In Bali, a serene, traditional New Year celebration

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 03/20/2007 4:12 PM

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

After conducting the Brata Penyepian meditative session for 24 hours Monday, more than three million Balinese and other Hindu believers across Indonesia are celebrating the Ngembak Geni ceremony to mark Caka New Year 1929.

The fire ritual is held after the series of meditations and prayers in order to restore life to normal.

The International Ngurah Rai Airport in Tuban has resumed operations this morning, along with the ferry port in Gilimanuk, West Bali, connecting Bali and Java, and that in Padang Bai, East Bali, linking Bali and Lombok islands. All public and private offices are still closed, however, including banks and schools.

On Monday, the tourist island of Bali was completely silent and dark to welcome the New Year. No visitors were allowed to enter the island by air or sea. Hindu believers were required to stay at home, going nowhere and doing nothing except praying for their betterment. Non-Hindus stayed in their homes or hotels out of respect for the holiday.

A number of top tourist spots, including normally crowded Kuta beach, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran and Sanur, were totally deserted. Only a few traditional pecalang security guards were seen there.

Prior to the Hindu Day of Silence, thousands of young people took part in the Pengrupukan ritual, carrying numerous giant ogoh-ogoh paper dolls in noisy and colorful parades along the streets of Denpasar and other cities.

The ogoh-ogoh epitomize demonic creatures and all negative forces. Each banjar (traditional village) creates its own huge ogoh-ogoh as a symbol of communal effort and pride. As a depiction of devilish influences, ogoh-ogoh are usually designed to have frightening faces with large eyes and big teeth.

Traditionally, the Balinese symbol of evil is manifested in the form of Rangda, a half-giant with long, wild hair. But today, the evil takes on various innovative and creative faces. Young men in Banjar Monang-Maning in downtown Denpasar crafted a gigantic creature holding an airplane bearing the brand of certain private flag carrier in his right hand, and a sinking ship in his left hand.

""This symbolizes the recent disasters in the air and the sea claiming hundreds of lives,"" explained Komang, a resident of Monang Maning.

In another village, teenagers created a stunning punk rock figure holding a banner reading ""Say no to drugs."" Faces of pop stars and even people accused of corruption appeared on some ogoh-ogoh. In the last few years, the faces of Amrozi and Imam Samudra, perpetrators of the deadly 2002 Bali bombing, have also been used as symbols of evil.

On the eve of Nyepi, the ogoh-ogoh were burned to ashes in the hope of destroying all negative influences on Bali.

According to I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, a lecturer at the Institute of Hindu Dharma Bali, observing Nyepi is about more than just closing the airport or turning off the lights. ""This is the time when Hindu believers take a break from the hustle and bustle of their lives,"" he said.

By observing Amati Geni, not making fires or turning on lights, people are expected to be able to control the fire inside -- their anger.

""This can be translated into daily practice,"" he said. He pointed out that energy can be saved by keeping lights off; Bali is heavily dependent on energy from Java and other islands.

Amati Lelungan, not going anywhere, means nobody uses their cars and motorcycles. ""This reduces air and noise pollution,"" he said.

Amati Karya forbids Hindu believers from doing any type of work. ""By sitting and meditating, one will attain his/her spiritual enlightenment,"" he explained.

""Nyepi transcends religion. It really has great impacts on our daily lives. It is the time to let the nature takes a rest for a while without any human disturbance and to restore harmonious relations among God, humans and nature,"" added the Hindu scholar.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.