'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.