Belimau Explained

The Belimau bath is a Malay Indonesian tradition, observed in order to welcome the month of Ramadan, especially in Bangka Belitung and Riau provinces.^[1] The tradition has been carried down for generations and likely originated among the Minangkabau people before Islam arrived in Indonesia.^[2]

Belimau consists of washing or bathing for physical and spiritual purification using limau water.^[3]

In the Pacific Islands, the Belimau tradition ended about 300 years ago, but it was revived around 2006.^[4] Since then, local governments have promoted the Belimau bath tradition as a part of religious tourism. The Belimau Bath ceremony is held once a year, one week before Ramadan.^[5]

See also

• Islam in Indonesia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mandi Belimau Gaya SPA Melayu Tempo Dul. Bappeda.Pekanbaru.go.id. 18 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140319054121/http://bappeda.pekanbaru.go.id/artikel/12/mandi-belimau-gaya-spa-melayu-tempo-dulu/page/1/. 19 March 2014. dead.
2. Web site: 2019-05-04 . Tradisi unik Belimau bukan sekadar mandi massal jelang Ramadhan . The unique "Belimau" tradition is not just a mass bathing ahead of Ramadan . 2024-05-19 . Antara Riau.
3. Web site: Andri . Alfath . Petang Belimau, Tradisi Melayu Riau Menyucikan Diri Sambut Ramadan . Belimau Evening, Riau's Malay Tradition of Purifying One's Own to Celebrate Ramadan . 2024-05-19 . IDN Times . id.
4. Web site: Tradisi Mandi Belimau: Digelar Menjelang Ramadhan. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518172554/http://www.indosiar.com/ragam/tradisi-mandi-belimau--digelar-menjelang-ramadhan_64489.html. dead. 18 May 2014. Indosiar.com. 18 May 2014.
5. Web site: Zandiana . Elvi . 2011-08-05 . ‘Balimau’: A fading tradition The Jakarta Post . https://web.archive.org/web/20120119132956/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/08/05/%E2%80%98balimau%E2%80%99-a-fading-tradition.html . 2012-01-19 . 2024-05-19 . Jakarta Post.