Every temple in bali and shrine has aspecial date for annual ceremony, or "Odalan" every 210 days, including the smaller ancestral shrines that each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes some village in Bali.

This is some of special days held by Balinese to celebrate hindu`s sacred days:

1. Galungan

If you make a visit to Bali in October, you will see the look of this island different than usual. Along the street, you will see exquisite penjors (bamboo poles festooned with several flowers and young coconut leaf decoration) of many sizes and colours as on that occasion the Balinese are celebrating Galungan and Kuningan festivity.

In the perspective of Balinese people, that day is the time when devas comes down to earth to confer blessing security and prosperity. Galungan, is based on the Balinese calendar system falling on Buda Kliwon Wuku Dungulan ( Araund October in normal calendar). The day is often called festivity of the world, or a special day to venerate God that has created the cosmos along with its contents. At the same day, they offer various kinds of oblation and express gratitude on the creation of the universe and blessing of prosperity that has been bestowed to human beings.

Even though the economic crisis of Indonesia has not recovered yet, the Galungan celebration seemingly does not have an effect. Hindu devotees in Bali celebrate this holiday with great solemnly, proven by the well-ordered line of penjors on the street side as symbols of their gratitude to God on all blessing of fecundity and security invoked to human beings.

The day before galungan called Penampahan Galungan, in the afternoon they are busy making Penjor. They select a good bamboo pole and affixing wastra wali (paraphernalia) at worshiping places like family shrines, temple sand other sacred places.

The activity is waited for by children is lawar party on Penampahan Galungan and having sightseeing together with friends after the worshiping. Their meal portion will be much bigger than on usual days. On Galungan Day, they infrequently eat four to five times a day.

For young boys or girls, apart from being busy assisting their parents, they also take advantage of this moment to have picnic and promenade with their friends to tourist destinations. Some others hold charitable activity or establish mini stall at the balai banjar or village hall to raise funds for their organization. Don’t be surprised if you happen to pass through in front of a village hall hearing a loud music strings, just like restaurant ambience.

This charitable stall takes place for three days successively.

2. Kuningan

Ten days after Galungan, is called Kuningan Day. Series of this festivity comes to an end on Buda Kliwon Pahang or Buda Kliwon Pegatwakan . So, in more than a month, they are in milieu that is full of purity and getting involved in the festivities. This is the day on which the ancestor are bidden farewell with more offerings and freshly woven "Lamaks", and the barongs take to the roads converting along with their troupes of following children.

3. Nyepi

Balinese New Year's day according the Caka calendar this is a day inactivity and silence throughout the island 24 hours. Fires may not be lit so cooking must be done the day before. Great purification offerings are made in every village on the day before to appease the evil spirit and general exorcism is held that evenings large gangs of children roam the villages dressed in garnish attire and bearing burning torches, chanting and banging on homemade cymbals to scare the evils spirits away. Traditionally the day of nyepi is spent at home fasting, in a prayer and meditation, but only more religious Brahman families follow this custom.

4. Saraswati

A special day is devoted to Saraswati , the Goddess of learning science and literature, once a year according to Wuku calendar ( Sabtu umanis wuku Dugulan). On this day no one is allowed to read or write, and offering are made to the lontar, Palm-leaf books, books.

5. Pager Wesi Day

Balinese Hindus celebrate Pagerwesi ceremony every six months based on Bali's calender system (210 days) so its gonna be in april and October in normal calendar. Pagarwesi means "iron fence," and is a day to strengthen one's fortification against evil. The offerings to the Gods and ask for spiritual power to cope with hardship and misfortune. Offerings are made for the uncremated dead at the cemeteries.

Pagerwesi day is also a day upon which an ancient battle between good and evil is celebrated. The three days preceding Pagerwesi have special names and each day is for special activities. Sunday, April 6, 2003 is the first day of Pawukon called "Banyu Pinaruh". Many people who live near the sea go to the beach at dawn and symbolically purify themselves by bathing. This is a special day for fishermen, who make offerings for their boats and nets.

Two days before Pagerwesi is called Soma Ribek, a day that is not widely celebrated. On Tuesday - a day before Pagerwesi Day, called "Sabuh Emas" - one is supposed to make offerings for jewelry, especially that of gold and for the Chinese coins that are often used in any kinds of offerings.

6. Ogoh-Ogoh Festival

Several months before Balinese New Year (Nyepi), the banjar youth group get together and plan the construction of ogoh-ogoh. Ogoh-ogoh are giant dolls made from bamboo frames which are intricately weaved and tied and then covered with papier mache. They are made in the form of creatures of the underworld known in Balinese as buta-kala. The creatures are based on characters taken from traditional myths and legends, however in modern times many also take the form of modern characters, including even people in the media or in the government.

For young Balinese, making ogoh-ogoh is a challenging but exciting art form and one month before Nyepi, most banjars are bubbling with “ogoh-ogoh fever”. It’s no mean feat to make a papier mache doll many metres high. Just getting it to stand up is a task, let alone making it lifelike.

Ogoh-ogoh are paraded around the streets on the eve of Nyepi, known as Hari Pengerupukan. Most main roads are closed off and thousands of people gather to watch the parade. It may take up to 30 people to carry a large ogoh-ogoh and each banjar includes a team of musicians playing gamelan and sometimes male and female dancers. Traditionally, however, it was just the ogoh-ogoh which were paraded in the streets on the eve of Nyepi. These days, however, this night has become an excuse for an ogoh-ogoh festival which is judged and the winning team rewarded with a large prize.

The gamelan ensemble used to accompany the ogoh-ogoh is called baleganjur which is made up of up to 15 musicians playing gongs, cymbals and drums. The louder the music the better, as their function is to scare off any demons before Nyepi, the day of silence. After being paraded till midnight, the giant dolls are ceremoniously burnt to represent the destruction of the demons on Earth.

7. Bali Art Festival

The Bali Arts Festival is one of the premier events on the Balinese calendar.

The Opening Ceremony and Cultural Parade is not to be missed. If you happen to be anywhere near Bali on June we recommend you make an effort to come watch this extravaganza.

This is not just another parade. All areas of Bali send representatives dressed to impress their fellow parade participants as much as the spectators and as such you will see Bali in all its glorious finery. Make sure you bring a camera or videocam with lots of film and batteries.

During the festival most evenings feature a dance or drama at the Art Center in Denpasar. These performances are among the best most visitors will ever see. Performances are for the local Balinese - not tourists (but tourists are warmly welcomed) and the entire atmosphere makes for an evening you will cherish for a long, long time.