Large monsters, named Ogoh-Ogoh, made from bamboo and other materials, symbolize the evil spirits that one can encounter in life. On the day before Nyepi, the Balinese new year (usually in March), these monsters are carried around in the villages and cities in a spectacular carnival, and finally burned as a way of exorcising evil.Many people, and specially the youth of Bali, find great fun in creating the Ogoh Ogoh, and the carnival is enjoyed by all. Here a few panoramas of Ogoh Ogoh I found on the street Jl Diponogoro Denpasar Bali (25th March 2009). Actualy., the goverment of bali just call out that no carnival for this year because together with campaign of legislatif general election. I think the carnival of Ogoh- Ogoh is part of religius ritual and have to do, and goverment support to protect from political parties who became its event as event for campaign them party.

Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for the Ngrupuk parade, which takes place on the eve of Nyepi day in Bali, Indpnesia. Ogoh-ogoh normally have form of mythological beings, mostly demons. As with many creative endeavours based on Balinese Hinduism, the creation of Ogoh-ogoh represents spiritual aims inspired by Hindu philosophy.The main purpose of the making of Ogoh-ogoh is the purification of the natural environment of any spiritual pollutants emitted from the activities of living beings (especially humans). The forms of Ogoh-ogoh represent the Bhuta-Kala (Bhuta: eternal energy, Kala: eternal time), according to Hindu teachings.

The imperceptible potentials of nature cannot be thoroughly explored by anyone. Philosophically, civilized men are required to manage the natural resources without any attempts to damage the environment itself.

Aside from being the symbol of Bhuta-Kala, Ogoh-ogoh is considered a symbol of modes of nature that form the malicious characters of living beings. Ogoh-ogoh is usually made by the group of artists found in villages around Bali. After being paraded on a convoy around the town, finally it is burnt to ashes in a cemetery as a symbol of self-purification.



By Baron Sriwijaya