Nyepi Day (Silence Day)

Nyepi Day is celebrated every Caka new year, on Tilem Kesanga day (IX) which is the sacred day of Ocean Gods that bring the essence of water of life (Tirtha Amertha Kamandalu). That is why Hindus worship those Gods.

The main purpose of Nyepi day is to ask to the Gods to purify human nature (Bhuwana Alit) and the universe (Bhuwana Agung).  The series of Nyepi Day are:

1. Tawur (Pecaruan), Pengrupukan and Melasti

One day before Nyepi, on “panglong ping 14 sasih kesanga”, Hindus doing Butha Yadnya ceremony at the cross road and around living area, by taking one of some kinds of “caru” based on its power. Bhuta Yadnya’s names are: Panca Sata (small), Panca Sanak (average) and Tawar Agung (big).

Tawur or Pecaruan is a purifying or pemarisudha Butha Kala, and every dirt (leteh) is gone.

Caru which are done in living area are coming from: 5 package of nasi panca warna (rice with five colors), ayam brumbun (chicken in various colors) and arak. Bhuta Yadnya is purposed to the Bhuta Kings, Bhuta Kala and Bhatara Kala, so that they do not do something bad to the life.

After mecaru there is Pengrupukan, which means spreading the tawur rice, giving obor (the lights made from fire in the bamboo) around living and field, spreading the living and field by mesui, and hit everything which is as usually is kentongan (bamboo) to make noises. This ceremony has purpose to repel Bhuta Kala from the living house, field and around.

After that, Hindus are doing Melasti. Melasti is a ceremony to immerses all of the dirt (leteh) into the ocean, and to purify “pretima”. This ceremony is done at the ocean because ocean (segara) is considered as the source of Tirtha Amertha (Dewa Ruci and Pemuteran Mandaragiri). Melasti should be done on Tilem afternoon.

2. Nyepi

The next day, at “Panglong Ping 15″ (Tilem Kesanga) is Nyepi day. In this time Hindus do fasting/peberatan Nyepi that called Catur Beratha Penyepian that consists: amati geni (no fire), amati karya (no working), amati lelungan (no traveling), amati lelanguan (no entertainment). Beratha is done since before sunrise.

According to Hindus, all of which are transitional, always started by dark symbolism. For the example, a babies who will get a transition to children (1 oton/6 months), this symbolism is manifested by doing ‘matekep guwungan’ (covered by chicken’s cage). Women who get transition from children to adults (Ngeraja Sewala), the ceremony starts by ‘ngekep’ (being secluded).

Overall, the most important thing is to clean up the heart that is a must for Hindus.

Every intellect (sang wruhing tatwa dnjana) does: Bharata (emotional control), yoga (connecting soul and paramatma/God), tapa (training exercise endurance of suffering) and samadhi (focusing to the only God/Ida Sang Hyang Widhi, for a pure life).

All of them is a must for Hindus, so that their inner is ready to face challenges of life in a new year. The sprees and get drunk in celebrating new year is a wrong habit and should be changed.

3. Ngembak Geni (Ngembak Api)

The last thing in Nyepi Day is Ngembak Geni Day at the date of ping pisan (1) sasih kedasa (X). The Caka New Year starts by this date. Hindus usually coming to their big family to gather and to forgive (ksama) each other.

With new environment, the new life starts with a clean heart.