Nyepi, the Balinese and the Environment

The Balinese Hindus have a special celebration when welcoming the new year of Caka, called Hari Raya Nyepi. The word ‘nyepi’ comes from the root word of ‘sepi’ in Indonesian, which means quiet. On this special day, which occurs once a year, every thing comes to a stop: no people traveling, no traffic on the road, no noise from factories, no public performances, etc.

This creates a special atmosphere! People seem to stop their activities. Blank, empty, zero, quite! Why is this so important for the Balinese? Balinese people believe that an empty thing can be filled. When we want to start with a new life, a new spirit, it is good to start with an empty condition from the beginning.
Facing the New Year (tahun Çaka), the Balinese believe that people will have a new spirit, and are expected to make a new and better start. Hopefully in this quiet situation (because there’s no traffic on that day) they can feel how good it is when people reduce noise, air pollution, traffic jams etc.
When we reach the new year, we should start with a new spirit where we can make a new environment. With the new spirit of ‘Nyepi’ we hope that more people will pay attention to leading a balanced life, a harmonious relationship with God, other human beings and with the environment. For example, we cannot just work for money but ignore nature. Nature needs a break from interference by human too! “Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi Çaka 1925”, which will take place on 2nd of April this year! (Raka Dalem)

Ayunan Jantra:
Entertainment To Welcome Nyepi

Ayunan Jantra (a Jantra merry-go-round) is a traditional wooden device, it works in a way similar to that of a water mill. It has eight seats, attracting avid interest from the public during the celebration of Nyepi, the Caka New Year. Despite being so traditional, Ayunan Jantra is still easily spotted in some areas of Bali such as in Tenganan village, Mengwi near Taman Ayun temple and some other places. The following is about Ayunan Jantra, which can be seen at Alas Kedaton in Kukuh, Tabanan.

The monkey forest Alas Kedaton fascinates visitors mainly because of it’s preserved habitat of monkeys and bats in a fresh green environment. It also offers the existing traditional merry-go-round Ayunan Jantra. The fun ride is made of local wood and can be spotted at the northern end of the forest, it has been a popular attraction since the 1980s. However, Ayunan Jantra is not available the whole year round, only during Hindu holidays such as Ngembak Geni (one day after Nyepi) and during Galungan-Kuningan.
Ayunan Jantra is not only attractive to children but also to curious teenagers, adults and even some foreign tourists. Loud screams blended with laughter fill the air and attract even more visitors to watch and join. According to Mr. Kaka, a souvenir seller at Alas Kedaton, the peak season is at holidays like Nyepi. There would be so many visitors that officers in charge would be totally exhausted since it is moved by manpower.
Twenty officers will work in shifts to manage the merry-go-round which has eight seats. Four officers are in charge of spinning the Ayunan Jantra using their hands and feet while the other four handle the entrance fee and escort passengers to the ride. A ticket costs Rp. 500 each and the length of each ride varies depending on the length of the queue, however it usually lasts about 5 minutes.
I Ketut Rangsum, the chief of the officers, stated that they could collect from Rp. 200.000 to Rp. 300.000 a day. Nevertheless, the money is not to be shared. What is it for then? “The money is used to purchase a pig. We will slaughter it and the pork is then shared evenly. If there is some money left, we keep it for purchases in the following month,”
The elder man, who originated in Lod Dalang banjar, said that ayunan Jantra was performed to enliven the holidays. It bears the hope that more visitors will visit Kukuh village, Tabanan, which lies about 17 kilometers to the south east of Denpasar. “In 1965 we had one ayunan Jantra but it did not settle in one place. Instead, it toured from village to village so we went around performing it,” recalled the man born in 1937 also a father of four sons. (Buda)