By Hari Narayana Das
Nyepi comes from a lonely word meaning silence, quiet, no activity. Nyepi Day is a Hindu New Year based on the Saka calendar, which began in AD 78. Unlike the celebration of the New Year-every January 1, the New Year of Saka in Bali begins with the solitude and execution of the silence. The main purpose of Nyepi Day is to appeal to Almighty God, to purify Bhuana Alit (human nature / microcosmic) and Bhuana Agung / macrocosmic (universe). In celebration, Hindus will conduct a series of activities such as, Melasti, praying, Tawur Agung, Nyepi, And Ngembak Geni. A day before the Nyepi Day, people did Tawur agung and followed by Ogoh-ogoh parade. This event also gave the chance to the devotees to do ratha yatra on the festival because many people would have gathered on the event. Hindu in Indonesia are spread from west to the east of Indonesia. Each place also did sequence of Nyepi day. On March 16, 2018 the devotees participated in the festival in four different places, Batam, Kepulauan Riau, Jember, East Java, Mataram, Lombok, and Tolai, Central Sulawesi. The devotees did Jagannath rathayatra to purify the macrocosmic and microcosmic. Devotees also did book distribution and prasadam distribution.
“For the present you endeavor to make Ratha-yatra festival grand and successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighborhood people may be attracted to join the procession.” SPL to Upendra, 1st June, 1968
In Batam, the procession did at Amerta Bhuana temple, where many people come for praying and also do ogoh-ogoh festival. Devotees prepare Lord Jagannath chariot and prasadam for distribution. Lord Jagannath became the centre of attraction in the event. Many people pulled Lord jaganntah chariot and they also got Lord Jagannath mha prasadam. Devotees performed Krishna lila drama and people enthusiastically saw the performance. Devotees also did srila prabhupada book distribution to the audiences. Meanwhile in Jember devotees prepared ratha yatra in Sukerone-Umbulsari jember. Starting from morning devotees prepared the chariot by decorating in beautiful flowers bouquets. The mataji prepare the prasadam and bhoga for the Lord. Some devotees from Bali also came to participate in the ratha yatra. They went by car. In the evening the parade of ogoh-ogoh was opened by the local authority and the one by one the people passed their ogoh-ogoh infront of the stage. Lord jagannath chariot was pulled by devotees on the last line and people actually waited for the chariot to pass by. The people already familiar with the ratha yatra that they waited for the darsan and get prasadam. They were happy to get maha prasadam. The kirtan was lear by Sesa prabhu filled the entire atmosphere with the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and people also dance in the joy of the kirtan perfomend by the devotees. Near midnight the chariot arrived in the temple, devotees then honouring prasadam and then took rest.
Crossing Bali island from Java we arrived in Lombok island. Devotees also did ratha yatra. This ratha yatra were so marvellous even small number of devotees prepared for the ratha yatra. Devotees already stand by at the location of the parade at 12.00 local time. Many participants of the pararade also already there to prepared their ogoh-ogoh. The main road of the where the parade took place closed for the car and other transportation device. The parade started at 02.00 pm opened by the mayor of Mataram. While waiting the turn, devotee did kirtan and distributed prasadam. The sankirtan warrior spread all direction to distribute Srila Prabhupada books. Devotees also did non-stop kirtan to purify the atmosphere. When the time that the devotees pulled the chariot crossed the main stage where the mayor and his staffs watch the parade. Devotees gave the mayor flowers garland that already offer to The Lord Jagannath. The mayor happily accepted it. Then the devotees continued the journey along the main road of Mataram and in the finished the devotees honoured prasadam.
In Tolai, Devotees were enthusiastically prepareed the festival. This ratha yatra was long time been waited by the devotees because it would be done in the city regency. The devotees did early preparation by inviting devotees near Tolai. They came from Kendari, Luwuk and nearby area. It was dry season and rain really rare fall, but a day before the ratha yatra, the rain heavily felt. This condition made the devotees worry and the suddenly remember that Sripad Bhaktiswarupa Damora Swami Maharaj once told that “if we want make Lord Indra sleep, we must sing this special Maha Matra tone”. Then the devotees lead by Sridar prabhu started bhajan using Sripada Maharaj tones. Not waited for long time, the rain slowly faded and the devotees were happy and continued the preparation. On the day of the ratha yatra the chariot was pulled from base came to the place of the carnival. On the way, the road was flooded by water from the rain before. The devotees never stop their paces and walked crossing the flood. It looked like Jagannath boot festival because half of the wheel of the chariot sank in water. Arrived on the spot, devotees prepare prasadam to distribute such as sweet and young coconut icy water. They distributed 3000 cups of icy waater and 1000 pieces of sweet to the people who came to see the festival. Both side of the road were crowed by people. One by one of the ogoh-ogoh passed in front of the stage were the mayor watched. When the devotees pulled the Lord chariot with tumulus kirtan made the mayor stood and give his gratitude to the devotees. The devotees also gave flowers garland that already offered to the Lord to the mayor and he accepted it with joy. Then the chariot pulled to the finished point where people also dance in the lovely Kirtan and the ocean of Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Arrived in the finished point the devotees honoured prasada. Devotees also distributed Srila Prabhupada’s book.
A week before Pengrupukan devotees in Jogjakarta also did Ratha yatra on the welcoming Nyepi day. Devotees from bali also came to participate in the ratha yatra. The ratha ytara was done in the Malioboro street where many people came to shop in this area. When the parade started the street were closed for the any transportation, the pedestrian was crowded by people who curiously wanted to see the carnival. The book Sankirtan spread among the visitors to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s book. Devoteed gave flowers garland that already offered to The Lord to the mayor and other officer on the stage. The ratha yatra finished in the North field of Jogja Kingdom.
We offer our heartfelt gratitude to H.H. Kavichandra Swami and H.H. Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their encouragement to increase sankirtan; H.H. Subhag Swami for being our inspiration, and to all the wonderful senior devotees of Indonesia for their blessings and constant support on Jagannath Ratha Yatra Nusantara.
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