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 Calender of Festivals & Events 

In Bali, the endless cycle of Hindu
ceremonies and rituals means that
no matter when you visit, there’s sure
to be something interesting happening
for you to see.

The Balinese Saka calendar is based on
a completely different system from the Roman
calendar. The Balinese base their year on cycles
of 210 days (seven calendar months), with each month
comprising 35 days. Therefore, throughout a Roman calendar
year, certain important Balinese religious ceremonies may come around twice - meaning that there is always a chance you will be in Bali around the time of one of these colourful and festive occasions.

  
  This lunar calendar is based around the cycle of new and full moons - auspicious occasions and ceremony nights for the Balinese. While most Balinese households make daily ritual offerings, there are certain special days of convergence on the Balinese calendar that require elaborate prayers and offerings to be made to God.

Keep an eye out for full moon ceremonies, as they are often grandiose and extremely colourful affairs – definitely Kodak moments. As temple ceremonies (odalan) often fall on the full moon, it is likely that the celebration will be a large one, attracting thousands of worshippers who make their way to the temple balancing towers of fruit and sweet cakes on their heads.
Balinese families will be dressed in their best temple garb on these days - special, joyous occasions filled with prayer, gamelan music, dance, and catching up with friends and family.
  The Balinese are exceedingly tolerant and visitors are always welcome to enter the temples and witness the proceedings. It is important, however, that you wear the appropriate temple dress and observe Balinese etiquette. Your DMC or hotel can instruct you about this and provide you with further details.

As Bali is a multi-cultural society, the holy days of Moslems, Christians and Buddhists are all observed, and on certain days throughout the year you will see worshippers visiting the mosques, churches and temples across the island. With the exception of the Hindu day of silence (Nyepi) when everything in Bali closes down for a 24-hour period, you will still find many restaurants, shops, and businesses open on public holidays.

 
         
JANUARY
January 1 New Year’s Day
Celebrated in Bali, as it is the world round.
January 3 Full Moon
January 20 Islamic New Year
 
FEBRUARY
February 2 Full Moon
February 17 Tumpek Kandang  
A day to honour Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the guardian of all cattle and livestock, all household animals are blessed, comforted and well fed on this day.
February 18 Chinese New Year
A day celebrated by Bali’s residents of Chinese descent with family gatherings and prayers at one of the many Chinese temples in Bali.
 
MARCH
March 3 Full Moon
March 16 Pekiyisan
 
Beautiful handcrafted effigies are carried in parade from local temples to Bali’s
beaches, particularly in Sanur and Kuta, and tossed into the ocean. Held in the
early morning, this ceremony marks the beginning of Nyepi, three days hence.

March 18 Tawur Agung Kesanga
 
Island-wide, sacrificial ceremonies are held to welcome the coming of Nyepi. Evening parades accompanied by baleganjur orchestras commence from the community centres (banjar) and usually lead to a central meeting place to mark the start of a night of festivities. Ogoh-Ogoh, huge papier maché monster-like dolls on floats are paraded in the streets to exorcise evil spirits, preparing the way for the purity and serenity that awaits on Nyepi day. A special Perang Api (fire war) to welcome Nyepi is held at Jasi Village, Karangasem.
 
 
March 19 Nyepi
Happy New Year 1929 according to the Balinese Calendar. This is a day of absolute silence observed throughout the island when no outside activity is performed, no traffic is seen on the streets, no fires are lit - a day when all of Bali resembles a ghost town and even the airport is closed. This is a day of introspection for Hindu followers who spend the day behind closed doors, with non-Hindus following suit as a sign of respect. Hotel guests are required to stay within their hotel grounds.
 
 
March 24 Tumpek Wayang
 
Theatrical groups and puppeteers from all over the island hold ceremonies (performance are forbidden) to pay homage to the shadow puppet theatre. Sacred, heirloom, leather puppets, dance costumes and masks are taken from their storage boxes, sprinkled with holy water or rice, then solemnly re-consecrated.
March 31 Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
 
APRIL
April 2 Full Moon
April 6 Good Friday
The death of Jesus Christ is remembered on this day.
April 8 Easter Sunday
 
After a church service at sunrise, many of Bali’s Christians visit the cemetery to pay their respects to departed loved ones.
April 14 Saraswati
 
A day devoted to Sang Hyang Saraswati, goddess of all knowledge and learning. The last day of the 210-day Balinese calendar cycle, the day when blessings are made for Holy Scriptures, literature and all tools of learning. Offerings are made to books and libraries on this day but, ironically, it’s forbidden to read on Saraswati.
April 18 Pagerwesi
 
Literally ‘the day of the iron fences’ Pagerwesi is devoted to Sang Hyang Pramesti Guru, guardian of the universe. Celebrated in every home compound and temple throughout Bali, Pagerwesi is a popular time for large and colourful temple ceremonies, notably at Payogan Agung Temple in Ketewel
April 28 Tumpek Landep
 
A day of devotion to Sang Hyang Pasupati and Siwa, the guardians of all things made of metal. Weapons, craftsmen’s tools, motorcycles, cars and buses will all have prayers and offerings made on their behalf on this day. Look for the cars and buses with elaborate palm leaf decorations tied to their front grills. They’ve just been blessed!
 
