The Bali Province government is holding green-lit Ogoh-Ogoh parades to mark this year's Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence) after they have been absent throughout the pandemic, but village officials are unconvinced due to the lanjutkan threat posed by Omicron.

Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster has issued a circular authorizing the creation of menacing-looking Ogoh-Ogoh effigies and their parade through the streets of Bali. The catwalks have become a modern tradition over the past few decades among young Balinese as they compete to create the most gorgeous models.

But the tradition came to an abrupt halt in the past two years when the provincial government imposed mobility pembatasan on the island.

Despite the Ogoh-Ogoh green light, traditional village chiefs seem unconvinced that the parades are worth sacrificing public health. Klungkung Regency leaders were the first to gather and issue notice against Ogoh-Ogoh as they expect Omicron cases on the island to peak in February.

“To avoid this, it is better to give priority to the Yadnya ritual rather than Ogoh-Ogoh,” said the head of the council of traditional village leaders of the Klungkung regency, I Dewa Made Tirta, referring to her making the offerings. Hindus.

Leaders of other villages in Bali may issue similar opinions regarding Ogoh-Ogoh.

The Indonesian government has indeed warned of a rapid increase in the number of cases nationwide caused by the highly contagious variety between February and March.

This year, Nyepi falls on March 3.