What Is Nyepi Day: Bali’s Nyepi Day is a unique New Year’s celebration that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. It’s both the Bali Day of Silence and the Saka New Year. People in this area carefully follow a set of rules that stop all normal activities on this day, making it the quietest of the year. No one leaves their homes, and the roads all over the island are empty.
Many people who live in Bali look forward to Nyepi, but the restrictions often make expats and tourists from nearby islands leave Bali for the day. Regardless, you should definitely go to Nyepi at least once in your life. In the days before and after Nyepi, you can see some unusual and rarely seen places that are well worth seeing.
Nyepi Day in Bali
On the Day of Silence, people honor the Saka calendar, which comes from Western India. It’s one of many dates that are a part of Indonesia’s rich culture. One of the two calendars used at the same time in Bali is the Saka calendar, which is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar and is based on the moon. In March, right after a new moon, Nyepi is often seen.
Before Nyepi Eve, ogoh-ogoh, which are made of paper mâché, are proudly displayed in village meeting rooms called banjar. These mythological figures are carefully made by youth groups out of bamboo frames and are decorated with layers and layers of beautiful art. Artists have been making these pieces since the early 1980s, and they have become an important part of the island-wide event.
The whole island is calm on Nyepi Day. A Hindu Balinese ritual called Catur Brata Penyepian means “The Four Nyepi Prohibitions” in English. They are amati geni (no fire), amati lelungan (no travel), amati karya (no action), and amati lelanguan (no fun).
What is Nyepi?
Balinese Hindus believe that Nyepi is especially important because it marks the start of a new year. It is a day set aside to clean the island of the bad things that happened the previous year so that a new and better one can begin. Everything on the island stops on this day, and no one can drive on the streets.
So as not to disturb the peace below, the airport even stopped working and rerouted planes for a whole day. Everyone must stay inside their homes, villas, or hotels in complete silence and without any interruptions. This means that no one can go anywhere, use any transportation, go to work, make noise, or even use light. When you get right down to it, it’s just quiet.
What happens during Nyepi?
There is a lot of prayer, meditation, and quiet time at home with family on Nyepi Day in Bali. For people who are not Hindu, a normal day is spent sleeping and relaxing at home.
But a lot is going on in the days and even weeks before Bali’s Day of Silence. As the streets come to life, people are met by the beautiful sounds of traditional gamelan instruments and a wide range of bright goods. People are getting ready for Melasti, a big cleaning event that happens three or four days before Nyepi, in this happy setting. Thousands of Balinese people dress in white for this event, which ends with a big parade down to the beach. From churches, they bring holy objects to the sea, where they are cleaned and made pure.
A few days before Nyepi, the people are very excited to make and shape Ogoh-Ogoh, which are huge paper mâché monsters. On the night before Nyepi, these works of art are driven through the streets with lively crowds, fireworks, and lively music. The next day is very calm and peaceful, which is very different from this loud show.
Balinese belief is at the heart of the loud Ogoh-Ogoh parades that happen on the eve of Nyepi and are followed by full silence. Evil spirits are said to roam the world looking for groups of people to hurt. The Ogoh-Ogoh’s job is to bring these ghosts to the island. Instead, when they get there, they find what looks like an empty country because the people who live there have stayed inside. After this, the ghosts leave, leaving the island clean and free of evil for a year.
Ngembak Geni: the day after Nyepi
People can go to Sesetan hamlet in southern Denpasar for the named-comedian, also called the “festival of smooches,” the day after Nyepi. This is a celebration that only the Banjar Kaja community in Sesetan holds.
On this happy day, a lot of young people gather in the streets, where people play with water guns. There’s nothing better than seeing two groups of boys and girls play tug-of-war in front of the whole town and tourists. The teasing, pushing, and shoving ends with an unplanned kiss as more couples join the group in the middle.
Must everyone celebrate Nyepi, even foreigners?
Nyepi has rules that everyone must follow. For example, people must stay inside and away from noise and light. You don’t need to worry because you can move around your room as long as you make as little noise or light as possible. In addition to a wide range of activities, hotels often have lights that are lowered at night so you don’t feel completely alone. All you have to do is close the curtains.
Now, when you don’t have anything else to do, is the best time to unwind and recharge in a hotel, villa, or vacation. You can read a book, relax, play an old board game, make a face mask at home, or sit outside and enjoy the sounds of nature. We know that looking at the stars at night is very important because there isn’t much light pollution, so the sky looks like a beautiful dome of glitter!
What happens if you go outside on Nyepi Day?
Don’t try going outside on Nyepi. If you attempt to disobey, you will be stopped by pecalang or local watchmen, who stroll around Bali for any wrongdoers. Don’t book a plane ticket at the date of Nyepi. No planes will land or take off for 24 hours.
The first day of the tenth month, called sasih kedasa, which comes after the ninth new moon, is Nyepi. Most other New Year’s events, on the other hand, happen on the first day of the month. The holiday date changes every year because the Hindu calendar is based on the moon. This means that on the Gregorian calendar, the event takes place in either March or April. March 3, 2022, will be Nyepi. All forms of transportation stop running on this day. This includes cars, buses, ships, and planes. Airport Ngurah Rai and all of Bali’s other transportation hubs are closed for Nyepi. To find out what’s going on, go to the websites of each traffic hub.
In Bali, some rules stay in effect for the whole 24-hour Nyepi process. Even though it’s a Hindu holiday, these rules apply to everyone, even non-Hindus, whether they live there or are just visiting. Going outside is not allowed at all. People are told to stay home and not go anywhere during Nyepi.
