Melasti ceremony observed ahead of Nyepi festival on Java's coasts

Thousands of Hindu devotees participated in Melasti ceremonies held across Java’s coastal regions on Sunday, 15 March 2026, as part of preparations for the Nyepi festival, marking the Hindu New Year Saka 1948.

The ceremonies took place simultaneously at multiple locations, including Watu Pecak Beach in Lumajang, East Java; Tanjung Pakis Beach in Karawang, West Java; and Marina Beach in Semarang, Central Java. The Melasti ritual, one of the most important ceremonies in the Hindu calendar, is performed to cleanse practitioners of negative influences and spiritual impurities accumulated in the past year.

During the ceremonies, Hindu devotees processed to the beaches carrying offerings (sesaji), whilst religious leaders led prayers and ritual activities. The proceedings included traditional performances such as the Rejang dance. In some instances, devotees released animals such as ducks into the sea as part of the purification ritual, whilst others carried sacred water collected from the ocean for use in the ceremonies.

The Melasti ceremony precedes Nyepi, a day of silence and spiritual reflection observed by Hindus across Indonesia. On this auspicious occasion, devotees sought blessings from Sang Hyang Widhi (the Almighty) for strength and spiritual purification as they prepared for the upcoming Nyepi celebrations. The widespread participation across multiple Java coastal regions underscored the significance of the festival for Hindu communities throughout the island.