New Year Celebrations in Bali

Bali, with its eclectic mix of varied cultures and its cosmopolitan social structure, has a great variety of Bali Festivals and Events. Celebrated with great enthusiasm by all people, irrespective of their race, caste, creed and culture, the Annual Celebrations of Bali are a panoramic display of the unity that this diverse miscellany of cultures prides itself in. Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Chinese all have got together to make up the amazingly rich culture of the province of Bali, and, when they get together to partake of any occasion, the celebrations are beyond imagination. One of the most important Bali Events and Festivals in the month of January, according to the Bali Travel Guide, is the New Year Celebrations in Bali.
The New Year Celebrations in Bali are one of the most important, and among the most widely celebrated events in the island state. People belonging to every cultural background make it a point to be present in, and to enjoy the revelry of the New Year Celebrations in Bali. The four major religions of Bali, which include Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Chinese, each have their own special New Year Celebrations, that they celebrate according to their customs and traditions, with the state having declared around 4 public holidays commemorating them. However, it is the western New Year Celebrations in Bali that has a separate charm of its own, and is partaken of by every person in the state.
Street festivals, gala carnivals, people dressed up and exhibiting on the streets are all a part of the New Year Celebrations in Bali in Indonesia. Anybody who wants can join in the dance, song and merry-making, and can abandon themselves in the frenzy of celebration. During the New Year Celebrations in Bali, the streets are full of performers, as well as audience who are welcomed to join in the revelry and enjoy themselves to the fullest. One of the most wonderful events in the annual calendar of Bali, and one that is celebrated with great pomp and splendor, is the New Year Celebrations in Bali.
Nyepi (Icaka New Year) in Bali
Bali the island in Indonesia has a rich culture and tradition beside some of the worlds best sightseeing places. Bali Festivals and Events are very colorful and full of fun filled activities. Bali Travel Guide gives a detail picture of the various kinds of festivals and vents in Bali. The Nyepi (Icaka New Year) in Bali is celebrated very religiously in Bali.
There are many festivals in Bali and some are dedicated to the art of woodcarving or the birth of a goddess. Festivals in Bali are based on three calendars (the Western, the Saka and the Wuku calendars). The Nyepi Celebration in Bali takes place in the month of march/april. This is a festival when a new lunar year starts and usually falls during the spring equinox.
The Nyepi (Icaka New Year) in Bali is a different kind of celebration where everyone including foreign tourist have to remain silent. This is a Hindu festival and non-Hindus are advised to remain in their homes in this day. Top tourist spots like Kuta beach, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran and Sanur, which are crowded usually, remain totally deserted in this day. On the eve of Nyepi, people burn ogoh-ogoh into ashes in the hope of destroying all negative influences on Bali. The night before Nyepi, local residents including foreigners come to the streets, watching the ogoh ogoh.
Before the day of Nyepi (Icaka New Year) in Bali objects from temples are ritually cleansed in streams and the ocean. Priests make special offerings and place at crossroads to lure evil spirits out into the open.
Some of the best places to watch ogoh ogoh in Bali are Bemo corner in Kuta, Jl. Seminyak at Dhyana Pura in Semnyak and Puputan Square in Denpasar.