300 Midnight Bathers
KALIPURO – As much 300 people gathered at the water source of Watudodol Beach, Ketapang Village, Kalipuro District, Banyuwangi, last Friday (29/9). They do a self-cleaning bath that is routinely done at night 10 Muharram.
Participants who carry out this ritual come from all over the archipelago. These people are members of the Al Tauhid Congregation Foundation- Wisdom, Ketapang. After the spring is dammed with sacks filled with sand, The location was shaped like a pool with a depth of one meter.
Leader of the foundation, Gus Eko Sularso then led the prayer and sprinkled the blessings “setaman flower” into the pool. Then the participants follow the prayer said by the ritual leader.
After Gus Eko Sularso finished reading the prayer at exactly 1 o'clock 00.00, the participants plunged into the pool. The bathing ritual that is performed at midnight aims for the physical and spiritual of the participants to return to a clean and pure state.
After taking a shower, clean yourself, The participants scrambled to get water from the Watudodol source to take home. “I take a full gallon of water to consume every day. I hope I will always be healthy after drinking that water,” said Sunarto, 40, Madiun residents.
The participants in the bath together were aged 17 years to 60 year. They admitted that they were fitter and felt more comfortable after undergoing the evening self-cleaning ritual 10 Muharram. “I have participated in this ritual four times. Alhamdulillah my body is fresh,” said Mardi, 40, residents of Ketapang Village, Kalipuro District, Banyuwangi.
Koordinator ritual, Ustad Mahsun Mahali said that this ritual is useful for eliminating all diseases in the body. However, all that does not set aside the teachings of Islam and we must remain confident and believe in God Almighty.
“The point is to remain grateful to the Creator. And this ritual is a folk ritual that has become embedded as a cultural custom,” Mahsun toilet. (radar)
