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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.
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