When a chicken meets the sea: A day of cleansing in Indonesia
The Melasti ritual is held annually ahead of the Nyepi Day of Silence, a ceremony intended to cleanse and purify the souls of the Balinese Hindu participants. Nyepi is a Hindu celebration observed every new year according to the Balinese calendar. The national holiday is one of self-reflection and meditation and activities such as working, watching television or traveling are restricted between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Hindus pray on the beach in order to clean themselves and environment from all the past bad deeds and throw it overboard into the sea with offerings to the gods.
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- A Hindu devotee puts offerings during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindu devotees receive holy water as they pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- A Hindu devotee throws a chicken into the sea as offerings to gods during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindus devotees carry ‘Pratima’ statue as they pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindu devotees wash their faces with sea water as they pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) Hindu devotees wash their faces with sea water as they pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- A Hindu devotee throws a chicken into the sea as offerings to gods during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) A Hindu devotee throws a chicken into the sea as offerings to gods during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- A Hindu devotees pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 29, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindus devotees pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- A priest splash holly water to Hindus devotees as they pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindus devotees pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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- Hindus devotees pray during the Melasti ritual ceremony at Parangkusumo beach on March 28, 2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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