Nyepi: Balis Day of Silence

Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isakawarsa (Saka new year)
according to the Balinese calendar (in 2016, it falls on March 9). It is a Hindu celebration mainly
celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Nyepi, a public holiday in Indonesia, is a day of silence, fasting
and meditation for the Balinese. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New Year's Day.
according to the Balinese saka calendar On this day, the youth of Bali practice the ceremony of
Omed-omedan or 'The Kissing Ritual' to celebrate the new year. The same day celebrated in
India as ugadi.

A crash course in the Day of Silence.

The Days Before

Image by Fabrice Florin from www.flickr.com.

In the days leading up to the festival, all of the statues of gods are taken out of temples and
brought down to the water to be washed. In this colorful ceremony, sacred water is also
collected. This ritual is known as melasti and is meant to purify the effigies.

The Melasti Ritual is performed 34 days beforehand. It is dedicated to Sanghyang

Widhi Wasa. The ritual is performed in Pura (Balinese temple) near the sea (Pura Segara)
and meant to purify Arca, Pratima, and Pralingga (sacred objects) belonging to several
temples, also to acquire sacred water from the sea.

Melasti ceremony in Bali.

Image by Matthew Spong www.flickr.com.

On the day before Nyepi Tawur Kesanga (Day of Great Sacrifices) the Bhuta Yajna
ritual takes place in villages all across the island. The purpose of this is to rid Bali of all evil
spirits before the new year. Offerings are made by sacrificing animals, and huge monster-like
dolls called ogoh-ogoh are made of paper-mache. With bulging eyes, creepy faces, and long
claws, they are meant to terrify. After the monsters have been paraded through the village, they
are burned in a ceremony known as Ngerupuk. From there, it degenerates into a wild party full of
singing, dancing, and drinking.

Highlights from an ogoh-ogoh parade.

Nyepi
There arent any videos of the silence, so heres another one of the parade.

Mere hours after the huge party, silence takes over the island at 6 in the morning and lasts for 24
hours. The reason for the peace and quiet is so that when the demons descend to take over Bali,
they decide the island is uninhabited and leave it alone for one more year. All human activity
ceases, and people must stay in their homes (or hotels for tourists). The only people youll see
out on the streets are the pecalang (village police), who make sure nobody is out and about.
There are four main rules, known as Catur Brata:

The day of Ngembak Geni is a day to visit family, friends, and neighbors to ask for and exchange
forgiveness for any wrongdoings in the past year. Its also a day for religious Dharma
Canthi rituals with the reciting of ancient scriptures. This is the equivalent of New Years Day in
the Balinese calendar, but its much different from January 1st in western countries.

Bali is an island with a rich and fascinating culture, and the celebrations surrounding Nyepi are a
prime example. If you should find yourself on the Island of the Gods around the New Year, join
in the parade and debauchery, and then take a day to do as the Balinese do reflect, meditate,
and forego the usual pleasures of everyday life. For a closer look at this important holiday and
some great Indonesian listening practice, check out this short documentary: