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SIWA RATRI 2018

SIWA RATRI 2018

SIWA RATRI 2018

The Balinese people also believe that on this day, Siwa would allow for the forgiveness of sin of people who meditated in his honour. Part of these rituals involve restricting yourself from a number of things including sleep and food. Jagra; which involves staying awake all night and Upawasa; abstinence from food, are accompanied by observing silence through the event, a phenomenon known as Monabrata. The three, fasting, staying awake and remaining silent are considered the three key levels of self-restriction and typically lasts for 36 hours. Once the 36 hours elapse, the locals will proceed to the beach to partake in purification rituals. This involves holding a prayer session followed by taking a quick dip in the frigid waters of the sea. After this ritual, the locals go back to their daily activities. Failure to do so is believed to nullify the strides made as far as self-restriction is concerned. Siwa Ratri is an important event for the locals and is interesting for foreigners to observe.