As a feast day, presumably, this retains the most comprehensive
meaning. It involves some aspects of life like the environmental,
mental and spiritual aspects. The celebration procession will
commence a few days before Nyepi. All customary villagers perform
the melasti purification rites for the sanctified effigy and ritual
paraphernalia to source of water nearby. The, it’s resumed
with exorcism rite (buta yadnya) or percaruan from the provincial
level to the hamlet and even to every individual household at
the center of its respective territory. Philosophically, this
ritual procession aims at balancing the invisible power of positive
and negative elements. Finally, all devotees attend worshipen
masse at the village temple to express their gratitude for the
yester year and invoke to be guided in covering the path in the
forthcoming year. This ritual is usually carried out right one
day before the Nyepi or known as the Pengerupukan falling on the
black moon or last date of the ninth month of the Balinese
calendar. In the meantime, an attractive show of ogoh-ogoh
puppets (huge figure) in great variety put an end to the procession
at each village before the nightfall.
The
Nyepi feast day falls on the first date of the tenth month
in Saka Year 1929. In the morning, devotees can feel how tranquil
the day is. Singing of birds graces the day and accompanies
some butterflies and dragonflies flying from one flower to
another. It’s a peaceful, silent day just happening
once a year. So, what do people do then? They undertake the
so-called four abstinences or catur bratha penyepian. It encompasses
the absence of lighting fire, turning on any entertainment,
no activities and traveling. Devotees of other religions also
respect their Hindu counterparts. Public service like hospital
and hotel are appealed to appreciate this celebration by turning
on minimal outdoor light and more focusing their activities
in door. Thus, The Hindu are all staying at home for undertaking
self contemplation during the Day of Silence. By those abstinences,
they attempt to control their passion and senses as the initial
condition that enables devotees to do self-control before
performing further steps in their spiritual development.
Practically, they would be no car in operation, throughout
Bali, as all entrance gates to Bali would be closed 24 hours.
This lasts from 06:00 until the same time on the next day.
Bali is thoroughly in a silence atmosphere. No smokes and
roars of car for a day (24 hours). It’s just like an
annual car-free day that recharges new life by fresh air to
the island of Bali prior to entering the Saka New Year. Similarly,
it gives an opportunity to nature enjoying its “freedom”
without the touch of human activities. In other words, it
celebrates its life in the hope it could give us a life of
better quality.
Nyepi should not only be marked with annual rituals and its
grandiose procession but also give more emphasis on something
beneficial to the life itself. Coming annual means it’s
regularly reminds the human being of making introspection.
It is also celebration of life. When we have conserved the
nature and use eco-friendly products, it would be unfair it
we don’t apply the body-friendly products. We should
say no to drugs and re-consider the excessive consumption
of alcoholic drinks or inhale nicotine. It means to balance
the conservation of nature and life that finally brings happiness
to all. Let’s celebrate this feast day and out live
concurrently.
