Bali Festivals and Special Events

Festivals are important features of Balinese Life. Most of these ceremonies occur on fixed dates within the Balinese calendar that is based upon a cycle 210days. Some of these festivals are anniversary celebrations of temples. Many are lifecycle ceremonies that begin at conception and continue at major stages of an individual’s life, ending only with his cremation and subsequent installation as a defined ancestor in his family temple

The provincial government of Bali tries to maintain an preserve every aspect of Balinese cultural life by sponsoring annual festival that emphasize the importance of the arts. The best known of these events is the Bali Art Festival that held mid June to mid July each year. The art festival featuring exhibitions of various kinds, cultural achievement, a kite festival and many other activities

Galungan and Kuningan

Galungan is the most important holyday. This symbolizes the victory of virtue (dharma) over evil (adharma). On Galungan every family puts a “Penjor” a tall bamboo pole, placed on the right side of the entrance to the house compound. Each Penjor is decorated with a woven coconut leaves, fruit, cakes, flowers and other the gifts of nature. People attire themselves in their finest traditional clothing and jewels to wear to their temple and over thanks.

Kuningan holyday takes place ten day after Galungan, bringing the holyday period to a close. On this day, special ritual ceremonies are held for the ancestral spirits

Nyepi

This important day is the Balinese Lunar New Year called “Saka” New Year. It is a day of total silent through the island. No physical activity is allowed, there can no be traffic at all on the roads, no fire may be lit and no amusement held all day long until next morning. Great purification and sacrificial rites are held the day before Nyepi so as to exorcise evil spirits from every corner of the village. Nyepi falls usually in March to early April

Pagerwesi

The name literally means “iron fence”, on this day ceremonies and prayers are held for strong metal and spiritual defense in welcoming Galungan holyday