0 Colorful scary demon heads

When you are passing Jl. Raya Kerobokan, the road connecting Kuta to Canggu or Tanah Lot, a small shop is sure to attract your attention with its colorful scary demon heads. Made from polystyrene foam, the heads, called tapel, are actually part of ogoh-ogoh, the giant papier-mâché effigies that symbolize Balinese Hinduism’s mythical demons and monsters. The ogoh-ogoh effigies are the highlight of ngerupuk, a parade held by the island’s youth to scare evil spirits away. 

The parade falls on the eve of Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu Day of Silence. This year, ngerupuk will fall on the evening of March 11. Producing ogoh-ogoh has become a large and lucrative business as many Balinese youth now prefer buying them rather than creating the ogoh-ogoh themselves. A Kerobokan village resident, I Made Wirsana, eyed the potential profit from selling the heads. “These heads are usually bought by traditional youth groups from the new housing developments around Badung, including from Denpasar or Tabanan. 

Mostly, they are able to construct the body of the ogoh-ogoh by themselves but lack the skill to craft the face,” the father of two said. The prices for the heads range from Rp 250,000 to Rp 1 million (US$25.75-103). “It depends on the shape and complexity,” Wirsana said. Wirsana admitted that he did not make all the heads himself. “Some of them were bought from an artist in Gianyar,” he said. Beside ogoh-ogoh heads, Wirsana also sells small ogoh-ogoh. “They are especially for the children who are eager to parade ogoh-ogoh by themselves. 

Many children like it,” Wirsana said. The small ogoh-ogoh are priced at Rp 150,000 each. Even though Wirsana was targeting Balinese children and youth, in fact, many foreign nationals are also interested in his products. “Some foreigners have also bought my products. They are usually attracted when passing the road in front of my shop,” he said. Wirsana’s shop actually sells decorative and polished stones for villa construction. A few years ago, he decided to try making additional revenue by selling ogoh-ogoh heads prior Nyepi. “I usually start selling ogoh-ogoh about one month before Nyepi. When Nyepi has come, if my products haven’t sold, I will keep them neatly for next year,” Wirsana said.

source : bali daily