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Ultimate Guide to Nyepi Holiday: How to Experience Tranquility in Bali

Apart from Galungan and Kuningan, Nyepi is the biggest celebration in Bali. You could say that the entire Balinese people take part in this celebration and many ceremonies are held to welcome Nyepi.

Nyepi day


We can also enjoy Nyepi preparations throughout Bali. Instead of using a general calendar system, Balinese people use the Saka calendar as a reference for determining holidays and good days.


Nyepi is celebrated every Tilem Kesanga, or the first day of the ninth month of the Saka calendar.Nyepi is the turn of the Saka year. In other words, Nyepi is a New Year celebration.


A Timeless Balinese Tradition:

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Until now, Balinese people still welcomed Nyepi in grand celebrations. A month earlier, the Balinese people had been preparing various ceremonies. Among these ceremonies, the most important is the Melis or Melasti ceremony.During the Melis ceremony, Hindus will flock to the beach or other springs.


nyepi day bali



Many of them formed long processions. Wearing traditional clothing, they walked along the main road.Balinese people will also prepare various ogoh-ogoh to welcome Pengerupukan Day.

Initially, ogoh-ogoh was a symbol of bhuta kala, or negative elements. Because of this, in the past, almost all ogoh-ogoh were in the form of giants or other scary creatures. Call them rangda, celuluk, or devils with scorching eyes.


Nyepi ogoh-ogoh


There's a bit of a cultural shift going on right now. If previously ogoh-ogoh was said to be a symbol of evil that had to be burned, now ogoh-ogoh is competed in and kept even though Nyepi Day is over.

Ogoh-ogoh no longer takes the form of giants or demons but has the form of other creatures, including humans and famous figures. Some small ogoh-ogohs are also made for children, and these are purely for sale.Despite this, the Pengerupukan Celebration still went ahead as usual.


A Part of The Past:

Visiting Museum Bali


Starting in the morning, people have offered various offerings. Approaching sunset, Balinese people make noisy sounds. While hitting iron and various other objects, they carried burnt dry coconut leaves around the house. It is believed that the noise and fire will dispel evil forces in parts of the house.

On Nyepi Day, all Balinese people are required to take part in Catur Brata Penyepian. These Catur Brata Penyepians are: Amati Geni (not lighting a fire or light), Amati Karya (not doing any work), Amati Lelanguan (not entertaining oneself), and Amati Lelungayan (not going out of the house).On Nyepi Day, all activities in Bali stop completely.


nyepi bali



Airports and ports are closed for a day. All television shows were not broadcast. The streets are empty because there are no vehicles on the road.The most interesting thing is that at night we will be able to see the stars shining so brightly. The absence of light pollution means that celestial objects can shine brightly.


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If you want to experience Nyepi Day in Bali, you can schedule a holiday around March.

For a comfortable holiday, there are several tips for you:

  • Understand the rules for where you are staying. The customs and traditions of one place can be different from those of another place. Therefore, it is a good idea for friends to ask first what they can and cannot do during Nyepi.
  • Hotels provide more comfort, especially for friends who bring children.Even though the atmosphere of Nyepi is very rare and unique, not everyone can survive a day without entertainment, food, and lighting. Children usually get bored quickly. However, hotels have more tolerance for families with children. You can take your children to play on the playground or swim in the pool. Hotels in Bali also usually have Nyepi packages, so you don't need to worry about consumption.

nyepi bali


  • Prepare medicines and important telephone numbers. No one knows what will happen on Nyepi Day. Therefore, it is important to prepare medicines for common illnesses. Don't forget to also provide the hospital telephone number. The hospital continues to operate on Nyepi Day. So, if you are really in a critical situation, you can ask the hospital to send an ambulance.
  • Prepare food supplies a few days before Nyepi. As Pengerupukan night approaches, all department stores, supermarkets, and traditional markets will be increasingly busy. To avoid hours of queues and traffic jams, it's a good idea for you to prepare food ingredients and snacks for the family.Shopping centers still need time to return to normal activities. Therefore, even though Nyepi is over, there will be some difficulty getting food ingredients, especially fresh ingredients.

Nyepi bali


If you like a quiet atmosphere, Nyepi is the most appropriate choice for a holiday. Apart from enjoying the atmosphere, you can also enjoy some local traditions, such as the ogoh-ogoh parade, or the Melis procession.

But, don't forget... wherever you stay, you must always respect Catur Brata Penyepian.

Happy holidays!

 

(also published on Saliha.id in April 2018) 

Comments

  1. Every culture and religion in the world has its own way to define and celebrate the coming of the New Year. While the Chinese celebrate with drums and cymbals, the Muslims celebrate the first of Muharram, and the world in general celebrates the first of January with fireworks and parties, the Hindus of Bali welcome the New Year with the ritual of Nyepi.

    What a great way of life! Bring happiness and bring kindness

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very good guide to holidaying in Bali during this Nyepi holiday. Because of course during Nyepi there are rules that must be obeyed and sometimes tourists don't understand them

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah iya ya, liburan ke Bali saat Nyepi juga asik ya
    Bisa menikmati suguhan tradisi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. nah terpikirkan juga kayak gini,
      yang penting sih tetap ikuti norma yang ada biar nggak melanggar aturan

      Delete
  4. I never had a holiday in Bali while Nyepi day. But the visitors (especially from another country) will continue their holiday at Bali and enjoy Nyepi day.

