Nyepi is the Balinese New year according to their traditional Caka calendar, which this year welcomed the year 1931. The New year’s eve always falls on the ninth new moon of this lunar calendar and is preceded by an array of cleansing rituals, prayers, sacrifices and a grand battle.
Dramatic as all is when it comes to celebration and display of religious beliefs on the island, the Balinese preparation of farewell to the year past and welcome the new one starts with Melasti. On that day, processions leading to the ocean, lake or springs overtake each and every road of the island, carrier of temple's effigies and sacred objects. Water is granted by the Hindu Balinese supernatural quality of cleansing and purification. Melasti, is the time when such action is to be completed by everyone in the presence of the revered deities ascended for the occasion to the nearest largest natural body of water.
Then comes the grand sacrificial ritual Tawur Agung, held at noon on the day before Nyepi at every major traffic intersection and public square. The Balinese recognise that during their existence humans constantly poach from nature and somehow inevitably disrupt its balance. Sacrifices, though this practice has been loosing popularity over time, are their aim to pacify the restless forces of nature. It is a declaration of gratitude, acknowledging that our survival and existence is but impossible without the maintenance of Mother earth natural’s equilibrium. Thus giving back stands to reason. Legend have it that up to a hundred years ago or so, human sacrifices were still in practice, though nowadays ducks and piglets are the chosen ones to carry the populace hope for godly protection.
Finally on the eve the battle takes place. This simulation of chaos originally was mostly a noisy march around each village, time at which the Balinese were to make the loudest noise possible in an attempt to scare the demons away. In the mid 1980’s large man made papier mache monsters, at times as high as 3 or 4 meters, were added to the marches. With means to better exorcise all evils, in preparation of the following day’s visitors, they are carried and roughed around for hours and finally burned before sunrise. This year however, the "Ogoh Ogohs" were at a still, if at all.
Finally after purifying souls, bodies and places, the Balinese are ready to great the new year in silence. As surprisingly as it may be, Nyepi is believe to be the chosen time at which every year all evil forces descend to earth from their celestial residences and revisit or select new grounds in which to exercise chaos. For this very reason the island comes to a still on that day; inactivity and silence are required and respected throughout the land and a black out policy enforced from dusk to dawn, for when the spirits come and notice no regular signs of human presence they consider the island inhabited and chose to move on further, leaving Bali safe and unharmed.
This belief is so ingrained in the culture even the airport shuts down on that day, without a single flight coming or leaving the island. Emergency service and vehicles being the only one granted activity.
Though a little overwhelming at first, it has truly become my favourite day of the year, and each Nyepi passed away from the magical island is almost a regret. The day of whispers my boys call it, and maintaining the level of decibels in our house to a low is a game everyone aims to be the best at. Playing “old times” is another one and imagining stories of how our life would have been a few hundred years ago, with none of the “comfort” we consider common ground, always sends us to wondrous lands. Silence it seems heals us all a little then, and one could wonder what of the effect this marvelous ritual of silence and reflection may have if or perhaps when applied the world over...... just for a day.
- Posted by Stephanie Robert
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