Saba River next to Bali Paradise Beach Estates
Since the day is a school holiday we will probably drive someplace and fulfill our goal of seeing all the major attractions of Bali.
Later in the day, we will most likely stop off at one of the white sand beaches on the East Coast where few tourists venture.
One is called Secret Beach another is called Virgin Beach. Maybe I’ll find another beach and name it The Secret, Virgin Beach. That would attract a lot of men. LOL
So, while most foreigners and many Indonesians consider the Day of Silence a day to leave Bali or at least move into a hotel, we look at as the best day to stay home and enjoy the silence and beauty of nature.
For those of you who would love to experience what I just described above if you book immediately I only have one four-bedroom estate available immediately which has rice paddy, volcano, and ocean views.
It has four bedrooms and five bathrooms.
You too can experience the pounding waves and the silent day in an environment that allows you to use your 14 m private swimming pool and stay inside in air-conditioned comfort and watch TV or walk around the 2,000 M2 which is part of our Bali Paradise Beach Estates.
Luxuriuos Estate Beachfront Complex Start Rp 270,000 ( $19.00 USD) night
Here’s a schedule of the special prices I am charging for the one unit only with up to four bedrooms catering up to eight guests with a private 14 mtr. swimming pool and two televisions.
Since you must check in the night before on March 2nd. and stay for
Nyepi on March 3rd. this offer is for a minimum of two nights.
Contact me direct at 62 – 812-381-4014 to confirm . Photos and details at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/15345034
Selamat Nyepi to everyone. I hope you too decide to stay in Bali and enjoy this very special day.
No comments:
Post a Comment