Villa Celina Bali

dimanche 3 avril 2016

mercredi 9 mars 2016

MAGIE

La magie de NYEPI !! Une fois dans l'année, c'est la journée de silence donc interdiction de sortir dans les rues, il faut rester chez soi en ne faisant aucun bruit et ne pas allumer les lumières (tout à la bougie),
Et il y a des gardes qui parcourent les rues afin de veiller à ce que les consignes soient bien respectées.

mardi 8 mars 2016

Happy Niepy ..... In Bali !

Clic on the link : The roads are empty.

Aujourd'hui 9 Mars, c'est le Nyepi. Calme total à Bali, silence et aucune activité, cest un jour de prière, de recueillement, de méditation, même l'aéroport est fermé ce jour là.

BALI IS CLOSED ............. WOW !!!!!!!

Bali is closed ..... WOW .... Niepy day !!!!

Villa Celina

The unique day of silence marks the turn of the Saka calendar of western Indian origin, one among the many calendars assimilated by Indonesia’s diverse cultures, and among two jointly used in Bali. The Saka is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar, and follows a lunar sequence. Nyepi follows after a new moon.

Village meeting halls known as ‘banjar’ and streets feature papier-mâché effigies called ogoh-ogoh, built throughout the weeks leading up to the Saka New Year. Youth groups design and build their mythical figures with intricately shaped and tied bamboo framework before many layers of artwork. These artistic creations are offshoots of the celebration since its dawning in the early 80s, which stayed on to become an inseparable element in the island-wide celebration that is Nyepi Eve.

Before ‘the silence’, highlight rituals essentially start three days prior to Nyepi, with colourful processions known as the Melasti pilgrimages. Pilgrims from various village temples all over Bali convey heirlooms on long walks towards the coastlines where elaborate purification ceremonies take place. It is one of the best times to capture on camera the iconic Balinese processions in motion, as parasols, banners and small effigies offer a cultural spectacle.

Then on Saka New Year’s Eve, it is all blaring noise and merriment. Every Balinese household starts the evening with blessings at the family temple and continues with a ritual called the pengrupukan where each member participates in ‘chasing away’ malevolent forces, known as bhuta kala, from their compounds – hitting pots and pans or any other loud instruments along with a fiery bamboo torch. These ‘spirits’ are later manifested as the ogoh-ogoh to be paraded in the streets. As the street parades ensue, bamboo cannons and occasional firecrackers fill the air with flames and smoke. The Nyepi Eve parade usually starts at around 19:00 local time.

However on Nyepi Day, complete calm enshrouds the island. The Balinese Hindus follow a ritual called the Catur Brata Penyepian, roughly the ‘Four Nyepi Prohibitions’. These include amati geni or ‘no fire’, amati lelungan or ‘no travel’, amati karya ‘no activity’, and amati lelanguan ‘no entertainment’. Some consider it a time for total relaxation and contemplation, for others, a chance for Mother Nature to ‘reboot’ herself after 364 days of human pestering. No lights are turned on at night – total darkness and seclusion goes along with this new moon island-wide, from 06:00 to 06:00.

No motor vehicles whatsoever are allowed on the streets, except ambulances and police patrols and emergencies. As a hotel guest, you are confined to your hotel premises, but free to continue to enjoy the hotel facilities as usual. Traditional community watch patrols or pecalang enforce the rules of Nyepi, patrolling the streets by day and night in shifts.

The day after Nyepi on March 10, head up to the village of Sesetan in southern Denpasar for the omed-omedan also known as the ‘festival of smooches’. This is a much-localized event, pertaining to the lesser Banjar Kaja community of Sesetan. The youths take to the street where water is splashed and sprayed by the surrounding villagers, and the highlight being two sides, boys and girls, in a tug-of-war-like scene with successive pairs in the middle ‘forced’ to smooch at each shove and push.

Interested in experiencing this rare event and its cultural highlights in Bali? Don't worry if you missed out this year's. Next year’s Saka New Year 1939 falls on March 28, 2017. The following years' Nyepi days are March 17, 2018; March 7, 2019 and March 24, 2020.