There has been a lot of talk about the Ogoh-Ogoh Parades being cancelled for 2024. That is because many of them are...due to the request from the Provisional Government to not hold a Competition for Ogoh-Ogohs. So, most areas have cancelled the competition for 10 March (night before Nyepi).
In Denpasar District, there was instead a competition, held on 17-18 February and only the 12 best Ogoh-Ogoh were nominated from the some 360 Ogoh-Ogohs to then be taken to the Kesanga Festival events on March 1-3 and paraded in the Catur Muka area of Denpasar.
There are some parts of Bali that will still be holding Ogoh-Ogoh Parades, such as Tabanan area, they will not have a competition, but they will do a parade. It is up to each Individual Traditional Administrative Adat to make the decisions to parade or not to parade.
There are some areas that have said they are still discussing mini parades, for the younger children to parade their mini Ogoh-Ogoh’ in the morning of 10th March…so cute.
But why no competition, is it not an age-old tradition?
Well, some young people call clothes from the 1980’s vintage, so it probably does seem old to them. However, Ogoh-Ogohs were designed in the early 1980’s for city youth to became part of the Banjar Adat (the traditional Administration of a Village), instead of riding around the streets being naughty.
The competitions with other villages developed over time, and are so much fun for the youth of Bali. Tourists started to watch and just like anything in Bali, if the tourists like it, then make it bigger and better next year. However, the idea of the Ogoh-Ogoh was not put on a parade for tourists, it was to scare away the spirits, as part of the Adult tradition of Bhuta Kala. Yes, way before vintage clothes era…part of a cleansing of the Island before the Day of Silence.
Many people are saying that the "No" Ogoh-Ogoh competition is a political decision, due to the elections this year. However, partly true, this year the date also coincides with other important events in the Balinese calendar, and many villages have other obligations to perform those religious events, instead of policing the streets so teenagers can parade the Ogoh-Ogoh.
So, will you see an Ogoh-Ogoh Parade on 10th March?
Well, as the Ogoh-Ogoh competitions were all done at District Level, many districts having around 30 Adat Villages (Traditional Village), or more in their Districts, it was a collaborations at District Level to organize the road closures to get the Ogoh-Ogohs to the final chosen place for the competition. With no competition, no need for it to be organized at a District Level this year.
An Ogoh-Ogoh is supposed to be brought out of the Bali Banjar the day before Nyepi, where the youth have been making them for the past few months, and taken to each cross road or T-section of the village. So, then you will see the one in the village you are in….if you are in a large village, you may see more than one. And if you stand on the border of two villages you will may see them from both villages…try standing on a major intersection bordering 4 villages and you may see even more…just don’t stand in the middle of the intersection.
So, this year you won’t see Ogoh-Ogoh’s being taken to the final location of the competition though, so other Villages will not cross borders. They will take them to all the cross roads in their own villages and spin them 3 times to bewilder the spirits.
Some locations where you will see Ogoh-Ogohs being taken out
Denpasar City - Patung Catur Muka
They will be taken down the following roads leading to the Catur Muka Statue - Jalan Hasanuddin - Jalan M.H. Thamrin - Jalan Gajah Mada - Patung Catur Muka.
Denpasar Jalan Cok Agung Tresna
Another group of Banjars with their Ogoh-Pgohs will be taken down Jalan Letda Kajeng - Jalan Cok Agung Tresna.
Renon
They wil be taken down to the bypass Ngurah Rai from Plaza Renon to Jalan Hang Tuah (near Prama Hotel)
Sanur
Banjar Taman will take their Ogoh's from McDonalds up to the KFC, for tourists to see.
Kuta
You can watch them going from alan Bakung Sari up to Pantai Kuta to the beach
Legian
And a another going from Ground Zero down Jalan Legian down to Bemo Corner Pantai Kuta, then turning away from the beach and going up Jalan Raya Kuta.
Nusa Dua
At the intersection where Tanjung Benoa meets Nusa Dua you wil be able to see Ogoh-Ogohs
Ubud
You can see them at the interection at the Ubud Palace and down to the big statue at the intersection of Ubud and Andong at the big statue (Patung Dewa Indra)
Klungkung
They will take the to the Patung Kanda Pat (large statue) in the centre roundabout in Kangin, Klungkung
So, this year, rather than sitting down in one spot, go for a walk, and go to them, instead of them coming to you.
Oh, we don’t have Ogoh-Ogohs in our village as we are too traditional, and don’t have naughty youth, they are all working in the farms, they don’t have time to be making an Ogoh-Ogoh.