 Text and Photos by I.B. Andi Sucirta
The Melasti ritual precedes the Nyepi holiday celebrated by Indonesia's Hindus
Most residents of Indonesia are probably not as familiar with the Melasti ritual as with Nyepi, which is celebrated by Hindus in Indonesia every March or early April and is also a national public holiday.
Nyepi is celebrated at Sasih Kesanga each year, based on astronomical calculations in the Hindu Saka calendar, which differs slightly from the Gregorian calendar.
The Melasti ritual is part of the overall Nyepi celebration, performed three or four days before Nyepi itself. The word Melasti, or melelasti, means 'Ngayudang malaning gumi ngamet tirta amerta' (washing away earthly pollution with the water of life, using the sea or another sacred water source).
The sacred palm-leaf text (lontar) Sundarigama says 'Amet sarining amerta kamandalu ring telenging segara', meaning "Take the essence of the water of life (amerta ka-mandalu) from the middle of the ocean". In this ritual, a variety of pralingga or pratima (ceremonial statues) are carried in an orderly and reverent procession to the sea.
The series of rituals for Nyepi also includes Tawur kesanga, one day before Nyepi, aimed at purification and restoring the balance of nature. Next comes the day of Nyepi itself, and finally Ngembak geni, one day after Nyepi.
In Bali, the Nyepi holiday coincides with the Saka New Year. On this day, Hindus in Bali engage in the "four abstentions" or catur brata penyepian: amati geni (lighting no fires), amati karya (performing no physical work), amati lelungaan (not going out), and amati lelanguan (not seeking amusement).
On Nyepi in Bali, all the rhythms of physical life come to a halt. The airport and seaports are closed; no vehicles are on the road; all public and economic activity is suspended. The only exceptions are essential services at hospitals and the enforcement of Nyepi security and order by the Police and pecalang (traditional security personnel). On this day, the earth is given space to breathe by resting from its usual activities for an entire day. Philosophically, Nyepi has great meaning and relevance for the demands of the present and the future, reminding humankind to preserve the sources of life.
One day last March, I awoke before dawn to head to Pabean beach in Gianyar Regency to witness and document the Melasti ritual (mekiyis/melis). The beach can be reached by motor vehicle, only around 20 minutes east of Denpasar on Jalan Bypass IB Mantra.
I decided to leave at around 5 am to avoid heavy traffic near the ritual venue. It was still dark when I arrived. As I sat near the beach, the sound of the waves and the gentle breezes lulled me back to sleep.
In my half-waking state, I then heard the gentle pounding of the surf blending with distant gamelan music, signaling the arrival of the first community group coming to perform the Melasti ritual. I quickly got up; it was still quite dark. I could faintly see people walking in file, wearing traditional Balinese costumes with white cloth bands. They spread out along the beach where I was sitting. There were hundreds of them, all carrying ritual objects. Several hurricane lamps lit their way.
Collecting the essence of life
When the sun began to appear on the eastern horizon of Pabean beach, rows of people arrived and walked along the shore. As each group concluded its ritual, another took its place. Each village or locality in Bali has its own Melasti venue; those who live near the coast perform the ritual at a nearby beach, while those who live far from the coast perform it at a sacred spring or at a lake, Danau Beratan.
Once the sun was up, I headed down to the beach. The waves lapped at the feet of the people walking along the attractively curved shoreline. Some men were carrying pratima or pralingga (ceremonial statues), while others accompanied them playing gamelan. The women walked together, carrying ritual objects. The children, not to be left out, straggled along behind their parents while splashing in the surf. Everything proceeded in an atmosphere of simplicity, reverence and calm rarely found in today's busy life.
At a designated location on the shore, they set down all the pratima and other ritual objects lined up facing the sea. Several people, called pemangku, prepared the ritual offerings. The offerings are prepared so that the ceremony can begin, led by pedanda (Hindu priests). People sat quietly on the beach, waiting to pray together. Soon the genta (ritual bell) sounded out, accompanied by mantram recited by the pedanda. All present were gripped by the beauty of the sea before them, created by God. The pedanda finished recited their mantram, and the time came to for the collective prayer.
When the prayer was over, people quickly got up and collected the pratima and other ritual implements. They walked along the shore, allowing their legs and the ritual implements to be splashed by the seawater. The pemangku took the offerings out into the water to be floated away. Some people collected seawater to take home; others washed their hands and faces in it. This symbolizes "collecting the essence of life from the middle of the ocean". And then it was time to head for home.
In 2008, Nyepi will fall on 7 March and the Melasti on 4 March. The ceremony is performed throughout Bali; you can see it being performed at every beach or other source of holy water in Bali. Each village or locality decides the time and place to perform its Melasti ritual through discussion and consensus, so the only way to know for sure when and where the ceremony will be held is to find out directly from the community involved.
Certain beaches are famous as venues for the Melasti ritual: Sanur, Kuta, Jimbaran, Petitenget, and Tanah Lot. Other venues include Padanggalak beach in Denpasar, Purnama, Pabean and Lebih beaches in Gianyar Regency, Klotok beach in Klungkung Regency, and many others.
The ritual is usually performed between 5 am and noon; at beaches facing the west (where the sun sets), it is usually done between 3 and 7 pm. Early morning and late afternoon are best, to avoid the heat of midday.
If you want to see the Melasti ritual, get to the venue early so you don't get stuck in traffic. You'll have a better chance of observing the rituals if you try a beach away from the main tourist areas. Wear the requisite simple traditional Balinese clothing (e.g. sarong, waistband, headgear) so you can interact better with the local people performing the ritual.
For tourists, the Melasti ritual is a display of Bali's unique religious culture, followed by Nyepi, which provides a calm space for nature and humankind to stop, rest and introspect. |
Garuda magazine; The essential water of life. 