Melasti

A purification festival held the day before Nyepi when brightly dressed villagers make their way to the sea or holy springs carrying umbrellas, offerings of flowers and fruit, and sacred statues. Water is used to wash the statues, and holy men sacrifice pigs, to be used as offerings to their gods. It is symbolic that all of these activities are carried out amid the din of gamelan and drums, and a great deal of shouting, as on the following day, Nyepi, all must be silent.