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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
What is your name?
The Meaning Behind The Balinese Names
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.
- 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.
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)
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.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way of life! Bring happiness and bring kindness
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
ReplyDeleteAh iya ya, liburan ke Bali saat Nyepi juga asik ya
ReplyDeleteBisa menikmati suguhan tradisi
nah terpikirkan juga kayak gini,
Deleteyang penting sih tetap ikuti norma yang ada biar nggak melanggar aturan
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.
ReplyDeleteWhen the electricity is off for 24 hours, the situation will be silent and peace.
tata krama dan norma liburan nyepi ini memang kudu dipahami buat pelancong, biar nyaman dan nggak melanggar tradisi juga
ReplyDeleteJadi penasaran kalau Hari Raya Nyepi dilakukan, pasti di jalanan, di pasar, dan dimana pun, beneran gak ada aktivitas ya mbak?
ReplyDeletePenasaran 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.
ReplyDeleteLebih tepatnya, kita bisa ke Bali sebelum Nyepi. Terus stay di sana selama Nyepi untuk merasakan euforia Nyepi bersama penduduk Bali.
DeleteAgak 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.
ReplyDeleteKlo ramadan/lebaran pakai kalender hijriyah bukan masehi, ternyata org bali juga pakai kalender sendiri yaitu kalender saka untuk menentukan hari besar seperti Nyepi.
ReplyDeleteBelum 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.
ReplyDeletehonestly, 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
ReplyDeleteJadi penasaran kalo pake kalender Saka aku umur berapa yaa? hihi.. soalnya pernah nonton juga tuh di film, ada umur internasional, ada umur Saka, dll
ReplyDeleteOh 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?
ReplyDeleteKayaknya 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.
ReplyDeleteIh jadi penasaran pengin liburan ke Bali pas nyepi juga. Ngerasain gimana vibes nyepi di Bali jugaaa
ReplyDeleteSayangnya saya lom pernah ke Bali pas Nyepi. Pasti seru lihat rangkaian upacara sebelum Nyepi, kata teman saya rame banget
ReplyDeleteThank for the tips did you mentioned. it will make us easier when we visit bali in Nyepi Day.
ReplyDeleteEspecially about preparation. It is very important
Karena indonesia beragam agama maka harus ada toleransi agama. Jangan seperti manta artis yang ketangkep pecalang di bali beberapa hari yang lalu
ReplyDeleteAku bangga sama toleransi di negara kita yang tinggi, meskipun di Bali banyak ditinggali warga beragam agama, tapi waktu Nyepi mereka semua menghormat
ReplyDeleteDan 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
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.
ReplyDeletehari 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