Bali Nyepi 2012

Bali New Year for 2012 – Balinese “Day of Silence” that falls on Bali’s Lunar New Year. Nyepi is a special Balinese Hindu religious celebration.

It will be held Friday, 23 March 2012.

Adapted from Hendra's "Balinese Experience" post, some highlights:

1) Melasti Ceremony (the day before)
Before the new year, the entire Bali will perform ceremonies to purifying the “spiritual things” which are kept in every temple. Balinese will do it once a year, and thousands of people will heed to the nearest beach, to pray and “clean up the holy things”. My temple in my hometown (Mengwi) will have the same event. So you can join this ceremony with me. We can catch up somewhere in Denpasar first, then go to my village together. After arriving in my temple, we will march from my temple to the beach with hundreds other Balinese. To respect the ceremony, you have to wear Balinese costume too as well, and you can borrow it from me…

2) Ogoh-Ogoh Sighting (the day before, 8am onwards)
One day before the Nyepi Day,there will be the Ogoh-Ogoh Festival (spiritual monsters parade), and before the parade begins on the evening, all ogoh-ogoh will be shown in each banjar (community hall) plus having lunch on the trip. In the morning, we will travel around and see all ogoh-ogoh in various parts of the island. You’ll see the creativity of Balinese art. I know some places that has fantastic ogoh-ogoh monsters since I do it every year. My route will probably like this SANUR>KUTA>SESETAN>PUPUTAN>SUPRATMAN>UBUD> then return.

3) The Parade (the day before, 5pm to midnight)
Since becoming the Sekaa Teruna leader (traditional youngster community) I have the acces to let you join in my community and join the parade from start to end. You will not only see and have photo opportunities of the ogoh-ogoh, but you may participate - use your own shoulder to lift it around the town with thousands of people watching you. If you like music, you can also join my beleganjur team (Balinese marching band) to play traditional music together. After the parade finishes, we can take our scooter and see the dark side of Bali!

4) Nyepi Silent Day (23 March 2012)
Yes we will not see nor do many thing on this day. Just feel the silence and calmness in my small house with my family and dogs. Will no TV or radio programme as the government closes it all. My family will spend time to stay in the house temple; you can join too. I believe religion is universal and all about heart and feeling. Other great experience will come in the night, as I have some access and assuming the role of pecalang (warden) in the night. We can go around my place, keep silent, wear Balinese costume again, and fell how dark is Bali on this night. You even can see the star falling every hour and the star light will be awesome! Because of regulations, only men who can go for the night trip. A good day to reflect on life, people, what you have done or failed, the environment, the sand, the rain, the rain drops on the side of the window pane.

5) Omed-omedan / WetKissing Event (24 March 2012)
Another unique cultural experience that you must see in Bali. The youngsters in the villages will participate in a gathering in the centre of the village, and is up for kissing another person that they like. The elders of the community will sprinkle water onto participants. So it is quite a wet wet kissing ceremony. It sounds strange in writing, but it is truly a traditional event, and participants are happy to preserve the old culture handed down from past generations of Balinese.

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