Silence Day of Bali

Hindus population

Bali, is an Indonesian island also knows as the Island of the Gods, that might be geographically small but is culturally immense and always had fascinated its visitors from everywhere in the world! As a perfect combination of Hinduism and Buddhism, with earlier animist beliefs, the Balinese religion pervades all aspects of everyday life. Everything in Bali is approached with ritual and reverence.

Every year, and for 24hours, the Hindus population of Bali honours the Nyepi Day by staying in silence and concentrate themselves in order to purify their souls from all the sins and evil spirits that have surrounded them in the past year of their existence. During this whole day, four prohibitions are put in place.

The first one is no light, no fire. The Balinese Hindus are not allowed to turn on the light or to set a fire. The meaning of this is the control of every emotions. Bali will remain in the dark all day long. The second prohibition is to stop any activity and any work in order to keep themselves to do doctrine of religion .The third one is no travelling.

The Bali’s population just stay at home and to respect this prohibition the local government will close the harbours of the island and the airport will only allow landing for medical evacuation. Any transportation in Bali will be forbidden. The last prohibition is no pleasure. Any recreation being seen as a interference to this purification day.

This year Nyepi day will be the 23th of March 2012.It starts at 06 am until the 24th of March 2012 at 06 am.When those 24 hours are over the Ngembak geni day begin. Which mean that the complete silence is over.

Guests are requested to respect this Nyepi day.To do so, the tourists staying in Bali won’t be allowed to leave the hotel unless there is an emergency. Swimming in the ocean is not permitted however swimming at the pool is permitted (depending on the hotel’s rules and conditions).

Nobody is allowed to wonder in the streets during this day, the only people to be seen outside are the “Pecalang”, the security men patroling to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.

Although Nyepi day is an Hindu tradition, the non-Hindu population living in Bali respect their fellow citizens observing those rules as well.