MAY
May 1 Full Moon
May 17 Ascension Day
Christ’s ascension is celebrated by communion in Christian Churches.
May 31 Full Moon
 
JUNE
June 1 Waisak
The annual Buddhist celebration marking the Buddha’s birth, death and a day of enlightenment when many of the faithful visit Bali’s Buddhist monasteries.
June 2 Tumpek Unduh
 
Devoted to Sang Hyang Sangkara, the guardian of all vegetation. Ceremonies are
held in every village to ensure God’s blessing on their crops.
June 24 Bali International Triathlon
 
June 27 Galungan
 
This 7-monthly ceremony is observed across the island to celebrate the victory of virtue over evil. Every street is decorated with tall brightly decorated bamboo poles (penjor) to offering thanks to God for the fruits of the Earth. Balinese return to their ancestral villages to repair, clean and bless their family temples in the belief that deceased members of their clan return to earth for the next ten days to dwell briefly again with their kin. Temple ceremonies occur on this day also, and it is an opportune time to witness some gamelan and dance in a traditional setting.
 
Calender of Events
 
June 29 Full Moon
June - July Twenty-eight Annual Bali Arts Festival  
 
JULY
July 7 Kuningan  
Celebrated ten days after Galungan marking the return of ancestral spirits and deities to heaven. Special offerings of yellow rice and assorted side dishes are offered to the spirit world.
Homes and temples are festooned with ornaments made of young coconut leaves and flowers. Large temple ceremonies are held in many villages, notably in Mas at Taman Pule Temple and on Turtle Island (Serangan) at Sakenan Temple.
 
July 29 Full Moon
Late July Bali Festival of Kites in Sanur  
 
 
AUGUST
Early August Tanah Lot Kite Festival
 
August 11 Isra’ Mi’raj Nabi Muhammad S.A.W
Celebrates the night journey of the prophet.
August 11 Tumpek Klurut
The day for objects which produce a sound, traditional gamelan instruments are cleaned, decorated and blessed. Many music clubs also gather to pray for artistic inspiration and share food together.
August 17 Indonesian Independence Day
Celebrated with speeches, ceremonies and games in villages and cities across the island and throughout Indonesia. In particular, the night comes alive at the Puputan Square in Denpasar with interesting gamelan and dance performances.
Late August Sanur Village Festival  
August 27 Full Moon
 
SEPTEMBER
September 1-9 Kuta Karnival 2007  
Street parades, fun fairs and bazaars and sporting events.
September 9-17 Wismilak International WTA Tennis Tournament  
In terms of prize money, this is the biggest WTA tournament in Southeast Asia, drawing players and tennis journalists from around the world. Held in Nusa Dua.
 
September 15 Tumpek Kandang  
A day to honour Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the guardian of all cattle and livestock, all household animals are blessed, comforted and well fed on this day.
September 26 Full Moon
September 30-October 3 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
 
A celebration of literature including seminars, workshops and discourses with the participation of prize-winning authors from around the world held in various locations around Ubud. Workshops start September 28.
 
OCTOBER
October Bali Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament
 
An anticipated 300-350 golfers compete in this tournament which will run simultaneously at all the island’s three main courses Bali Golf & Country Club, Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club and Nirwana Golf & Country Club. Participating golfers will be eligible for attractive lucky draws and other prizes. The overall winner will walk away with the prestigious Governor’s Cup presented by Bali’s chief executive.
October 13-14 Idul Fitri
A two-day celebration of the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan which marks the start of the New Year. Purified by their fasts, Bali’s Moslems begin the New Year by calling on friends and family and asking them for forgiveness for any past misdeeds or slights.
October 20 Tumpek Wayang  
Theatrical groups and puppeteers from all over the island hold ceremonies (performance are forbidden) to pay homage to the shadow puppet theatre. Sacred, heirloom, leather puppets, dance costumes and masks are taken from their storage boxes, sprinkled with holy water or rice, then solemnly re-consecrated.
October 25 Full Moon
Fall Bali Fashion Week  
 
Calender of Events
 
NOVEMBER
November 10 Saraswati  
A day devoted to Sang Hyang Saraswati, goddess of all knowledge and learning. The last day of the 210-day Balinese calendar cycle, the day when blessings are made for Holy Scriptures, literature and all tools of learning. Offerings are made to books and libraries on this day but, ironically, it’s forbidden to read on Saraswati.
November 14 Pagerwesi  
Literally ‘the day of the iron fences’ Pagerwesi is devoted to Sang Hyang Pramesti Guru, guardian of the universe. Celebrated in every home compound and temple throughout Bali, Pagerwesi is a popular time for large and colourful temple ceremonies, notably at Payogan Agung Temple in Ketewel.
 
Calender of Events
 
November 24 Full Moon
November 24 Tumpek Landep  
A day of devotion to Sang Hyang Pasupati and Siwa, the guardians of all things made of metal. Weapons, craftsmen’s tools, motorcycles, cars and buses will all have prayers and offerings made on their behalf on this day. Look for the cars and buses with elaborate palm leaf decorations tied to their front grills. They’ve just been blessed!
 
DECEMBER
December 20 Idul Adha 1428
December 24 Full Moon
December 25 Christmas Day
Celebrated by Bali’s Christians in Protestant and Roman Catholic churches Bali’s hotels are decorated for the day and many present music of the season sung by children’s choirs.
December 29 Tumpek Uduh  
Devoted to Sang Hyang Sangkara, the guardian of all vegetation. Ceremonies are
held in every village to ensure God’s blessing on their crops.
 
Full Moon
Public Holiday



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