Bali on the Day of Silence

I Nyoman Darma PutraUdayana University

SCOPE

• Whats is the Day of Silence?• Two Main Related Rituals• Nyepi Day and Energy Saving• Local Tradition for a Global Solution• Post Nyepi Kissing Tug of War

WHAT IS THE DAY OF SILENCE

• It is the Hindu New Year• Falls every April/March• Bali is closed from the outside world for 24 hours.• Four prohibitions on Nyepi Day. Abstaining:1. from working 2. from lighting any fire or turning on electricity3. from going outside the family home 4. from indulging in any pleasurable activities• The State acknowledge Nyepi as a Hindu national

holiday since 1983

TWO RELATED RITUALS (1)

• Purification ritual that takes place two or three days prior to Nyepi Day

• Temple regalias and sacred objects and offerings are carried on processions to beach or lake, accompanied by gamelan-music groups

• Access to the sea and lakes on the day face heavy traffic

• Rituals continue in each village temple, reaching the final stages on the eve of Nyepi

Procession on Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach

TWO RELATED RITUALS (2)

• Festival of Ogoh-ogoh, giant demon-like effigies are carried out around each village

• Procession accompanied by the loud noise of tradional music

• Procession is aimed to abate destructive powers, so the following day the island is silent and in peace

Ogoh-ogoh

Ogoh-ogoh

Dancing Demons on Eve of Nyepi

ON NYEPI DAY

• Celebrate New Year by way of silent• People stay at home, to do reflection• No light at night, the darkest night in Bali• Sometime falls on Friday, the day Muslims

need to perform Friday prayer• In case of the above, Nyepi becomes a day of

promoting tolerance between people with different religious backgrounds

NYEPI DAY AND ENERGY SAVING• Millions of cars and morbikes stop during Nyepi• Streets are deserted, no ferries and flights allowed to

arrive or depart from Bali. • Reduced the island’s CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions by up

to 30,000 tons,• Daily oil (petrol) consumption in Bali is 5,017 million liters• Government saves on oil subsidi up to Rp 11,2 billion• The use of electric power reduced by 50%, equal to saving

Rp 15 billion in oil. • State power company saves Rp 1,2 electric subsidi up to

Rp 1,2 milyar• Nyepi is a good way for energy saving and environtment

care

LOCAL TRADITION FOR A GLOBAL SOLUTION

• Earth Hour is a global movement to save energy

• Earth Hour is 60 Minutes, Nyepi is the whole night

• Nyepi might Inspire the Earth Hour movement

World Silent Day

Post Nyepi Kissing Tug of War in Denpasar

• The day after the Nyepi Day is called Ngembak Geni, releasing the ban on lighting fire

• A youth group from a village in Denpasar celebrate it by a kissing tug of war

• Not a symbol of returning to pleasurable activities banned the day before, but a tradition to encourage the youth to appreciate their local traditions

Kissing Tug of War

Kissing Tug of War