Source: www.thejakartapost.com
Balinese Hindus Gear Up For New Year
JAKARTA, INDONESIA, February 17, 2010: Thousands of people across Bali have been busy making the giant ogoh-ogoh effigies in preparation for the celebrations of the upcoming Caka Hindu New Year 1932, popularly known as Nyepi, or the Day of Silence. The event falls on March 16. Local resident Wayan Chandra said making the ogoh-ogoh helps strengthen communal relation among neighbors. “It’s a collective work by all villagers,” he said.
The ogoh-ogoh are giant papier-mache demons that symbolize all things bad. Every banjar, or traditional village community, must prepare at least one ogoh-ogoh for each Nyepi. On the eve of the Caka New Year, Balinese Hindus parade them along the streets and burn them together to dissipate any negative energy.
The Caka New Year is observed in total quiet and contemplation. The entire island falls into darkness on the night, as the Hindu faithful are prohibited from lighting a fire or using electricity, or even leaving home. Virtually all activities will come to a halt for 24 hours, including tourism offices and the airport, while the streets will be deserted.
February 26th, 2010
Source: Press Release
International Bali-India Yoga Festival II
BALI, INDONESIA, February 2010: Bali-India Foundation will be organizing the second International Bali-India Yoga Festival from 3-10 March, 2010. The theme of the festival is ‘Yoga & Global Warming’. Bali, which has an ancestral relationship with India, shares a great concern about Global Warming. Bali, the Island of the Gods, where the sage Markandeya meditated and taught this divine practice of yoga to its people is a perfect place to discuss and find a solution to the problem of Global Warming and other various matters related to yoga.
The opening of this prestigious festival will simultaneously inaugurate ‘The Markandeya Yoga City’ at Gunung Sari, Singaraja, Bali. The Yoga city will be completed within five years on a total of 15 hectares of land surrounded by beautiful forests and mountains 1000 meters above sea level in a Balinese architectural style.
very interesting. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDelete