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| silent day |
Nyepi is a very important religious festival in Bali and the highest festival in the Hindu religious calendar. This day is remembered in a very special and interesting way, where all activities on the island of Bali are stopped and time is spent in complete silence for the whole day. In this article I will tell you more about Nyepi and how it is celebrated in Bali.
Nyepi History
Nyepi comes from the Balinese language meaning "quiet" or "not working". This holiday is celebrated on New Year's Day in the Balinese calendar and is used as a day of reflection and self-purification of sins committed in the past year. Nyepi is also a day where the universe gets a chance to rest and recover.
How to Celebrate Nyepi
Nyepi begins with the Melasti festival, where Hindus cleanse the images of their gods in the sea or river. This is followed by Tawur Kesanga, a ritual where Hindus offer sacrifices and perform a purification ceremony with burnt offerings and incense in the middle of the city.
The night before Nyepi, the Ogoh-ogoh festival is celebrated, where the Balinese make giant paper and bamboo figures to symbolize evil spirits. The statue is then carried around the village or town accompanied by traditional Balinese music and dance.
Then on Nyepi day, all activities on the island of Bali stop. Even the airports and ports of Bali are closed for a whole day. All Balinese Hindus spend their time in complete silence and are expected to abstain from all activities, including traveling on the streets, cooking and watching television. The lights and sounds had to be turned off so that Bali would be completely dark and quiet all day.
Nyepi is divided into 4 parts, namely
1 .amati geni means not lighting fires,
2. amati karya means no work,
3.amati lelungaan means no traveling and
4. amati lelanguan means no pleasure.
Reasons to Celebrate Nyepi
Nyepi is not only a holiday but also has a very deep meaning for the people of Bali. This celebration teaches the importance of self-improvement and maintaining harmony with the universe. During Nyepi, Balinese Hindus are asked to reconsider their actions of the past year and engage in introspection and introspection. In addition, Nyepi is also a day to give the universe a chance to rest and heal.
The Importance of Following the Rules During Nyepi
During Nyepi, all Balinese must respect and follow the rules in force. During Nyepi, there should be no activity that disturbs the silence, such as driving on the highway
