TABANAN, DEWATA.NEWS – The Melasti purification ceremony held at Tanah Lot Beach in Beraban Village, Kediri District, attracted strong attention from visiting tourists on Monday (March 16), as thousands of Balinese Hindus took part in the sacred ritual ahead of Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence.
The ceremony, which began in the morning and continued throughout the day, was watched by both domestic and international visitors who were exploring the popular coastal destination.
Observers at the site said many tourists were eager to watch the procession and capture photos or videos of the ceremony, which is one of Bali’s most important religious traditions before Nyepi.
During the ritual, thousands of participants from several traditional villages in Tabanan carried sacred objects such as pratima, jempana, and other ceremonial items in a procession accompanied by traditional baleganjur music.
The Melasti ceremony at Tanah Lot has been taking place since Saturday (March 14), with schedules arranged through coordination between traditional villages and the management of Pura Luhur Tanah Lot.
Different villages performed the ritual at various times throughout the day, including morning, afternoon, evening, and even early morning hours.
So far, around 10 traditional villages in Tabanan have conducted their Melasti ceremonies at the Tanah Lot coastal area.
One of them, Beraban Traditional Village in Kediri District, held its procession on Monday afternoon at around 15:00 WITA. Thousands of residents from 15 traditional neighborhood groups (banjar adat) joined the procession, walking together from the village toward Tanah Lot Beach.
Before heading to the coast, sacred objects from temples across Beraban Village were first gathered at Pura Bale Agung. From there, the ceremonial procession continued toward the sea, where participants performed purification rituals symbolizing spiritual cleansing for both people and nature before Nyepi.
Assistant Manager of the Tanah Lot Tourist Attraction, I Putu Tony Wirawan, said the Melasti ceremony has become a unique cultural moment that many visitors are eager to witness each year.
“Tourists are very enthusiastic about watching this procession. The moments most frequently captured are when sacred objects such as barong, pratima, and jempana are carried toward the sea,” he said.
According to Tony, visitor numbers at Tanah Lot are currently in the low season period, with daily tourist arrivals averaging around 1,200 to 1,300 people.
Most visitors currently come from Asian countries, while arrivals from Europe remain relatively limited.
“European visitors are still relatively low at the moment. Those who come are usually travelers who are already in Bali. We cannot confirm whether global conditions such as conflicts are influencing this,” he added.
He noted that the decrease in tourist arrivals during this period also commonly occurs during the Ramadan month each year.
However, tourism officials expect visitor numbers to increase again after the Eid al-Fitr holiday period and following Nyepi.
To enhance the visitor experience during the upcoming holiday season, Tanah Lot tourism management plans to present traditional cultural entertainment, including the Joged Bumbung dance, for visitors during the Eid holiday period.
“We hope the entertainment programs will provide additional enjoyment for tourists visiting Tanah Lot,” Tony said.