Daily life on the popular Indonesian tourist island is filled with the sound of motorbikes and the cheerful music blaring from local cafes. However, there is one day a year when Bali falls silent: Nyepi, the Balinese New Year.
This year's Day of Silence in Bali takes place from 6am on March 11 to 6am on March 12. This is one of the major holidays in the island of the gods.
Unlike many cultures, Balinese Hindus do not mark the New Year with fireworks, parties or drinking. Instead, they practice the ritual of Nyepi, which means silence.
For 24 hours, starting at 6am, Balinese Hindus fast, meditate, turn off their lights and stay home with their families. Local security personnel patrol the streets to make sure no one is out. There are no cars on the roads except ambulances. All activity on the island seems to stop.
Tourists visiting Bali during Nyepi are affected by this ritual. Airports and tourist attractions are closed, hotels do not check people entering and leaving during this time.
Amanda Syrowatka, owner of Viceroy Bali, said visitors eagerly await the days leading up to Nyepi as they get to experience unique rituals not available anywhere else.
The day before Nyepi is Ngrupuk. On this day, local children parade giant monster effigies called ogoh ogoh around the island. These effigies represent evil spirits. They take months to create from papier-mâché. After the parade, the ogoh ogoh effigies are burned.
Professor Wayan Ari, Academic Director of the School of International Education and a native of Bali, said that from a religious and philosophical perspective, Nyepi is a day for each person to introspect, reflect on human values, love, patience and kindness that must be present throughout the rest of one's life.
So Ngrupuk is a day to get rid of all the noise before marking the new year with inner silence. On this day, people will go from house to house carrying a torch, making a lot of noise, spitting the local meswi spice into every corner of the houses in the area and building a cross or tapakdara from white limestone. These rituals make many international visitors curious to experience.
Jero Mangku Tindih, resort manager at Viceroy Bali, is a local and says he enjoys talking about the religion and guiding guests through local culture. The resort has special programs for Nyepi each year to help guests understand the local culture and participate in the rituals.
Tindih and his team will speak to guests before Nyepi and invite them to a nearby village to join in the Ngrupuk celebrations. Guests interested in local rituals will be taken to the village near the resort by golf cart. In addition to watching the ogoh ogoh parade, guests will be treated to a fire dance – a dramatic ritual in which local men burn coconut shells on fire and throw them at each other.
After Ngrupuk night comes Nyepi Day of Silence. To ensure guests’ vacations are not disrupted on Nyepi Day, the Viceroy resort’s website blocks this day from bookings. Guests who arrive before the holiday can stay. The hotel also provides information to travelers about Nyepi Day before their trip.
Guests who book a stay that includes a Day of Silence will not be able to leave their property on that day. A representative of the Viceroy resort said that three full meals will be provided to guests during the day because no restaurants are open. In addition, the property will always keep the pool, spa and gym open for guests who want to use them, and the wifi will be on as usual.
"We respect our culture but at the same time respect our guests. They do not share the same religion as us so hotel services still operate normally," said the resort manager.
While some tourists come to Bali to experience Nyepi and learn about local culture, others are surprised when they accidentally book their vacation on this day.
American freelance writer Margot Bigg falls into the latter category. Bigg says she experienced the Day of Silence in Bali in 2019. She was unaware of the holiday and its rules. The Bigg Hotel in Ubud contacted her via email to explain Nyepi and what would happen, or not happen, on the day.
"At that time, I had no intention of visiting Bali for Nyepi. For me, it is a beautiful traditional ritual that anyone who practices it will benefit both physically and mentally. I will definitely visit Bali again," Bigg said.
Source
Comment (0)