[Bali2007] 巴里島的農曆新年 Nyepi Day 安寧日

NYEPI DAY 19 MARCH 2007

Nyepi day is one of the biggest and
most important Balinese religious days held once in a
year. There are some sequences ceremonies in Nyepi day.

Melasti
or Mekiyis or Melis
Melasti is the first sequences and it is held
three or four days before Nyepi (silent day) and aimed
to clean the nature with its content and also to take
the Amerta (holy water) from the ocean or other water
resources (i.e. lake, river, etc). On this interesting
occasion, all the effigies of the Gods from all the
village temples are taken to the river in long and
colorful ceremonies. There, they have are bathed by the
Neptune of the Balinese Lord, the God Baruna, before
being taken back home to their shrines. Several communal
prayers will also be held until the last evening before
the Nyepi day.

Tawur
Kesanga (The day before Nyepi)
It is the second sequences and held exactly one
day before Nyepi. All villages in Bali hold a large
exorcism ceremony at the main village cross road, the
meeting place of demons.

The remarkable event on this day is
Ogoh Ogoh. It is a fantastic monster or evil spirits by
Bhuta Kala made by Bamboo with colorful paper and
symbolize the evil spirits surrounding the environment
which have to be got rid off from our lives. In order to
make a harmonic relation between human being and God,
human and human, and human and their environments, Tawur
Kesanga is performed in every level of society, from the
people”s house. In the evening, the Hindus celebrating
Ngerupuk, start making noises and light burning torches
and set fire to the Ogoh-ogoh in order to get the Bhuta
Kala, evil spirits, out of our lives.

The
Nyepi Day, the silence day
Nyepi, comes from the word Bahasa ‘sepi’ is as
its meaning ‘quite’ and it is the peak of the festive.
According to the Balinese calendar, this year, Nyepi Day
falls on March 19, 2006. In the caka calendar, it is
1929. The activities in entire over Bali Island are
stopped for 24 hours. There are four mandatory religious
prohibitions called Catur Brata Penyepian that should be
followed by common Hindu people in Bali. The
prohibitions include amati geni or no fire, amati karya
or no work, amati lelanguan or no entertainment and
pleasure, and amati lelungan or no travelling. These
prohibitions help people to control their five earthy
senses by mind and wisdom in order to increase the
quality of life for the upcoming year. For people with
higher spiritual ability or willing to have higher
spiritual life are expected to perform further
prohibitions include fasting by not eating or drinking,
stay still by not talking, meditating by focusing the
mind to the God and praying. For the hospital industry
such as hotel or villas, they are in service but no
outdoor activities are allowed and the guests are asked
to stay inside the hotel.

Ngembak
Geni, a day of forgiveness
The anti-climax of Nyepi day is on the
following day and when the Berata Penyepian is over.
This day is called Ngembak Geni where people share
happiness by visiting their relatives and friend. The
New Year is started by forgiving each other and forget
the hate in the past year and work together to face the
challenge of the New Year. Only a simple ritual rite is
performed within the house compound for this day.
However, various cakes will be made to welcome the visit
of relatives and friends.