[Marinir] [balidiscovery] "The Sounds of Silence"

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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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