Bali Island, Indonesia - Residents and tourists on the
popular Indonesian resort island of Bali on Thursday celebrated the
annual Day of Silence, a Hindu New Year observance during which
the island shuts down and people are banned from the streets.
The New Year, called Nyepi, is one of the most important religious
events for Balinese Hindus, and this year, they welcomed the Saka New
Year of 1931.
At midnight Wednesday, the island's seaports, bus stations and
airport closed down, not to reopen until 6 am Friday (2300 GMT
Thursday), when the new Hindu year officially begins.
Bali's famous beaches were deserted, and residents and visitors
alike were required to remain indoors and keep any conversations
quiet. More than 3.5 million Balinese Hindus were fasting and
meditating throughout the day and praying for a better future.
They are forbidden from lighting fires and turning on lights,
televisions or radios during the 24-hour period.
Foreign visitors have been informed to stay in their hotels or
guest lodgings, where they can still be served meals and relax -
quietly - indoors or by the swimming pool. Hotels prepared various
activities for guests not observing the Hindu Nyepi holiday by
offering customized indoor activities.
The island was guarded by traditional Balinese security guards,
or Pecalang, to ensure everyone abides by the holiday
regulations.
Prior to New Year's Day, Balinese Hindus conducted a series of
rituals that began Monday when thousands paraded to local beaches for
the Melasti - the cleansing of utensils and, more importantly,
their souls. It symbolizes the purification of the earth and the
universe through the removal of evil elements.
On New Year's Eve, joyful residents took part in a noisy parade
carrying huge paper-made effigies, known as Ogoh-Ogoh, which they
burned before sunrise to symbolize all evil leaving the island ahead
of the New Year.
Similar rituals were also held by Hindu followers on the nearby
tourist island of Lombok and on Muslim-majority Java, including in
the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population at more than
190 million but also has minority Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and
animists.
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