This special New Year’s celebration – Nyepi, meaning “to keep silent” falls on the day after the dark moon of the spring equinox in the Balinese Saka Calendar, when the day and night are of approximately equal duration. This religious ceremony is most important and sacred Hindu holiday on Bali and is bigger and more lavish than any other in the year. Nyepi is a day that the Hindu Balinese dedicate completely to connect more deeply with God (Hyang Widi Wasa) through prayer, fasting and meditation with an additional layer of introspection of the Self, to evaluate personal values such as love, truth, patience, kindness, and generosity. On Nyepi day (23-24 March 2023), the island of Bali turns off all lights and sounds, stops all traffic, deserts all worldly activities, even the airport is closed for 24 hours and no flights are running, everyone meditates, while complete silence and serenity reigns over the entire island. It’s indeed a special experience, not only for the Balinese but also for all the visitors and tourists that are on Bali during Nyepi Day. On the eve of Nyepi, celebrations are held with large papier-mache giants, called Ogoh-Ogoh, paraded on the beach accompanied by loud gamelan music. These are then torched and, it is believed, that with the conflagration, any evil spirits that have brought disease and misery to the island during the past year will have also been banished. On the day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together. Stargazing becomes the most favourite activity on the night of Nyepi. Have you ever seen a Milky Way like an ocean of stars above the sky at the night? We mean the image of Milky Way like in Hollywood movie capturing the splendid galaxy. At the night of Nyepi, you can experience this real sensation. Because of no light allowed during Nyepi, it practically makes only moon and stars fullfill a whole light of Bali. You don’t need to camp in the middle of jungle, to explore impeccable stargazing spot. Just sitting on terrace or balcony, the picturesque ocean stars can be enjoyed. Once again, Nyepi leads human to discover something spectacular from nature in simply way. Located in the untouched North of Bali, Munduk Moding Plantation offers a special experience and celebration of the Nyepi day! Nestled in a working coffee plantation & surrounded by jungle, this spectacular place is the dream location for a relaxing getaway. Celebrate Nyepi in award-winning infinity pool beneath the unobstructed starlit sky! If you are in Bali during Nyepi (23-24 March) we invite you to experience this unique celebration and a Silence day up in the North of Bali staying at Munduk Moding Plantation.

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Nyepi Day is the New Year in Bali according to an Hindu-animist tradition. Nyepi literally means silence, and this silence in Bali is transformed into one of the most outstanding celebration in the world. Nyepi is based on a South Indian calendar called Saka arrived in Indonesia in about 465AD, which is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar. In Bali tomorrow they wish each other happy 1935! However, these wishes will stay amongst the family and within the house walls, or made ​​by phone. This is because in Bali on Nyepi day everyone, including non-Hindus, foreigners and visitors, stay at home without electricity and unable to cook or use public transport. Add to these restrictions the ban on lighting fires, on using any electric source, on having sex and on working, you can understand why Bali, the island that almost never stops, becomes incredibly quiet for 24 hours, with Nyepi night a totally dark affair. The meaning of silence and abstention to leave home and be in the streets comes from the popular belief that malignant gods visit the island during Nyepi day. If they believe nobody is on the island, they leave for another year. In reality, the main purpose of Nyepi’s abstinences is to invite everyone to an introspection on personal values, and to pray to the Supreme God – Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa – so it keeps the world in harmony. Nyepi in Bali is taken seriously; thousands of Pecalang, security agents in sarong, shirt and black hats, ensure that all adhere to the rules and that silence and the absence of people from the streets are observed, escorting offenders back home. In some areas of the island, discouraged authorities get so far as to impose the suspension of electric supply. Bali airport and various naval ports of the island are closed for 24 hours, and apart from tourist facilities and hospitals, the rest of the work activities closes its doors on Nyepy Day. NYEPI RITUALS Melasti: Each village take divine images and small temples to a beach or to a river, accompanied by a Gamelan ensemble, in long and colorful processions that culminate in a prayer addressed to the ocean, and a wish to cleanse impurities of human beings and of the universe. These ceremonies are also intended to draw out the demons from the places where they hide. During these processions, animals are sacrificed, and some of the participants get ‘possessed’ by the demons driven out of their dens, and perform in spectacular shocking dances accompanied by shouts and movements from the audience. Tawur Kesanga and Caru: During this ritual, that takes place the day before Nyepi, chickens, ducks, goats and sometimes cows and buffaloes are sacrificed. This symbolizes a search for protection from evil and from negative forces within humans and the universe. The ritual culminates in one of the biggest parades of Nyepi, the procession of Ogoh-Ogoh, giant puppets made ​​of bamboo frames, canvas and papier-mache. The creation of these works of art that depict monstrous demons and evils painted in bright colors who kill and tear apart men, women and children, lasts weeks and is done by young artists from different villages. This ensures that the tradition continues within the new generations. The Ogoh-Ogoh generally take the form of mythological beings inspired by Hindu philosophy. These beings are characterized by a monstrous look, menacing fingers and fearful faces. Ogoh-Ogoh carnival parades are held after sunset on the eve of Nyepi, at the crossroads of the main villages. These are the places where demons meet, and where priests perform their exorcisms. Here, groups of eight or more young people raise platforms made of bamboo and wood planks that support the Ogoh-Ogoh, and carry them around the village, turning them counterclockwise three times at each road crossing, thus making contact with evil spirits. To ward off these spirits, young people shout loudly: “megedi megedi!” (go away, go away!). Unrelenting music played by youth Gamelan ensembles complete with drums, cymbals and gongs accompany the ceremonies, and the use of rockets, firecrackers and fireworks is common during parades. Finally, in the late evening, the Ogoh-Ogoh are burned and their ashes taken to the cemeteries as a symbol of purification. In case these demons survive the night, it is believed that they leave anyway the next day, once the entire island is surrounded by total silence. To know more about Nyepi, check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyepi 

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