Nyepi 2012

Some Facts about Balinese New year courtesy of Wikipedia:

Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isaawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar

First, The Melasti Ritual is performed 3-4 days beforehand. It is dedicated to Sanghyang Widhi Wasa. The ritual is performed in Pura (Balinese temple) near the sea (Pura Segara) and meant to purify Arca, Pratima, and Pralingga (sacred objects) belonging to several temples, also to acquire sacred water from the sea.

Second, The Bhuta Yajna Ritual is performed in order to vanquish the negative elements and create a balance with God, Mankind, and Nature. The ritual is also meant to appease Batara Kala by Pecaruan offering. Devout Hindu Balinese villages usually make ogoh-ogoh, demonic statues made of bamboo and paper symbolizing negative elements or malevolent spirits. After the ogoh-ogoh have been paraded around the village, the Ngrupuk ritual takes place, which involves burning the ogoh-ogoh.

Third, the Nyepi Rituals are performed as follows:

Amati Geni: No fire or light, including no electricity

Amati Karya: No working

Amati Lelunganan: No travelling

Amati Lelanguan: Fasting and no revelry/self-entertainment

Fourth, the Yoga/Brata Ritual starts at 6:00 a.m. and continues to 6:00 p.m. the next day.

Fifth, the Ngembak Agni/Labuh Brata Ritual is performed for all Hindus to forgive each other and to welcome the new days to come.

Sixth and finally, The Dharma Shanti Rituals is performed as the Nyepi Day or "Day of Silence."

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So, that's what Wikipedia say's it's all about. But what does it feel like to be part of these rituals? Well, here I hope to convey the enormity of celebration surrounding the Ogeh Ogeh parades. These are highly competitive dances, constructions of evil that have absorbed a lot of time and money from the villagers. They band together in groups for weeks on end before finally adorning their custom made clothing and even dying their hair, before bracing their beast to it's Bamboo lattice as it takes off to the temple for the opening exposition.

Some Ogeh Ogeh featured here cost more than 1 years average wage to make plus hundreds of man hours. They are born to live a life of vibrant expression before burning away into the silence of Nyepi. The Rockstars of demonic effergies. 

I spoke to an old man, who says that, in explaining to the westerners the meaning of the Ogeh Ogeh, a story was created about their meaning that had become fact or modern folklore through two generations of it's existence. They were told the Ogeh Ogeh were to scare the bad spirits from the island and on Nyepi the lights were switched off, fires quelled and conversation lent to whispers, so the bad spirits would not find their way back to the Island. 

The Truth is, and in keeping with the balanced nature of the religion, the Ogeh Ogeh are to appease the bad spirits as the peace and tranquility of Nyepi is to appease the spirits with less raucous natures..... and we, as humans, get to enjoy both.