Kissing hysteria in “Omed-Omedan” tradition at Banjar Kaja, Sesetan Village in Denpasar Bali, is welcomed enthusiastically by thousand of local people as well as domestic and foreign tourists.

“Omed Omedan” conducted a day after Nyepi day, on Wednesday night become an event that has been await by singles at Banjar Kaja is part of the village ritual that is nowhere to be found in any other areas in Bali.
At this time, both young boys and girls who had been selected by the committee, as if they had been “mating” randomly then force to hug and kissing in front of thousands of people. Among the viewer of this traditional culture, there are guests of honor such as Denpasar Mayor, I.B. Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra together with others government officers.
One woman of the Omed Omedan festival participant who had her turn to get carried on the shoulder by numbers of people from one side of Jalan Raya Sesetan Denpasar, then from the other side, a man also carried away, until the two of them meet, hug and kissing.

When they know that his or her “mate” is not the person they want to kiss, those man or woman will shout hysterically and prepare for their defensive pose as they would bent so it will difficult to be kissed and get rid of lip kiss. Meanwhile to separate their kiss, the committee would pour them with water.

In Balinese language, “omed” means pull and “omed-omedan” for pull each other. But in this tradition that word means men and women who hug and kiss each other. This year omed-omedan festival, there are 50 young men and 50 young women of local banjar who decided will followed this traditional ritual.

The background of this tradition, according to several statements, as it is part of loyalty and worship to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, The Almighty God.

Since noon, thousands of people filled Jalan Raya Sesetan in front of Bale Banjar Kaja – Kaja assembling hall – to further enliven “Omed-Omedan” ritual, that banjar packaging their cultural ritual in a theme “Banjar Kaja Heritage Festival.”

Denpasar Mayor, Rai D Mantra together with his wife and some formal and non-formal officers also watching that festival which cause the road along Jalan Raya Sesetan closed for a while.

Before queue of “Omed Omedan” participants get ready, previously they had to pray at Banjar Kaja Temple led by local priest. Then, while get accompanied with Balinese traditional music, or called as gamelan, those youth queue paraded into the “Omed Omedan” arena so they will get their turn one by one.

The festival get more enliven when the committee poured water irregularly to the viewers and participants. Whoever is in that arena could become wet and this is precisely the attraction of this ritual conducted on ‘Ngembak Geni.”

“It was my eight times participate in ‘Omed Omedan’ since I always feel such a great happiness glorifying Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa who give us love,” said Putu Witarsini (24) as one of woman participant of that festival.

Every time she participated in “Omed Omedan” festival, she confessed that her heart is pounding due to varied of things. “Just imagine it, an anxiety to get slip due to the water up to other mixed fun things could happen during this festival,” she said.

Witarsini also get her first turn with a young man that had been selected haphazardly by the committee. Since they were in a separate line up, pecalang of that village, beforehand, had poured them with water. And, that water pouring would become wild if that youth couple of kiss or hug is regarded could amaze the viewer. After they could do the ritual, both of them will be pulled back again into each of their line up by their bearers.

News by Antara Bali