The museum opened after this year’s celebration of Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu day of silence, the eve of which is when the Balinese usually parade ogoh-ogoh around the streets.
The effigies exhibited in the museum were created by local people in the surrounding villages to observe Nyepi last March. The symbols of buthakala (the evil spirits) are usually burnt after the parade. However, the village residents around Soka Indah agreed to keep the effigies and exhibit them to showcase the creativity of the locals.
The management of Soka Indah had funded the village residents to create the effigies, which cost between Rp 2 to 10 million each, depending on the materials and accessories.
The names of the creators and the customary villages they are from are displayed by each ogoh-ogoh, as well as the story behind the characters. The ogoh-ogoh range in height from three to six meters, and there is ample space between each of the effigies.
The museum has now become an attraction for visitors to the rest area, which also provides a restaurant, minimarket and some bungalows.
The entrance fee to the museum is only Rp 5,000. In addition to looking around the museum, visitors can also enjoy views of black sandy and rocky beaches on the island’s west coast.
