Jakarta. West Nusa Tenggara held a religious and cultural event, the War of Topat Festival 2017, at Lingsar Temple in West Lombok on Sunday (03/12).

Topat war is a mock war between the region's Muslim and Hindu communities, aimed to strengthen their relationship. The word "topat" means small parcels of rice wrapped in coconut leaves. The tradition emerged in the 16th century.

Hundreds of West Lombok residents and tourists took home the topats, which symbolize prosperity.

"This is an interesting and distinctive attraction for tourists who come to West Nusa Tenggara," said Esthy Reko Astuti, tourism development deputy at the Ministry of Tourism.

Esthy said that Lingsar Temple as a cultural heritage site also offers a special historical interest, as it is the largest and oldest temple in Lombok, built in 1714.

The festival began with a panaek gawe ritual of slaughtering a buffalo and giving offerings to the spirits that rule the volcanoes of Mount Rinjani in Lombok and Mount Agung in Bali.