The Balinese temples host an ‘Odalan’, every 210 days, on the day of the birth of the temple. It is a sanctimonious affair in which Hindus honour the Hindu gods by decorating the shrines. Tourists will enjoy experiencing the rich culture of Indonesia if they were to participate in the temple celebrations. Usually temple celebrations span over three days and the system used to calculate the day of the ceremony is the Full Moon calendar.
Since the ceremony is a tribute to Hindu gods all of the shrines are decorated for this event. The Hindu gods’ figurines are adorned with colourful pieces of cloth and gold coins. In front of the shrine, depending on which gods are being worshipped, there will be black, red or white umbrellas. Besides the umbrellas they place tridents, spears and other weapons. ‘Umbul Umbul’ flags placed on long bamboo poles are another addition to the décor and these flags are accompanied with ornaments made from coconut leaves and rice.
The featured aspect of this cultural occasion is the groups of young girls carrying arrangements of fruit and colourful cakes on their heads. The arrangements are generally very heavy, but the girls carry the load with grace as they walk in procession to the temple. Once the offerings are made to the gods the girls are blessed with holy water by the chief priest. The atmosphere surrounding these celebrations is truly magical as there are silver bells chiming, chanting of prayers and host of people dressed in colourful clothes.
If you want to experience the culture of Bali a temple celebration is the event to witness. There are so many temples in Bali that celebrate their anniversaries so there is bound to be an event you can participate in. Given that it is a holy festival tourists should be aware of some of the cultural codes that they need to follow. Always wear a sash and a sarong to the temple because it is a religious event and it is the only attire that is acceptable. Also keep in mind that you should avoid walking in front of those who are worshipping and try not to take too many pictures as it is somewhat disturbing for those who attend.
Visitors to Indonesia, who are eager to participate in one of the temple celebrations, can find accommodation at a Bali spa resort in the vicinity. A Bali luxury spa resort would be ideal because you can enjoy some invigorating body therapies while you stay in Indonesia. Check out COMO Shambhala Estate Bali, their massage therapies and beauty treatments are unlike any other.
Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.Google+