Ahead of Nyepi Day on Saturday (21/3), Hindus in Balitung Hamlet held a melasti ceremony. Melasti ceremony is usually held three days before Nyepi. This year, melasti was centered at the location behind the Pure Puseh Giri Jati called Beji Amerte Buane Temple.
Melasti is a ceremony to collect holy water which starts at 12.00 WIB. The ceremony was led by local adat (pinandita) stakeholders. At least hundreds of people fervently participated in this melasti ceremony. Please note, Balitung Hamlet has a population of around 750 people and 200 families.
"This melasti is held every year to welcome Nyepi Day. Usually it is held three days before Nyepi Day," said Head of Balitung Hamlet I Gede Sutiawan.
During Nyepi Day, Hindus in Balitung will carry out Chess Brata Seeparism like Hindus in Bali. Among them are observing geni (not using and or lighting a fire), observing work (not working), observing genders (not traveling), and observing auction (not listening to entertainment).
Melasti is a ceremony of self-purification to welcome Nyepi Day by all Hindus in Bali. The melasti ceremony was held to wash away natural impurities using living water. In Hindu beliefs, water sources such as lakes and seas are considered as living water (tirta amerta).
In addition to offering prayers, the Melasti ceremony is also the cleansing and cleansing of sacred objects belonging to the temple (pralingga or pratima Ida Bhatara and all its equipment).
The stakeholders went around and splashed holy water on all the residents who came along with the devices of worship and spread incense smoke as a form of purification. The implementation of the Melasti ceremony is complemented by various offerings as a symbol of the Trimurti, three deities in Hinduism, namely Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, and Jumpana, the throne of Lord Brahma.
Not only Bali, Belitung as a new tourist destination also has customs like in Bali which is done by some of these small communities. This adds or strengthens Belitung as the leading tourist destination in Indonesia. In addition to its natural potential, its customs are also diverse. (*)
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