Fasting Day

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Nyepi, Bali's Day of Silence 

Labels: Bali, Indonesia, Traveling Tips 

Every religion or culture all over the world has their own way to define andcelebrate their new year. For example, the Chinese have the Imlek year and tocelebrate it, have, as they called it in their own language, "Gong Xi Fat Choy".The Moslem societies have their Muharam year, and any of the people over theworld using the Gregorian calendar, celebrate the New Year on January 1st.

 Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that falls on Bali's Lunar New Year's (in 2010, was

on March 16). It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. The day following Nyepi is

also celebrated as New year Gudi Padva in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh

and Karnataka in India.

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Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for Self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose isrestricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be keptlow); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, notalking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usuallybustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs andradios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people tobe seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol thestreets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed. This year of 2010 Baliclosed the airport start at 06.00 am. There is no flights in or out-no activity at

all at the airport. And they request for all Indonesia tv station not to broadcasttheir programs in Bali. This year its really those moment of silence.

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At 06.00 too other gate to Bali entrance are closed too (airport & harbours) for 24hrs (re-open again at same hour next day). So Bali is like grave yard for 24hr,very quiet. Any hotels that enoucourage their guest to stroll around will consider as insulting the holiness of the day.

Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observethe day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists arenot exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowedonto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for theentire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carryingthose with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.

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On the day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up againquickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, andto perform certain religious rituals together.

• First, The Melasti Ritual is performed at the 3-4 previous day. It is

dedicated to Sanghyang Widhi Wasa and is performed at the beach torespect them as the owner of The Land and Sea. The ritual performed intemple near the sea (Pura Segara) and meant to purify Arca, Pratima, andPralingga (sacred objects) belongs to several temples, also to acquiresacred water from the sea. Melasti is meant to clean the pratima or arca or pralingga (statue), with symbols that help to concentrate the mind in order to become closer to God. The ceremony is aimed to clean all nature andits content, and also to take the Amerta (the source for eternal life) fromthe ocean or other water resources (ie lake, river, etc). Three days beforeNyepi, all the effigies of the Gods from all the village temples are taken tothe river in long and colourful ceremonies. There, they have are bathed by

the Neptune of the Balinese Lord, the God Baruna, before being takenback home to their shrines.

• Second, The Bhuta Yajna Ritual is performed in order to vanquish thenegative elements and create balance with God, Mankind, and Nature.The ritual also meant to appease Batara Kala by Pecaruan offering.Devout Hindu Balinese villages usually mak e ogoh-ogoh, demonicstatues made of bamboo and paper symbolizing negative elements or malevolent spirits. After the ogoh-ogoh have been paraded around thevillage, the Ngrupuk ritual takes place, which involves burning the ogoh-ogoh. They usually make Ogoh-ogoh (the fantastic monsters or evil spirits

or the Butha Kala made of bamboo) for carnival purposes. The Ogoh-ogohmonsters symbolize the evil spirits surrounding our environment whichhave to be got rid of from our lives . The carnivals themselves are held allover Bali following sunset. Bleganjur, a Balinese gamelan musicaccompanies the procession. Some are giants taken from classicalBalinese lore. All have fangs, bulging eyes and scary hair and areilluminated by torches.The procession is usually organised by the SekaTeruna, the youth organisation of Banjar. When Ogoh-ogoh is beingplayed by the Seka Teruna, everyone enjoys the carnival. In order tomake a harmonic relation between human being and God, human andhuman, and human and their environments, Tawur Kesanga is performedin every level of society, from the people's house. In the evening, theHindus celebrating Ngerupuk, start making noises and light burningtorches and set fire to the Ogoh-ogoh in order to get the Bhuta Kala, evilspirits, out of our lives. .

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• Third, The Nyepi Rituals is performed with the following conditions:o Amati Geni: No fire/light

o Amati Karya: No working

o Amati Lelunganan: No traveling

o Amati Lelanguan: Fasting and no revelry/self-entertainment

• Fourth, The Yoga/Brata Ritual starts at 6:00 AM (e.g. March 26, 2009)and continues to 6:00 AM the next day.

• Fifth, The Ngebak Agni/Labuh Brata Ritual is performed for all Hindus toforgive each other and to welcome the new days to come. Ngembak is theday when Catur Berata Penyepian is over and Hindus societies usuallyvisit to forgive each other and doing the Dharma Canthi. Dharma Canthiare activities of reading Sloka, Kekidung, Kekawin, etc.(ancient scriptscontaining songs and lyrics).

