The majority of the residents in Bali subscribe to the beliefs of Hinduism. One of the major holidays celebrated is the Balinese Hindu New Year, also called Nyepi. It could be translated as Day of Silence, which is primarily what the holiday means. It falls on the Balinese Lunar New Year, which occurred on March 26 of this year. The day is set aside as ritual fasting and meditation. It is intended to be a day of reflection and spiritual honor. Vacationers who are in Bali during this time and are staying in one of the Bali boutique hotels can see the various festivities associated with it.
The observation of the actual Day of Fasting occurs between the hours of six am to six am the following morning. Due to the self-reflective nature of these 24 hours, there are various restrictions placed on specific behaviors. Some of the restrictions include, no lighting of fires, which also means other lights should be left low, no working, and no activities that will cause pleasure as this will remove one from the reflective perspective. Other restrictions include no traveling, no entertainment and no talking. No eating is also common, and relevant to the fasting emphasis placed on the holiday.
The only people who can be found on the streets during this time are those patrolling the neighborhoods and making sure that these restrictions are followed. While Nyepi is a Hindu holiday, the majority of Bali’s non-Hindu population also follows this Day of Silence observation. Tourists who are there at this time will also notice that they are asked to respect this day. They may do as they please inside the hotel, though the beaches are closed and they are not allowed on the streets. Even the airport is closed down on this day, and only emergency vehicles are allowed to be in operation. However, the following day activities resume, and various festivals and rituals are enacted.
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