Festival as an important feature of the Balinese
life occurs on fixed dates according to the Balinese calendar.
Instead of temple festivals take place mostly in every 210
days or every six months.
There are annual cycle and every six months celebrations of
holidays, life-cycle ceremonies of a Balinese person since the
time inside the mother's womb followed in stages up until
marriage and the most important of the Balinese ritual is that
includes funeral rites and cremation.
To maintain and preserve every aspect of the Balinese's
cultural life, Annual Festival have been held by the
Provincial Government, such as the Annual Bali Art Festival
usually take place in every Saturday middle of June to
Saturday middle of July with exhibitions and performances of
various kinds of artworks and cultural achievements, Kite
Festival.
Some of the events and festivals are:
Nyepi
This holiday is the
Balinese's New Year called Icaka New Year, the day of total
silence throughout the island. No activity is done, no traffic
at all on the roads, no fire may be lit and no amusement held
for the day long. Great purification and sacrificial rites
were held the day before so as to exorcise evil spirits from
every corner of the compound.
Galungan
This is the most important
holiday symbolizing the victory of Virtue ( Dharma) upon Evil
(Adharma). The holiday is specialized by the fitting of "Penjor", a tall bamboo pole splendidly decorated with woven
young coconut leaves, fruits, cakes and flower, on the right
side of every house entrance. People are attired in their
finest clothes and jewels this day.
Kuningan
This holiday takes place ten days
after Galungan, bringing the holiday period to a closing time.
On this day, special ritual ceremony held for the Ancestral
spirits.
Odalan
A celebration
to mark the village temple's anniversary.
Pagerwesi
The name literally means "iron
fence", on which day ceremonies and prayers are held for
strong mental and spiritual defense in welcoming the Galungan
holiday.
Saraswati
The day
devoted to Sanghyang Aji Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge
and Art. On this day, books of knowledge, manuscripts and the
Wedas are blessed and special offering are made for
them.
Ngaben or Pelebon
Cremation ceremony, typically Balinese Hinduism
phenomena of Bali.
Metatah
Tooth Filing
Ceremony
Bali
Arts Festival
The
arts festival followed by all regencies of Bali province
centered in Denpasar. The Taman Budaya (Art Centre) is where
the main events of the Bali Arts Festival are held each
year.