It is against the rules to use bright lights or start fires. It’s fine to have some light in hotel rooms at night, but it’s not allowed to light up hotel porches. Making loud noises is against the rules. In Bali hotels, you can watch TV or listen to the radio, but you need to make sure the noise is turned down.
Why does Bali have a silent day?
March 22, 2023 marks the first day of the Balinese New Year called Nyepi Day. According to the Hindu belief, Nyepi is a day of complete silence without any noise, traffic, fire, internet and lights. It is a day of complete stillness in the physical and spiritual worlds.
On Nyepi, the Balinese Saka Calendar’s New Year’s Day, all lights and sounds are turned off, there is no traffic, and no other worldly activities happen. Instead, everyone on the island meditates and enjoys the peace.
March 17, 2018, is Nyepi. A rare total sun eclipse will be seen across most of Indonesia on the same day. It will cover areas from South Sumatra to Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and the Moluccas. Thousands of people from all over the world will gather to see this amazing event in the sky.
If you want to fly to or from Bali on this date, you should know that the island will pretty much stop working. This is called “lockdown mode.” This will make it simple to do what needs to be done. No planes will be coming or going from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport today because it is closed for the day. There will be no more cars on the island, and people will not be able to walk on the streets or along the beach. The pedaling, or village guards, will strictly follow these rules. At night, all the lights have to be turned off, and hotels will draw their blinds to keep light inside. There shouldn’t be too much music or music in places.
Who celebrates Nyepi Day?
Balinese
Nyepi & the Balinese Calendar
The start of the “Caka” year – the Balinese New Year is celebrated by the Hindus over a period of six days. Nyepi is a day for the Hindu Balinese to dedicate themselves completely to connect more deeply with God (Hyang Widi Wasa) through prayer, fasting and meditation.
Because Nyepi rules say that no one on the island can leave their home or do any activities during the day, Silent Day is very important for cleaning the air of pollution from cars. About 20,000 tons of CO2 are taken out of the air today. The ban on travel also saves the city government almost a million gallons of fuel. Nyepi is responsible for a 33% drop in greenhouse gas pollution around the world.
Many people know that Nyepi Day has a big effect on lowering smog. Based on Nyepi, the CCC (Collaboration for Climate Change) group formed World Silent Day, and the UN has officially approved this idea. On March 21, people all over the world observe World Silent Day to encourage people to do fewer things that harm the environment, like climate change and global warming.
Is there electricity during Nyepi?
This is a great time to relax by the pool without the temptation of leaving your villa. No lights. This means no electricity or lighting of fires. As a tourist there is a little bit of leeway here, but only use light when it’s really necessary and make sure you keep curtains closed.
Every business has to be closed all day, just like on other holidays. This is true for all businesses in Bali except for emergency services and local police. Now is a good time to relax by the pool without having to go anywhere else.
This means not using power or flames. Travelers are free to do what they want, but it is suggested that they close the blinds and only use light when they have to. In your hotel or house, there will still be power, so you can use the air conditioning to cool off and charge your items.
There won’t be any local TV stations, and mobile data speeds might be slow or limited. The Wi-Fi in your hotel or house should still work, though. There are also lots of fun things to do offline, like reading a book or floating in the pool.
There will be no flights in or out of Bali on Nyepi Day. There won’t be any cars, bikes, or people walking on the road. Take advantage of this chance to unwind and slow down!
Can we talk on Nyepi Day?
Nyepi – a day of silence
Typically, the whole island closes down for this day and the Hindu Balinese stay at home during this time. They do not speak to each other, answering phones or taking in guests. There won’t be any lights, cars, motorbikes, people on the roads or at the beaches.
Because of the pandemic, celebrations and parties have had to change. Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, is one of these events. It marks the beginning of the Balinese Saka Calendar. While some people may have already enjoyed this unique day on the Island of the Gods, others are planning to go to Bali in the future to see Nyepi. You might have some questions about this religion if you want to learn more about it.
Most people celebrate New Year on the first day of the first month. However, Nyepi, also called sasih kedasa, is held on the first day of the tenth month, one day after the ninth new moon. This day falls in either March or April on the Gregorian calendar. The Hindu calendar is based on the lunar calendar, so the day, month, and year are determined differently every year. This changes when the celebration takes place. March 3, 2022, will be Nyepi. All forms of transportation stop running on this day. This includes cars, buses, ships, and planes. Airport Ngurah Rai and all of Bali’s other transportation hubs are closed for Nyepi. To find out what’s going on, go to the websites of each traffic hub.
The day before Nyepi, many roads will be closed at 4 p.m. so that the Ogoh-Ogoh parades can begin at 6 p.m. Long-distance driving shouldn’t be done after lunch. Today is a great chance to get home early and start relaxing before the quiet time starts.
Many people celebrate Nyepi, which is the main public holiday in Bali. This day is a holiday, so stores are closed so families can spend time together and party in their neighborhoods. Many businesses may be closed for the whole week, even though it’s only one day. Keep this in mind if you have any important events coming up or dates coming up, like visa extensions.
The colorful parties on the night before Silent Day, especially the Ogoh-Ogoh parades, are some of the best parts of Nyepi. Every town has a parade that starts at dusk. Check out the parade in your area for a thrilling show of fun, color, and noise. If you want to see the biggest shows, go to Denpasar and see the Ogoh-Ogoh parades on Imam Bonjol, Seseh (at the crossing of Jl Raya Tanah Lot), and Jimbaran (at the main McDonald’s crossroads). Pick a parade that is close to where you are staying because you might have to walk home if the roads are closed or there are no taxis available.