What is Nyepi? – the Balinese “Day of Silence” – Silent celebrations
Nyepi | Image Credit : Tuderna, Kuta Bali on Nyepi Day – panoramio (1), CC BY 3.0
Nyepi, also known as the “Day of Silence” is one of the most important Hindu and Balinese celebrations where they commemorate silence for a day. This year, the Day of Silence falls on March 7th and it is considered compulsory for everyone to observe quietness on this day for a period of 24 hours. The purpose of this silent celebration is to ward off evil spirits from the island, by making them believe that there is no one left behind. Usually, all the action takes place the day before the festival. It commences with prayer time for all families in the villages and a strange tradition of the banging of loud objects such as pots, pans, and instruments around their houses and compounds, finally leading to the big parade on the streets. Here they also showcase the ‘monster-like’ statue known as the ‘ogoh-ogoh’ that depicts the bad spirits being guided off the island.
Festivities are also held in many a Bali beach resort with special packages for tourists offered by resorts such as Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa