Nyepi - Bali's Day of Silence

This week Bali celebrates Nyepi. The Hindus of Bali welcome the New Year with the ritual of Nyepi, the day of complete silence and meditation. The sudden silence comes after a week of purification rituals, offerings and festivals ending with huge parades on the beaches where the villagers hold giant puppets called “ogoh-ogoh” and play percussion instruments. 

The Balinese New Year is a day of complete silence, hence the name Nyepi, meaning “to keep silent”. Nyepi is a day fully dedicated to connect oneself more closely with God through prayers and a day of self-introspection.