processions on the beach
Even clueless tourists on vacation in Bali should stay in their hotels , and refrain from any activity that disturbs the peace, silence and calm of the Nyepi , a word that derives from the root “sepi” and that means silence.
"I like the night of Nyepi because the Bali sky is filled with stars, millions of them," says Arif, a Balinese travel agent who, like the rest of the island's inhabitants, locks himself in his house that day and he dedicates himself to the art of doing nothing . The origin of the tradition indicates that for 24 hours the Hindu Balinese must refrain from any earthly and physical activity. They are summarized in the four "amati": amati geni **(refrain from lighting fires or lights) **, amati karya **(refrain from work) **, amati lelanguan **(refrain from leisure activities) ** and amati lelungan **(refrain from leaving home)**. Instead, devotees are invited to practice meditation and fasting, in a tradition that pursues spiritual purification through self-control and introspection.
During this holiday, the demons are expelled from the island
Nyepi rituals begin three days earlier with the melasti ceremony . During this day, hundreds of people dress in bright colors and they go in procession towards the beaches , carrying objects from the temples that will be purified in the sea. The women walk upright carrying offerings of fruit and rice on their heads, and the men carry a white and yellow sheet that symbolizes the Bridge of God. The day before Nyepi, is when the demons are expelled from the island . All the houses. towns and villages are thoroughly cleaned and food is cooked for the next two days. As evening falls, a procession of men, women and children pours into the streets with torches, pans and pots making as much noise as they can to scare away evil spirits and exhort them to leave the island. In a ritual much like our fallas, large effigies of demons are burned, and priests recite curses to expel the demons from their villages.
What can tourists who are on the island do? Practically nothing. “The hotels have food prepared the day before, and they can spend time watching television with the volume low, reading and resting, but under no circumstances should they leave the hotel” Arif tells me. Only emergency services and hospitals remain active. Pecalang, or special patrols of community members, patrol the streets to make sure Nyepi rules are respected. The pecalang can even show up at houses and arrest whoever has the light on or does not respect the imposed silence.
Processions the day before Nyepi
Foreign residents living in Bali take the opportunity to meet at their homes . Lola, a Spaniard who has lived on the island for 6 months, will spend the day at a friend's house, stocked with movies and prepared food. “I have friends who have left the island on this day because they cannot bear to be locked up in their houses. I want to live this experience”, says Lola. "It's the perfect day to pick up that book you read from time to time and finish it."
“Even if you are not religious, Nyepi is a very special day, when you feel that Bali turns green, without electricity, smoke or artificial sounds,” says Arif. Only dogs and cats seem to roam freely through the streets, without cars or motorcycles to bother them . Who could like them tour the island of Bali in Nyepi, I think, and enjoy those hours of absolute calm.