Balinese Life

Nyepi Feast Day
A Great Moment to Review the Balance of Nature and Our Life

When the sun comes nearer to the equator, it radiates the rays and stings severely, more than any other day all year around. In this ‘tropical summer’, the Hindus in Bali and beyond are well prepared to celebrate their New Year on the Day of Silence or Nyepi. This year, it falls on 19 March 2007.

As a feast day, presumably, this retains the most comprehensive meaning. It involves some aspects of life like the environmental, mental and spiritual aspects. The celebration procession will commence a few days before Nyepi. All customary villagers perform the melasti purification rites for the sanctified effigy and ritual paraphernalia to source of water nearby. Then, it’s resumed with exorcism rite (bhuta yajna) or pecaruan from the provincial level to the hamlet and even to every individual household at the center of its respective territory. Philosophically, this ritual procession aims at balancing the invisible power of positive and negative elements. Finally, all devotees attend worship en masse at the village temple to express their gratitude for the yester year and invoke to be guided in covering the path in the forthcoming year. This ritual is usually carried out right one day before the Nyepi or known as the Pengerupukan falling on the black moon or last date of the ninth month of the Balinese calendar. In the meantime, an attractive show of ogoh-ogoh puppets (papier mâché figures) in great variety, put an end to the procession at each village before the nightfall.
The Nyepi feast day falls on the first date of the tenth month in Saka Year 1929. In the morning, devotees can feel how tranquil the day is. Singing of birds graces the day and accompanies some butterflies and dragonflies flying from one flower to another. It’s a peaceful, silent day just happening once a year. So, what do people do then? They undertake the so-called four abstinences or catur bratha penyepian. It encompasses the absence of lighting fire, turning on any entertainment, no activities and travelling. Devotees of other religions also respect their Hindu counterparts. Public services like hospital and hotels are appealed to appreciate this celebration by turning on minimal outdoor light and more focusing their activities indoor. Thus, the Hindus are all staying at home for undertaking self-contemplation during the Day of Silence. By those abstinences, they attempt to control their passion and senses as the initial condition that enables devotees to do self-control before performing further steps in their spiritual development.
Practically, there would be no cars in operation, throughout Bali, as all entrance gates to Bali would be closed for 24 hours. This lasts from 06.00 on 19 March 2007 until the same time on the next day. Bali is thoroughly in a silence atmosphere. No smokes and roars of cars for a day (24 hours). It’s just like an annual car-free day that recharges new life by fresh air to the island of Bali prior to entering the Saka New Year. Similarly, it gives an opportunity to nature enjoying its ‘freedom” without the touch of human activities. In other words, it celebrates its life in the hope it could give us a life of better quality.
Nyepi should not only be marked with annual rituals and its grandiose procession but also give more emphasis on something beneficial to the life itself. Coming annually means it regularly reminds the human being of making an introspection. It’s also a celebration of life. When we have conserved the nature and use eco-friendly products, it would be unfair if we don’t apply the body-friendly products. We should say no to drugs and re-consider the excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks or inhale nicotine. It means to balance the conservation of nature and life that finally brings happiness to all. Let’s celebrate this feast day and our life concurrently. (BTN/029)

“Meomed-omedan” Awaited by Sesetan Villagers

Youngsters of Kaja Hamlet, Sesetan seem impatient to wait for the Ngembak Nyepi feast day. Its atmosphere looks slightly different as it would organize the meomed-omedan (mutual pulling) games.
Head of Kaja Hamlet Customary Village, Wayan Sunarya, said that meomed-omedan is a kind of mutual pulling, then develop into embracing and accompanied by kissing the cheek. “It’s a kissing standing for friendship and family atmosphere. However, undeniably, this games could lead to matchmaking,” Sunarya said while confessing that he himself found his wife through a similar event.
If the players have embraced one another, he added, they would be poured by water so that they are not getting over-heated. In addition, it also aims at making it slippery so their embracing easily sets free. Meomed-omedan for this year will be held on Tuesday (20 March 2007) at 15.00 to 17.00 in front of the village hall of Kaja Hamlet, precisely on Jalan Raya Sesetan, South Denpasar.
Participants of this attraction encompass the youngsters from the Kaja Hamlet, Sesetan. Number of participants is not limited. Formerly, the players only put on a simple costume, much depending on the favour of its community. Today, the players wear clothes provided by sponsors. “This attraction is appealing and unique. Probably, it’s the one and only in Bali and Indonesia,” he revealed.
This games draws abundant crowds at all times. Other than local dwellers, it is also watched by other Balinese people and even its players get great support from foreigners.
Sunarya told the history of this omed-omedan tradition originating in the fact that Sesetan was ruled by the kingdom administration of “Puri Oka”. Once upon a time, there was sad news saying the king fell sick and he was incurable for so long. Many healers have lent their hand, but he remained unable to wake up. One day, on the Nyepi feast day where the Hindus in Bali performed the four abstinences of catur bratha penyepian (the absence of eating, speaking and leaving home) the villagers of Kaja Hamlet happened to go out together.
They gathered at the Bencingah, right in front of the royal palace. They played the omed-omedan games. As many people got involved, the atmosphere was getting more crowded, so it was then heard by the king who was still sick. Within weak condition, the king went out and scolded them as making the crowd. Probably, due to his forceful shout, it then gave him new energy that the sickness he suffered from gradually recovered. Feeling amazed, the king ordered his people to keep on playing that omed-omedan games.
During the colonial administration, without obvious reason, such omed-omedan game was discontinued. However, a peculiar incident then appeared, namely two pigs fought each other at the place where such omed-omedan was usually carried out. Thenceforth, the omed-omedan came again into action up to these days. (BTN/015)