Nyepi, Balinese New Year Day of Silence

Once in your lifetime you must experience the real Balinese culture and its sacred event. The silence day happen to be celebrated once a year and all people are very excited to celebrate the coming day. The ceremony chain are three days, starting the day before Nyepi (silence day) and come to an end the day after.

Pengerupukan Day
On the day before Nyepi Balinese people will have a ceremony named Tawur Kesanga, a purification day. Held at the main village crossroad which is believed as the home or meeting point of demons and evils. All villagers having Hindus ceremony at their home as well to expel the bad evil surround it. Lighting the torch and making noise to get the Bhuta Kala (evil spirits) away from our lives. Afterward the people will gather at the crossroad to have a parade of ogoh – ogoh (big monster statue made of bamboo symbolize the evil). You will see many monsters in various designs and effects symbolizing the bad evil as well as revealing the story within the Hindus script. This sequence will start in the evening after the sunset, around 07.00 – 9.00 PM and there will be a big crowd in every main road you’re passing by. Most of the restaurant will be closed on Sunday night until Tuesday afternoon.

Nyepi (Silence Day)
On Monday early morning, Nyepi day is started. Everything surround you is peaceful and quiet. Nothing but bird’s voice will accompany your day. Nyepi is the day when you’re back to the ancient day years ago and live away from the crowd of modern city. It’s prohibited to have lights on around the clock, making any noise, going out of your residence. There are 4 Nyepi rules that should be the obligation for the Hindus to be pursued called Catur Brata Penyepian (Four obligations of Nyepi). First, not allowed to have any meal or drink, you have to do fasting for 24 hours. Second, it is not allowed to turn on light or any illumination. So the whole Bali will be dark without the light just the moonlit will enlighten. Third, prohibited to work or do any task related to profession or daily working activities. For that workaholic this is the best time for you to spend most of your time just relax and not doing the working sheet. The last rule is not going out of the house. Thus nobody will be around the street and keep staying in their house except the Pecalang (the Balinese people who will secure the area while the others have the Nyepi ritual). They are local men selected by the society to do the assignment as security during the sacred day.

Today is the day where you are free from pollution and healing your body and soul, away from the daily stressful activities for one day. The ancient Balinese take this moment to do meditation or reading a scripture. The philosophy of Nyepi is self introspection to add values of life, think wiser than the previous day. Experience this most sacred day through your holiday in Bali and have refreshment on mind and soul.

Ngembak Geni Day
Today all the activities are back to normal and the Catur Brata Penyepian is ended. Starting nearly sunrise people gather on the beach and purified themselves by bathing with the sea water that’s belief as the holy water. Every relative is visiting each other in order to keep the good family relationship.
Have a walk along the beach to feel the fresh air of the New Year while you’re going back to the routine activity but with a new inspiration of life. Get a chance to sit and relax on the beach or have your breakfast at a beachfront restaurant. It will be a nice holiday with the experience of Balinese culture.

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