odalan

Odalan is the Balinese Hindu temple anniversary ceremony observed in Bali, Indonesia. It marks the founding or consecration of a temple and serves as a yearly renewal of the temple’s sacred relationship with the surrounding community. The event is both a religious observance and a social occasion, bringing villagers together to perform rites, offer prayers, and participate in communal celebrations.

The date of an odalan is determined by the Balinese Pawukon calendar, a 210-day cycle used to schedule religious ceremonies. Each temple has its own odalan date within this system, and the celebrations typically repeat on the corresponding day in each cycle. Because of this rhythm, odalan dates shift relative to the Gregorian calendar from year to year.

Ceremonies during odalan typically span multiple days. Core activities include offerings known as banten, prayers led by priests, purification rites, and temple decorating. Public aspects often feature processions, temple dances, and gamelan performances, as well as ceremonies to honor deities and ancestral spirits. Visitors may offer prayers and partake in communal meals or feasts, which strengthens social bonds within the village.

Odalan remains a central expression of Balinese religious life and community identity. While the core framework is shared—temple, priests, offerings, and ritual days—the specific practices, performances, and scale of celebration vary by temple and local tradition.