VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

In preparation for the Hindu Day of Silence (Nyepi), thousands of people performed the Tawur Agung Kesanga ceremony todWednesday, March 6, 2019, at the Prambanan Temple in Sleman, Yogyakarta.

Other than from Yogyakarta and Central Java, the people came from Bali and other Indonesian cities as well. The ritual was attended by the Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin on behalf of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

The head of Indonesian Hindu Religious Councils (PHDI), retired Major General Wisnu Bawa Tenaya, said that the purpose of the Tawur Agung Kesanga procession was to build harmony with the natural elements; water, air, earth, fire, and space.

"In this disharmony condition, those five elements may cause disaster for all creatures, so the five elements must be integrated to achieve happiness for the universe and all beings," Wisnu added. 

Wisnu further called on all people, especially the millennial generation, to have a dream. However, he also noted that such a dream cannot be separated from national and the country's dream. Wisnu added that the dream of the Republic of Indonesia is to achieve independence, unity, and prosperity.

Meanwhile, Minister Lukman invited the Hindu religious community to support a peaceful 2019 election. (TEMPO.CO.ID)