Mud, ritual & renewal: Bali celebrates ‘Mebug-Bugan’ after Nyepi

KATHMANDU: Residents of Bali marked the vibrant traditional festival of Mebug-Bugan in Kedonganan village, Badung Regency, blending ritual, culture and community spirit in a unique mud-bathing celebration.

Observed a day after Nyepi—the Balinese Hindu New Year—Mebug-Bugan symbolizes purification and renewal.

Participants smear their bodies with mud and engage in playful interactions, believing the ritual helps cleanse negative energy and inner impurities.

Nyepi, one of Bali’s most sacred observances, is marked by complete silence across the island.

All activities, travel and entertainment come to a halt as people dedicate the day to self-reflection and spiritual reset.

The following day, however, brings a dramatic shift in atmosphere.

The lively Mebug-Bugan festival injects joy and celebration into the New Year, as locals gather to reconnect, rejoice and embrace a fresh beginning—both physically and spiritually.