    When the electricity is off for 24 hours, the situation will be silent and peace.

    ReplyDelete
  5. tata krama dan norma liburan nyepi ini memang kudu dipahami buat pelancong, biar nyaman dan nggak melanggar tradisi juga

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jadi penasaran kalau Hari Raya Nyepi dilakukan, pasti di jalanan, di pasar, dan dimana pun, beneran gak ada aktivitas ya mbak?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Penasaran dari dulu sama suasana Nyepi di Bali. Kapan-kapan kalau mau liburan ke bali tak jadwalkan di bulan Maret kalau gitu. Karena jalan-jalan ke Bali gak cuma soal alamnya, tapi juga budayanya yang menarik.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lebih tepatnya, kita bisa ke Bali sebelum Nyepi. Terus stay di sana selama Nyepi untuk merasakan euforia Nyepi bersama penduduk Bali.

      Delete
    2. Nah menarik ini, betul, sebelum Nyepi berangkat dulu ya. Hehehe.

      Delete
  8. Agak tricky sih bawa anak-anak ke Bali saat Nyepi. Kebayang mereka juga gampang bosen kan, sedangkan kita juga harus menghormati temen2 yang sedang Nyepi. Kalau solo traveling mah aku hayuk aja, malah penasaran pengen ke sana.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Klo ramadan/lebaran pakai kalender hijriyah bukan masehi, ternyata org bali juga pakai kalender sendiri yaitu kalender saka untuk menentukan hari besar seperti Nyepi.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Belum pernah sih merasakan sensasi Nyepi di Bali. Kalau Melasti dan pawai ogoh-ogoh pernah lihat karena di Surabaya juga ada saat menjelang Nyepi yang dilakukan oleh umat Hindu di Surabaya.

    ReplyDelete
  11. honestly, setiap perayaan nyepi pengen banget ke bali. ofkors after hari nyepi nya ya, why? karena anak-anak terutama si bungsu suka banget ogoh-ogoh. selama ini cuma bisa lihat atraksi ini di youtube, belum pernah melihat secara langsung

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jadi penasaran kalo pake kalender Saka aku umur berapa yaa? hihi.. soalnya pernah nonton juga tuh di film, ada umur internasional, ada umur Saka, dll

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh ya I wanna see ogoh-ogoh parade, one of the unique indonesian parades. I want to know how the balinese children when they are having that celebration. Are they bored or not?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kayaknya jadi pengalaman seru tersendiri kalo bisa merasakan suasana hari raya Nyepi langsung di Bali. Dan kalo menelusuri filosofi hari raya Nyepi lebih dalam menarik juga nih. Nice.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ih jadi penasaran pengin liburan ke Bali pas nyepi juga. Ngerasain gimana vibes nyepi di Bali jugaaa

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sayangnya saya lom pernah ke Bali pas Nyepi. Pasti seru lihat rangkaian upacara sebelum Nyepi, kata teman saya rame banget

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank for the tips did you mentioned. it will make us easier when we visit bali in Nyepi Day.

    Especially about preparation. It is very important

    ReplyDelete
  18. Karena indonesia beragam agama maka harus ada toleransi agama. Jangan seperti manta artis yang ketangkep pecalang di bali beberapa hari yang lalu

    ReplyDelete
  19. Aku bangga sama toleransi di negara kita yang tinggi, meskipun di Bali banyak ditinggali warga beragam agama, tapi waktu Nyepi mereka semua menghormat
    Dan aku tau waktu scrolling juga, ternyata ada juga beberapa warga yang nggak merayakan nyepi memilih staycation di hotel , jadi bisa menikmati fasilitas dari hotel tersebut

    ReplyDelete
  20. Many travellers want to experience Nyepi Day in Bali. Yesterday, I also saw some idols and actors who deliberately went to Bali during this celebration. And it was so exciting... It turns out that welcoming Nyepi there are several rituals as well as competitions that show how culture and religion in Bali are still maintained from ancestral heritage.

    ReplyDelete
  21. hari raya nyepi ini kalau buat umat hindu yang tidak tinggal di Bali bakal ngelakuin hal yang sama juga ya di rumahnya kayak nggak nyalain lampu dan sebagainya gitu? kalau bawa anak-anak yang tidak terbiasa dengan nyepi kayaknya besar banget ya tantangannya mbak takutnya mereka malah bikin masalah selama nyepi

    ReplyDelete
  22. Bali adalah tempat yang kaya budaya, ada banyak hal khas di sana. Sebagai seseorang yang tertarik pada budaya, membuat saya selalu penasaran berkunjung ke Bali. Saat saya memerhatikan bahasa Bali, ada beberapa istilah yang mirip/sama dengan bahasa Jawa hihi. Misalkan saja kata 'geni' di bahasa Jawa artinya api, kalau kata 'lungo/lelungan' dalam kosa kata Jawa artinya juga pergi. Saya jadi penasaran sama sejarah di baliknya.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Once in lifetime, u must try staycation while Nyepi in Bali. U could got happiness, quiteness in your heart.

    You could stay in villa's that near the village. So u could felt atmosphere of Nyepi very beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Jujurly ingin juga menikmati suasana Baki saat nyepi, atmosfer nya pasti beda dengan daerah lain

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bali is very beautiful with its culture. It seems that within a year they will repeatedly celebrate ceremonies, both traditional and religious ceremonies. I want to see ogoh-ogoh in Bali in person.

    ReplyDelete

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