CEREMONIES AND RELIGIOUS EVENTS

Ceremonies are at the center of the spiritual life of Balinese people. You will often hear people say there is never a day in Bali without a ceremony, which is quite true. You will feel the spiritual rhythm in a constant celebration of life and nature by which Balinese people live their daily lives.

Balinese views on religion are very tolerant and most of the time, tourists are most welcome to attend. Just make sure you follow certain rules. Balinese people’s spiritual life has three essential influences:

Hinduism, but through different tradition and rites as in India.
Animism, an ancestral set of beliefs in which nature is godly and all living thing has a soul.

Ancestor Worshiping, where ancestors become godly and protect people. Ceremonies are held according to all theses different influences. They can be divided in two main branches:

Religious ceremonies
Life-Cycle ceremonies.

You will find here a few examples of the countless ceremonies happening each year. For more details, please check the calendar.

PAGERWESI

It means ''iron fence''. This celebration is all about protection in the everlasting battle of Good against Evil. Villagers raise penjors, as for Galungan, and bring offerings to their ancestors who haven’t been cremated yet. This ceremony takes place in Buleleng, in the northern parts of ...

CREMATION

The cremation (Ngaben) ritual is perform to remind us of the cosmic nature of life. The tower represents the cosmos. The body is placed in the middle, as a symbol of its position, between the spiritual and the human worlds. The Sarcophagi, in which the body is burned, is the vehicule in which the soul leaves this world. ...

GALUNGAN & KUNINGAN

Held annually in the Wuku Calendar, the Galungan festivities last ten days, when Sanghyang Widi comes down to Earth. Deified ancestors of the family come down to the family home. They must be entertained and are welcomed by prayers and offerings. Families who haven’t yet cremated their ancestors must bring offerings to their graves. ...

EKA DASA RUDRA

Eka Dasa Rudra is a series of processions, ceremonies, and sacrifices held every 100 years at Pura Besakih, the "mother temple" of Bali. Unfortunately, this magnificent ceremony is also a painful memory for Balinese people: On March 17, 1963, the Eka Dasa Rudra was under way when Agung catastrophically erupted and killed more ...

MELASTI & HARI RAYA NYEPI

Nyepi is a Hindu Day of Silence or the Hindu New Year in the Balinese Saka calendar. The largest celebrations are held in Bali as well as in Balinese Hindu communities around Indonesia. Preparation for Nyepi begins about one month before especially with the building of Ogooh-Ogooh, giant representation of evil spirits. The tension becomes ...

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