Traveling during "Silent Day" in Bali

The Ogoh Ogoh monster parade ritual takes place on the night of Ngrupuk before the Day of Silence.

Everyday life on this famous Indonesian tourist island is characterized by bustling streets filled with the sounds of motorbikes and the cheerful music emanating from local cafes. However, there is one day of the year when Bali falls silent: Nyepi – the Balinese New Year.

This year's Day of Silence in Bali takes place from 6:00 AM on March 11th to 6:00 AM on March 12th. It is one of the major holidays on the island of the gods.

Unlike many cultures, Hindus in Bali do not mark the new year with fireworks, parties, or drinking. Instead, they practice the Nyepi ritual, which means silence.

For 24 hours, starting at 6 a.m., Hindus in Bali fast, meditate, turn off their lights, and stay home with their families. Local security personnel patrol the streets to ensure no one goes outside. No cars are on the roads except for ambulances. All activity on the island seems to come to a standstill.

Tourists visiting Bali during the Nyepi festival are affected by this ritual. The airport and tourist attractions are closed, and hotels do not check people entering and leaving during this time.

Amanda Syrowatka, owner of Viceroy Bali, said that tourists are very excited to look forward to the days leading up to the Nyepi New Year because they get to experience unique rituals not found anywhere else.

The day before Nyepi is Ngrupuk. On this day, local children parade around the island carrying giant monster effigies called ogoh ogoh. These effigies represent evil spirits. It takes artisans months to create these effigies from papier-mâché. After the parade, the ogoh ogoh effigies are burned.

Professor Wayan Ari, Academic Director of the International Training School and a native of Bali, said that from a religious and philosophical perspective, Nyepi Day is a day for each person to introspect, to reflect on the human values, love, patience, and kindness that should be present throughout their lives.

The ritual of fire dancing with coconut shells on the night of Ngrupuk.

Therefore, Ngrupuk is a day to cast aside all noise before marking the new year with profound inner peace. On this day, people go from house to house carrying torches, making a lot of noise, spitting local meswi spices into every corner of the houses in the neighborhood, and building a cross, or tapakdara, from white limestone. These rituals pique the curiosity of many international visitors.

Jero Mangku Tindih, a resort manager at Viceroy Bali and a local, shared that he enjoys talking about the local beliefs and guiding guests through local cultural practices. The resort has specially designed programs during the annual Nyepi festival to help guests understand the local culture and participate in the rituals.

Tindih and his team will speak with guests before Nyepi and invite them to the nearby village to participate in the Ngrupuk celebration. Guests interested in the local ritual will be transported to the village near the resort by golf cart. In addition to watching the ogoh ogoh parade, visitors can witness the fire dance – a dramatic ritual in which local men burn coconut shells over a fire and throw them at each other.

Following Ngrupuk Night is Nyepi Day of Silence. To ensure guests' holidays aren't disrupted on Nyepi Day, the Viceroy resort website blocks this date from bookings. Guests arriving before the holiday can still stay. The hotel also provides information about Nyepi Day to travelers before their trip.

Guests who booked holidays including Silent Day will not be able to leave their accommodation on that day. A representative from Viceroy Resort stated that three full meals are provided to guests on that day as no restaurants are open. Additionally, the resort's pool, spa, and gym remain open for guests to use, and Wi-Fi is still available as usual.

"We respect our culture, but at the same time, we respect our guests. They don't share our religion, so hotel services continue to operate as usual," the resort manager said.

While some tourists actively travel to Bali to experience Nyepi Day and learn about the local culture, others are surprised when they accidentally book their vacation on this day.

American freelance writer Margot Bigg once experienced the second situation. Bigg shared that she went through a Silent Day in Bali in 2019. She was unaware of the holiday and its regulations beforehand. The hotel Bigg was staying at in Ubud contacted her via email to explain Nyepi and what would, or wouldn't, happen on that day.

"At that time, I didn't intend to visit Bali just for Nyepi Day. To me, it's a beautiful traditional ritual that benefits everyone who practices it, both physically and mentally. I will definitely go to Bali again," Bigg said.

TB (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/du-lich-trong-ngay-im-lang-o-bali-375131.html