Selemat hari Nyepi.
Yesterday was Bali's New Years eve welcoming in the New Year of 1929. Here in the North of Bali like everywhere in Bali it was a time to scare out all the bad sprits and at about 6pm someone came back with the holy water and a lit fire from the temple to help rid Rambutan of all the evil spirits that had built up over the year. So with this lit fire and holy water and a group of kids with pots and pans to bang on they all trounced around making a racket to scare the bad spirits away, whilst have a great time.
It was then down to the main intersection of Kalibukbuk Lovina to see the Oga Oga parade, where people were letting of fireworks and home made bamboo bazookas were making one hell of a noise to rid the bad spirits away from Lovina. They were then taken down to the beach to be lit in front of the temple in a big bonfire. What a great day for the kids.
Today is now Nyepi day, the day of silence, so as to trick all the bad spirits who had been scared away the previous day to think that Bali had been deserted and therefore no point in coming back. What a lovely peaceful unique day it is, with everyone restricted to their family compounds
www.rambutan.org