The Melukat Tradition Was Present at the 51st Anniversary Celebration of TMII
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) presented a Melukat ceremony at the Indonesian Museum in Jakarta on Sunday (April 26, 2026). The ceremony, which commemorated TMII's 51st anniversary, was attended by 150 participants from various ethnic and religious backgrounds. They enthusiastically participated in this Balinese self-purification tradition at TMII.
Hindu cleric Ida Pandita Nabe Dharma Putra Paseban said that to get closer to God Almighty, humans need to purify themselves, which is known by the Balinese as Melukat.
"Through this purification process, individuals purify themselves, starting with their thoughts, words, and actions. If we are pure, nature will be close to us," explained Ida Pandita Nabe Dharma Putra Paseban.
The procession began with a procession of participants dressed in all white from the main gate of TMII to the Indonesian Museum. The strains of traditional Balinese music accompanied the free Melukat procession. Upon arrival at the hall, participants were asked to pray according to their respective beliefs.
Participants then proceed to the sprinkling procession at the fountain. This session is attended by groups of 10 people, taking turns. Each participant is sprinkled with holy water on their head, marking the completion of the Melukat procession. They are then given a drop of holy water to drink, and are given a headband and bracelet to indicate their completion of the Melukat ceremony.
Ida Pandita Nabe Dharma Putra Paseban said that this ritual is also aimed at obtaining happiness and well-being in life and trust in others and the environment which is the meaning of the Melukat process.
"Through this embrace, it is hoped that we will live in harmony, peace and happiness. This is the initial process, where it is not only Hindus, but (those) who want to go through the process of getting closer to God Almighty through an approach to nature and the universe," he explained.
One of the participants, Suci, who comes from Central Jakarta, said that the Melukat ritual at TMII was her first experience before carrying out the same ritual in Bali next month.
"When you come here, you just have to bring yourself and follow along. That's it, because the experiments here make it feel like Bali. There's dancing, and from start to finish, it really feels like Bali," he said.
Meanwhile, according to Clara, the Melukat ritual at TMII feels different from that in Bali. In this miniature Indonesia, the Melukat process is structured and complete.
"This is my second (Melukat), but this one is on a different level. The last time I was in Bali, I only went to the temple, so I didn't meet the priest. There was a priest here too, so I received more blessings," Clara said.
