Pin-drop silence: Local security guards and airport security officers patrolling inside the Ngurah Rai International Airport during Nyepi Day in Tuban, Bali. — AFP
THE resort island of Bali is known for its packed beach clubs and streets that bustle with hoards of tourists and traffic, but once a year, it enjoys 24 hours of blissful silence.
The annual hush descended over the island yesterday morning for Nyepi – a day of silence on the Hindu calendar that is closely monitored by an army of patrol guards called “Pecalang”.
Everyone on the island – locals and tourists alike – is expected to stay at home for 24 hours beginning at 6am local time. Traffic is forbidden and even the airport shuts down for the duration.
Making sure everyone complies is the Pecalang, who number in their thousands and serve as protectors of Bali’s rich heritage.
“Apart from guarding the traditional village area, (Pecalang) are coordinating, informing and educating people who are not Hindus,” said I Gusti Agung Ketut Kartika Jaya Seputra, head of the Balinese traditional community agency.
At the heart of the centuries-old tradition, which has been a public holiday since the 1980s, is self-reflection, with no work, travelling or entertainment.
Street lamps are turned off and you can expect a knock on the door and a lecture if the Pecalang spot a house light visible.
Essential public services such as hospitals get an exception, with lights restricted to the inside of the buildings.
The Pecalang, volunteers appointed by their village, patrol to make sure everyone complies.
“It applies for a lifetime, until the person concerned can no longer carry out their duties,” said Gede Kamajaya, a lecturer at Bali’s Udayana University.
A day before Nyepi, islanders hold a ritual to burn colourful effigies, warding off demons and evil spirits in a representation of renewal and purification. It sets up a day of contemplation where locals find “clarity of thought” and take pause, said Kamajaya.
“We are truly in one day at home without any activities.”
Residents look forward to the day, despite the trappings of modern technology, he says.
“It’s a moment where they can get away from routines and work demands.”
As night falls, the air also becomes noticeably cleaner.
“There is no air pollution because there are no activities,” Seputra said. — AFP
