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Bali Day of Silence
Nyepi Day in Bali is a New Year celebrated unlike anywhere else on the planet. The Saka New Year here is also known as the Bali day of silence. It's ultimately the quietest day of the year – all of the island's inhabitants abide by a set of local rules that bring routine activities to a complete halt. Roads all over Bali are void of any traffic and nobody steps outside of their home premises.
Most regard Nyepi as a much-anticipated occasion. Some expats and those coming from neighbouring islands prefer escaping Bali for the day rather, due to the restrictions. Anyhow, Nyepi is worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime – the days before and after offer some rare sights.
Nyepi: a different kind of New Year celebration
The day of silence marks the turn of the Saka calendar of western Indian origin. It's one among the many calendars assimilated by Indonesia’s diverse cultures. The Saka is also among 2 calendars jointly used in Bali. It follows a lunar sequence and is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar. Nyepi follows right after a new moon, typically in March.
Leading up to Nyepi Eve, village meeting halls (banjar) showcase paper-mâché effigies called ogoh-ogoh. They’re built by youth groups who design and build their mythical figures with intricately shaped and tied bamboo framework before many layers of artwork. These artistic creations have been offshoots of the celebration since the early 1980s. Much of it has stayed on to become an inseparable element in the island-wide celebration.
