Ogoh-Ogoh

The Bhuta Yajna (or Pengerupukan) ceremony, which includes a parade of Ogoh-Ogoh statues, is held on the eve of the Nyepi New Year.

Giant handmade ghost statues depicting the spirits of demons are brought out into the street after sunset, where a parade of them takes place to the accompaniment of Gamelan music. Each statue is carried by at least eight men, sometimes several dozen.

The parade is intended to cleanse the environment of spiritual pollution created primarily by humans. In three cycles, the statues are presented at intersections in counterclockwise circles to eradicate evil spirits.

The monsters would be destroyed or burned at the end of the procession as part of the Ngrupuk ritual to rid the island of evil spirits and prepare it for the new year. This is only sometimes the case, however, and the statues are kept until the following year for economic and ecological reasons.

This parade is worth a visit. The sculptures are often imposing, and the locals make them months in advance. The parade takes place in every village. The larger the village, the more impressive the statues and the show tend to be.

In addition, in recent years, the governments in each region have directly motivated the villages with various competitions for the best Ogoh-Ogoh statues with good financial rewards. Hence, the motivation is high, and the more attractive the show is for the visitors.