The Celebration of Siwaratri Day, Balinese Holy Musing Night

While you are in Bali, have you ever feel or even celebrate Siwaratri Day that held by Hindus? This feast is literally not far different from other religion feast where it is aim to glorify the God and purify the soul.

Siwaratri Day is a holy day that held in order to do the worship toward Hyang Widhi in his manifestation as Siwa God. The celebration of Siwaratri usually be done once in a year. In another meaning, Siwaratri also means as holy musing night or smelting sin night. The word of Siwaratri itself has derives from word of “Siwa” and “Ratri”. Where Siwa means God or in Sanskrit Language means kindhearted and forgiving.

While Ratri means the night or the darkness. So if it is combined, it will form the word of “Siwaratri” that means the night peak. Where in this night, every Hindus is not allowed to get sleep and be supposed to do the sequence of religious activities. There are some activities that usually be done when Siwaratri night arrived.

• Monabrata or remain silent and not talking. The implementation held in the morning and done within 12 hours exactly start from 06.00 – 18.00.

• Mejagra or not get any sleep within all night long. The omplementation held from morning until morning in the next day which held within 36 hours from 06.00 – 18.00 in the next day.

• Upawasa or not eat and drink. This fasting is be done within 24 hours from 06.00 – 06.00. If it’s already 12 hours, so it’s allowed to eat and drink with requirement that food that will be eaten is should be white rice.

In the end of this activity, those people who celebrate and doing ritual in Siwaratri Day will go worship and begging to Sang Hyang Siwa to always have some blessing and forgiveness, and also be returned as a pure and perfect human. It believed that from the whole sequence that have done aims to increase the faith to the Creator. When Siwaratri Day, Hindus people are be wished to fill this day with many religious activities.