Nyepi Day

Nyepi is a Balinese “Day of Silence” that falls on Bali’s Lunar New Year (March 26, 2009) or I caka New Year 1931 in Bali. It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New year Gudi Padva in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in India. In regard with this celebration, it is strictly prohibited to conduct the following activities :

• No light may be lit

• No work may be done

• No travel may be carried out and

• No amusement may be made

During Nyepi Day, all entry to Bali via air and sea ports will be closed. Customary
dispensations which is issued by the traditional villages, will be given to
those carrying the sick, women giving birth to a child or to those who are in
a hazardous condition.

The lead upto Nyepi day is as follows:

Tawur Kesanga (the day before Nyepi)

Exactly one day before Nyepi, all villages in Bali hold a large exorcism ceremony
at the main village cross road, the meeting place of demons. They usually make
Ogoh-ogoh (the fantastic monsters or evil spirits or the Butha Kala made of
bamboo) for carnival purposes. The Ogoh-ogoh monsters symbolize the evil spirits
surrounding our environment which have to be got rid of from our lives . The
carnivals themselves are held all over Bali following sunset. Bleganjur, a Balinese
gamelan music accompanies the procession. Some are giants taken from classical Balinese lore. All have fangs, bulging eyes and scary hair and are illuminated by torches.The procession is usually organised by the Seka Teruna, the youth
organisation of Banjar. When Ogoh-ogoh is being played by the Seka Teruna, everyone enjoys the carnival. In order to make a harmonic relation between human being and God, human and human, and human and their environments, Tawur Kesanga is performed in every level of society, from the people’s house. In the evening, the Hindus celebrating Ngerupuk, start making noises and light burning torches and set fire to the Ogoh-ogoh in order to get the Bhuta Kala, evil spirits, out of our lives.

Nyepi

On Nyepi day itself, every street is quiet - there are nobody doing their normal daily activities. There is usually Pecalangs (traditional Balinese security man) who controls and checks for street security. Pecalang wear a black uniform and a Udeng or Destar (a Balinese traditional “hat” that is usually used in ceremony). The Pecalangs main task is not only to control the security of the street but also to stop any activities that disturb Nyepi. No traffic is allowed, not only cars but also people, who have to stay in their own houses. Light is kept to a minimum or not at all, the radio or TV is turned down and, of course, no one works. Even love making, this ultimate activity of all leisure times, is not supposed to take place, nor even attempted. The whole day is simply filled with the barking of a few dogs, the shrill of insect and is a simple long quiet day in the calendar of this otherwise hectic island. On Nyepi the world expected to be clean and everything starts anew, with Man showing his symbolic control over himself and the “force” of the World, hence the mandatory religious control.

Ngembak Geni (the day after Nyepi)

Ngembak is the day when Catur Berata Penyepian is over and Hindus societies usually visit to forgive each other and doing the Dharma Canthi. Dharma Canthi are activities of reading Sloka, Kekidung, Kekawin, etc.(ancient scripts containing songs and lyrics).

RRI Denpasar and also all TV and Radio broadcaster in Bali will be off at Nyepi Day start from 06.00. am on March 26th until 06.00.am on March 27 th, 2009. Live streaming on the website www.paradisefmbali.com also will be off during Nyepi Day.

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