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• Sixth and finally, The Dharma Shanti Rituals is performed as the NyepiDay or "Day of Silence."

A day after nyepi rituals taken (Ngambak Geni) actually there is an interestingtradition called "Omed-Omedan". It was held in Sesetan street in Denpasar Bali.Omed-omedan in Balinese language means "pull". This tradition held with pullingthe opposite sex and kiss them (oww..). This tradition often called "MassKissing". The group were seperated between sexes, boys and girls (sorry youngsingle people only!). Each group have to carry one of their group member to theother group-and the other group will pull that person and kissed each other. Andits only one kiss!! (hahah!) after that each group will pull that person back to their group (girls and boys).

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All participant get their turn to kiss the other groups!

Oh this tradition only held in Sesetan Village Bali.....

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Hari Raya Nyepi,Inspirasi Untuk Hemat Energi dan PenguranganPolusi 

Assalamualaikum gan,apa kabar semua.semoga baik-baik aja yah.nah kebetulan hari ini bertepatan dengan hari raya nyepi

ada baiknya saya ucapkan selamat hari raya nyepi bagi umat hindu yang merayakan nya.

well,Nyepi berasal dari kata sepi(sunyi senyap).hari raya nyepi merupakan salah satu hariraya umat hindu di dunia selain hari raya galungan,kuningan,saraswati dsb.hari raya

nyepi dsb.tujuan dari hari raya nyepi adalah Tujuan utama Hari Raya Nyepi adalah

memohon ke hadapan Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, untuk menyucikan Buwana Alit (alammanusia / microcosmos) dan Buwana Agung/macrocosmos (alam semesta). Sebelum Hari

Raya Nyepi, terdapat beberapa rangkaian upacara yang dilakukan umat Hindu, khususnya

di daerah Bali.

Hari Raya Nyepi sebenarnya merupakan perayaan Tahun Baru Hinduberdasarkan penanggalan / kalender Saka, yang dimulai sejak tahun 78 Masehi.Tidak seperti perayaan tahun baru Masehi, Tahun Baru Saka di Bali dimulaidengan menyepi. Tidak ada aktifitas seperti biasa. Semua kegiatan ditiadakan,

termasuk pelayanan umum, seperti Bandar Udara Internasional pun tutup,namun tidak untuk rumah sakit.

Rangkaian prosesi hari raya nyepi dimulai dari upacara melasti,yaitu upacara pembersihan di tepi laut atau pantai.biasanya

yang dibersihkan adalah sarana untuk persembahyangan di pura.semuanya dibersihkan di

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 pantai atau danau,umat hindu percaya karena laut atau danau adalah sumber air suci(tirta amerta) dan bisa menyucikan segala leteh (kotor) di dalam diri manusia danalam.

Lalu kemudian ada juga pawai ogoh-

ogoh di sore-malam sehari sebelum hari raya nyepi,ogoh-ogoh berbagai macam

 bentuk.seperti hantu atau setan raksasa yang seram.ogoh-ogoh diarak keliling kotakemudian dibakar.simbol dari pembakaran ini adalah untuk menghapus angkara

murka(kejahatan) di muka bumi yang disimbolkan oleh ogoh-ogoh tersebut

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Keesokan harinya pada saat hari raya nyepi,suasana di bali begitu seperti kota mati.tidak 

ada aktifitas apapun,semua kantor dan toko tutup.sekolah dan PT diliburkan,pasar 

tutup.bandara dan pelabuhan juga menghentikan operasional nya.pokoknya semua nya

serba OFF,kecuali Rumah Sakit.ada 4 pantangan catur brata yang harus dipatuhi selama hari raya nyepi,yaitu:

-tidak menghidupkan api-tidak bekerja

-tidak bepergian

-tidak memikmati hiburan atau berlibur.

Well,itulah dia maksud dan prosesi serta gambaran hari raya nyepi di bali.ternyata hari

raya nyepi juga memberikan kontribusi tidak langsung lho bagi lingkungan.bayanginaja,saat hari raya nyepi tidak boleh ada aktivitas apapun.bahkan listrik aja di putus oleh

PLN.tidak ada juga polusi dari gas buang knalpot kendaraan dan asap pabrik.coba bayangkan kalau hari raya nyepi dilaksanakan setiap sebulan sekali saja di dunia,pasti polusi di bumi ini mulai berkurang.

Akhir kata,sekian dulu yah gan posting dari saya kali ini.semoga bisa menambah

wawasan,komen nya ditunggu gan......thank....!!!