Bali’s HIndu New Year , A Day of Silence

BALI, INDONESIA, MARCH 7, 2019 ( Daily Mail): Bali’s airport will close for 24 hours, the Internet will be turned off and streets emptied as the predominantly Hindu island in Indonesia observes its New Year with an annual day of silence.The Day of Silence, Nyepi to the Balinese, is a day of reflection and TV and radio broadcasts also stop. Nyepi begins at 6.00 am, clearing beaches and all public spaces of people except for special patrols to ensure silence is observed. For the second year, phone companies will turn off the mobile Internet on the island, home to more than four million people.

Balinese will stay indoors, covering windows and keeping lights off for the day of reflection that is the most sacred in Balinese Hinduism. “A day of silence to mark Saka (Balinese calendar) New Year for us Balinese Hindus is an opportunity to restart life with a pure heart,” said Wayan Gota, a hotel manager in Kuta, one of the island’s tourist hotspots. “For me, through the ritual of observing thoughts while meditating on Nyepi, in essence I get the opportunity to evaluate my achievements for the past year and rearrange the plan of life for the next year,” he said.

See also:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-03/02/c_137863597.htm

Source: Hinduism Today