'Nyepi': The day of silence marking Balinese New Year
'Nyepi': The day of silence marking Balinese New Year
By Kilburn H. Roby and I Cening Tawan
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): For the Balinese, new year falls in March or April, in sasih kedasa, the tenth month of the Balinese calendar. Nyepi (day of silence) is the name for the Hindu New Year's Day, and always falls on the day after the new moon. This year Nyepi will fall on April 1, when Hindus will celebrate the beginning of the year 1917, in a ceremony which greatly contrasts with other ceremonies in Bali.
Balinese ceremonies are generally known for their lively festivities, loud music and vibrant atmosphere. The actual celebration for Nyepi is quite the opposite, it is a day of silence and meditation. According to Hindu teachings, no physical activities are allowed on Nyepi because Nyepi means quiet, or stillness; stillness in the physical and spiritual worlds.
Hindus know the laws concerning Nyepi as Catur Brata Penyepian (four ascetic practices). They are Amati Geni (no fire, which is both literal and symbolic of mental and physical obstacles), Amati Karya (no activities, a precondition to meditation), Amati Lelungaan (no traveling) and Amati Lelangunan (no entertainment, so that the mind can stay focused).
The day before Nyepi, pangerupukan, falls on the new moon. On this day people hold a great purification ceremony, called Pecaruan, at the intersections of main roads all over Bali. The reason for this ceremony is to chase away the Bhutas and Kalas (spirits associated with the nether world).
Intersections are known as a hangout of these spirits, and as such, pose danger. After the noon-time ceremony, great heaps of offerings, made from flowers, rice cakes, banana leaves and bamboo, can be found at most intersections on the island.
Only after the Pecaruan ceremony can Hindus be assured of a peaceful Nyepi. Pecaruan creates a harmony between the Sekala and Niskala (the tangible worldly realm and the intangible spiritual realm, the nether world). It is meant to purify the spirits from the evil influences of Bhutas and Kalas, so that on and after Nyepi, people can live peacefully without being disturbed by the nether world.
On the evening before Nyepi people perform the final part of the Pecaruan ceremony, the Ogoh-ogoh procession, one of the highlights of Nyepi.
Unlike the goal of the floats in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses -- beauty and magnificence -- the Balinese have just the opposite in mind -- ugliness and terror. Ogoh-ogoh are the physical representations of the negative energy that influences life and as such are used to placate the nether world forces so that the people won't be disturbed the following day.
An Ogoh-ogoh is a large figure made of a bamboo and wood frame covered with papier-mache and ultimately painted. The shapes of Ogoh-ogoh are always terrifying demons, usually with big fangs, long fingernails, hair standing on end and large protruding eyes. The shape of the Ogoh-ogoh has an important ritual meaning, so not just any shape can be used. They often take the shape of Rangda, the queen of the witches.
However, reflecting on the Balinese character, which is a strong factor in the design, it is not uncommon to see Rangda riding a bamboo Harley Davidson motorcycle, complete with her "leather" jacket made of paper mache.
The cost of creating such monsters starts from about Rp 200,000, which is supplied by social clubs as well as individual villagers. They are made through a gotong-royong (community cooperation group). Every village has at least one such Ogoh-ogoh in order to expel the demons in all villages throughout Bali.
The regent of the northern district of Buleleng traditionally takes this opportunity to speak to the community under the eerie light of street lamps. Listening intently, the people are told of the meaning of this day, and its significance in their lives.
On completing his oration, the Ogoh-ogoh start off. They are carried by a dozen or more yelling men, drinking and spitting a strong alcoholic drink because the demons like alcohol. Dashing from side to side, dipping forward, backward and all around, they are carried by their animators around the city, accompanied by screaming crowds lighting firecrackers and bearing torches.
Young boys follow, studying the movements of their fathers or older brothers, knowing that some day, perhaps next year, they will proudly be able to carry the huge demon. They themselves play an important role in creating a festive atmosphere by yelling, laughing and lighting firecrackers.
The lively Balinese gamelan or gong accompanies the Ogoh-ogoh, carried by yet another group of young energetic men jumping left and right to the beat of their haunting melodies. The crowd's eyes light up while young kids scream in terror, trying to hide themselves behind their mothers from the parade of demons flouncing past.
The following day provides a great a contrast to the Ogoh-ogoh procession. It is interesting to note that in western societies, New Year's Eve is also a time for festivities, while the following day is calm, although in western societies the calm is probably due to hangovers.
The purpose of the Nyepi ceremony is to ponder over past activities, and to recognize good and bad deeds of the past, in order to aim one's future toward living according to the Hindu scriptures.
This is accomplished by following the Catur Brata Penyepian mentioned earlier -- which, if truly observed, can only lead to meditation -- and focusing one's mind on God in order to extinguish the "internal fire" which burns under the guise of anger, greed and hatred. Both the internal and external fires have very powerful effects, being able to destroy the inner calm of the soul, or entire villages respectively.
The people can now be found at home, not cooking, not turning on the electricity, not lighting any fires. Basically, ideally not doing anything, this is a time of meditation.
Families who cannot follow the code of fasting for the entire day often cook one day in advance of Nyepi so that they don't have to use their stove on Nyepi.
In the town of Singaraja, like other cities and villages, special guards go around assuring that those who turn on their lights at night are considerate enough to close all windows and doors so that no light escapes to disturb others' observance of the day. Perhaps too strict a discipline to follow for one full day, many people spend the time watching TV or talking with family and friends.
Ironically, it is the cities that seem to strictly follow the codes rather than the villages. The streets are quiet everywhere because no traffic is allowed. All cities in Bali become ghost towns, no sounds are to be heard except for the infamous Balinese dogs barking, the occasional bird song, or the wind rustling the tropical foliage.
Places like hospitals and hotels are not expected to abide by the physical codes of Nyepi, as obvious problems could result.
This fact points out that the codes for the external world are secondary only to the codes concerning the self, as in these places, Hindus are expected to control the "inner fire" while having to deal with the "external fire", known also as Maya (the world of illusions and desires blazing around them).
Ngembak Nyepi, the day after Nyepi, is quite the opposite to Nyepi because the roads are crowded with people walking, riding bicycles or driving to get out of their house to enjoy the day. This day is ritually for visiting family and relatives in a similar manner to that of the Islamic Idul Fitri Day, to ask for forgiveness for one's misconduct, both those of the world and those within.
People also take this opportunity to visit points of interest or attend one of the many dance or drama performances specially set up by the local administrations for the occasion. Many traditional cultural performances are performed in the Singaraja area, such as Joged and Mogowak-gowakan, two unique dances which originated in Buleleng, North Bali.
In the late afternoon, the beaches along the northern coasts, such as the popular tourist beach Lovina, are crowded with villagers coming from near and far to bathe in the calm Bali Sea.
All signs of the solitude and quiet of the previous day are gone. People are ready to deal with the tangible and intangible worlds of fire again, with a fresh perspective.