The Bali ogoh-ogoh parade is a show that attracts the attention of many tourists. Every year the ogoh-ogoh parade is routinely held as one of the rituals of worship for Hindus in Bali. Let's get to know each other more closely with this one parade.
Festival ahead of Nyepi Day
The ogoh-ogoh parade in Bali is carried out regularly every year before Nyepi Day. When celebrating Nyepi, people will stay at home all day and not do many activities. Well, the day before Nyepi is held they usually hold an ogoh-ogoh parade.
Showing a Creepy Figure
The day before Nyepi Day takes place, Balinese Hindus usually perform the Buta Yadnya ritual. This ritual is a series of events aimed at dispelling the presence of Buta Yadnya, a representation of an evil figure in Hindu mythology. It is in this series of Buta Yadnya rituals that the ogoh-ogoh parade is carried out. Ogoh-ogoh itself is shaped like a large figure with a scary face. This figure is called Buta Yadnya. It becomes a symbol of the negative elements, vices, and evil that surround human life.
The origin of the name ogoh-ogoh
The ogoh-ogoh doll or statue depicts the Buta Yadnya figure, but why is it called ogoh-ogoh? Where did the name come from? So the name ogoh-ogoh was chosen because during the parade people carried the giant Buta Yadnya doll by shaking it. Well, the movement of shaking this statue is the basis for the naming of ogoh-ogoh. In Balinese the shaking movement is called ogah-ogah, therefore the ritual of shaking a giant doll before Nyepi Day is called ogoh-ogoh.
Parade always take place at night
Besides being only allowed to take place the day before Nyepi, it turns out that the ogoh-ogoh parade cannot be performed at any time. This parade must be carried out in the late afternoon, around 06.00 pm to 07.00 pm. Why does it have to be at this hour? That said, that time is believed to be the most haunted time where the Buta Yadnya was wandering around humans.
Making ogoh-ogoh is quite difficult
Even though in the ritual the ogoh-ogoh statue will be burned, you do not know that the process of making it is quite difficult. In the past, the ogoh-ogoh were usually made of a bamboo frame which was then covered with paper to form the desired figure. But along with the times, now many ogoh-ogoh statues are made of styrofoam because the results look better.
Although it is only used the day before Nyepi arrives, the process of making the ogoh-ogoh statue turns out to take quite a long time. Usually, the villagers work together to make ogoh-ogoh. They compete with other villagers to make the coolest ogoh-ogoh. The moment of making ogoh-ogoh statues is also often used by young people to channel their creativity. That's great!
If you're curious about how cool the Bali ogoh-ogoh parade is, it's better if you just come to Bali. Plan a trip ahead of Nyepi Day so you come at the right time and can watch the parade. Therefore, you can plan your vacation in Bali from now on.
