Thread-Topic: [nasional-list] [balidiscovery] "The Sounds of Silence"
Kepada teman-teman di Bali,
Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi.
Leonie Wittman
R/Senior Curriculum Adviser
Languages Unit
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
3a Smalls Rd
Ryde NSW 2112
Tel:9886 7681
Fax: 9886 7160
Email: leonie.wittman@det.nsw.edu.au
-----Original Message-----
From: YapHongGie [mailto:ouwehoer@centrin.net.id]
Sent: Monday, 7 March 2005 6:58 PM
Subject: [nasional-list] [balidiscovery] "The Sounds of Silence"
http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=2435
The Sounds of Silence
Bali Prepares for a Total Shutdown on the Official Day of Silence March
11,
2005 - Nyepi.
(3/6/2005) Nyepi literally means Quiet in the Balinese language and is
the
name given to the day each year when it is he religious obligation of
every
Balinese Hindu to dedicate an entire day to quiet introspection and
spiritual cleansing as he or she embarks on a New Year in the Balinese
lunar
calendar. Starting from approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, March 11 and
continuing until 6 a.m. the following day, Nyepi will be observed by the
devout through the abstinence from food and drink, human speech, and
even
the lighting of fires or lamps.
As a result, Bali will resemble a ghost town throughout this period with
all
businesses and thoroughfares closed. Traditional village security -
pecalang
will patrol the island permitting the passage of only emergency vehicles
and
sternly rebuking neighbors who allow noise or light to be transmitted
from
their living quarters
Nyepi is the day marking the first day of the Balinese Saka calendar and
is
strictly observed island-wide with a day of absolute silence and
meditation,
including the shut down for a 36 hour period of the island's airport.
Hotels and Airport Affected
Guests visiting Bali during this unique holiday will be able to view
first
hand the Mardi Gras-like celebrations marked with street parades and
drinks
the night before Nyepi. Before sunrise on March 11, 2005, however, all
will
be required to take refuge in their hotels or homes before sunrise -
there
to remain until the following morning. Major hotels generally permit
their
guests full use of their various outlets with the understanding that
guests
will not venture outside the property, and special arrangements are made
for
the hotel's staff to stay overnight at their place of employment with
normal
traffic between their homes and place of employment impossible on Nyepi
day.
Bali's only airport will also shut down during the entire Nyepi period.
All
flights that would normally embark or disembark passengers in Bali have
been
cancelled for the approximate 24 hour Nyepi interlude.
The Government has issued official guidelines on municipal operations
during
Nyepi.
[See: Government Issues Nyepi Guidelines]
Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi Tahun Baru Caka 1927!
Happy Balinese New Year!
----------------------------
Government Issues Nyepi Guidelines
Formal Circular Establishes Framework for Bali's Day of Silence
Observance
March 11, 2005.
(12/27/2004) Nyepi is the day marking the first day of the Balinese Saka
calendar - a day of strictly observed island-wide silence and
introspection
observed during which a virtual "shut down" of Bali takes place for a 24
hours.
Observant Balinese Hindus observe the start of the Caka New Year of 1927
for
a 24-hour period from sunrise to sunrise by refraining from creating any
light utilizing fire or other means; abstaining from the satisfaction of
any
human desires; avoiding any work or physical exertion in favor of
meditative
reflection; by not leaving their places of residence remaining inside
throughout the period; and by avoiding any recreational or entertaining
pastimes during the established interval of time.
Meanwhile, non-Hindus on the island during Nyepi which starts at 6:00
a.m.
on Friday, March 11, 2005, until 6:00 a.m. the following morning, are
expected to respect the predominant religious sensitivities of the
island by
remaining in their homes with their lights off. Special dispensations,
however, are extended to local hotels which are required to ensure
guests to
remain within hotel grounds throughout the 24-hour period and that any
external lighting visible to surrounding communities be extinguished.
Hotel
staff on duty during Nyepi remain at their places of employment from
March
10 until March 12, 2005, with sleeping accommodation provided by their
employers.
Government Issues Guidelines
The Government of Bali has now issued clarifying guidelines for the
public
during the coming Nyepi celebrations.
These guidelines stipulate:
. Nyepi will be officially recognized starting from 6:00 a.m. on Friday,
March 11, 2005, until 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, 2005.
. Government offices, public services (e.g. hospitals, prisons,
utilities),
and hotels that remain in operation during this period are requested to
provide on-premises accommodation for their workers required to remain
at
work during the entire Nyepi observance starting from Thursday, March
10,
2005, until Saturday, March 12, 2005.
. Bali Ngurah Rai Airport will be closed as a domestic departure or
arrival
airport during the 24 hour period of Nyepi.
. Domestic Transit flights will be allowed to land at the airport and
serve
genuine domestic transit passengers, but will not be permitted to
disembark
any Denpasar-bound passengers or pick up any passengers originating from
Bali during the specified period.
. All international flights originating or ending in Bali during the 24
hour
period of Nyepi are cancelled.
. International transit flights are allowed to land at Bali's airport
during
the Nyepi period and disembark or board genuine transit passengers. No
passengers with Bali destinations will be allowed to disembark from
these
transit flights and no Bali originating passengers will be allowed to
join
these flights.
. Technical landings, island over-flights and emergency flights
(including
medical evacuations) will be permitted. Crews of flights making
technical
landings will not, however, be allowed to leave the airport premises
before
the end of the Nyepi observance.
. All seaport gateways to Bali will be closed during the 24-hour Nyepi
period.
. Special dispensations approved by local village chiefs will still be
issued in cases such as injury, illness, or child birth.
Conflict with Christian Good Friday and Islamic Friday Prayers
Additional instructions from religious leaders of the Islamic and
Christian
faiths will be issued on the rescheduling of traditional religious
observances of Friday prayers for Moslems and Good Friday services for
Christians will be issued in due course.
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