The Hindus Observe Simpler Nyepi Processions Ahead of Election
30 March 2014 15:40 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The observance of Nyepi Day (The Hindu Day of Silence) in Jakarta that falls tomorrow is set to be centered at Aditya Jaya temple, Rawamangun, East Jakarta.
As many as 600 Hindu people from Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi are expected to attend the Tawur Agung ceremony in the temple today.
A series of Nyepi processions in Jakarta have actually begun since Friday with the preparation for the Melasti ceremony.
The ceremony believed to purify the Hindus from bad karma over life in the previous year was performed yesterday at Segare temple, Cilincing, North Jakarta.
Nyoman Udayana Sangging, Deputy Chairman of the Nyepi Observance Committee and Pengurus Persatuan Hindu Dharma Indonesia (Indonesian Hindus Association), said that the Tawur Agung Kesanga ceremony will be performed today and it aims to harmonize relations between humans and God, their fellow humans, and nature.
The ceremony would be led by Pendeta Ida Pedanda Gede Panji Sogata and after the ceremony, an ogoh-ogoh (colorful giant effigies) parade would be performed inside the temple premise.
"However, we don’t perform the ogoh-ogoh parade as festive as we did last year because we are now in the campaign season before the general election," Nyoman told Tempo yesterday.
Nyoman invited people of other faiths and the public to come to Aditya Jaya temple to see the ogoh-ogoh parade and other ceremonies to observe the Nyepi Day.
"This event is open for anyone," he said.
In the meantime, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend the ceremony. "But if he’s busy, we hope his deputy can attend," he said.
PRAGA UTAMA