Most Indonesians understand little of the significance of the Caka New Year, known as Nyepi, or the Day of Silence.
For non-Hindu laymen the only importance of Nyepi is the additional day off for a designated national holiday.
This is not surprising since Hindus comprise less than 2 percent of the population. Though Hindus are found in every province, three-quarters of them live in Bali.
Hence it will be on the usually bustling resort island that the nuances of Nyepi will be felt the most Thursday. Some 93 percent of Bali’s 3.2 million population are Hindu. Outside Bali, Hindus usually celebrate the day by going to the temple to pray.
For practitioners of this faith, it is a time for taking stock of one’s life.
It is believed that only through quiet seclusion can one obtain the objective clarity needed for such contemplation.
During the day Balinese Hindus abstain from using fire, any overt physical activity, traveling or engaging in entertainment.
In modern times, this has meant a hermetic state of sequestering themselves at home without cooking or the use of electricity.
This state of solitude — inner silence and emptiness — helps bring about the necessary balance needed for reflection and personal redirection.
Though most non-Hindus will probably take this opportunity to go to the mall or on a family picnic, we should appreciate the inner value of a practice which seeks to bring about a semblance of order to our hectic lives.
Sometimes each and every one of us needs to engage in some introspection on whether we can change the path of destiny for the better.
Thus while few of us may be Hindu — or even religious for that matter — the spirit of personal conciliation with nature and our surroundings is a worthy endeavor.
We strongly urge respect for those engaged in the observance of Nyepi. Especially in Bali, tourists and holidaymakers must for a few brief hours suspend their revelry in respect for the people and spirits that make the island so enchanting.
Let the sounds of the wind and the birds be the hallmark of Bali for one day.
Beyond the restriction of faith and religious denomination, the observance of Nyepi as a national holiday exemplifies the essence of Indonesian nationhood. Despite being a tiny minority, the acknowledgement of this Hindu day is proof of the pluralistic nature of Indonesia’s peoples.
A Muslim-dominated society that was fundamentally conservative would not be so respectful of a faith so different from its own. A community of peoples that was outrightly liberal would also not respect religious holy days with such reverence.
Who and what Indonesians are can be seen from these facts.
Indonesia is proud of its Hindu-Buddhist heritage. It is an inseparable part of our historical and cultural identity.
Those who retain the faith are free to practice it.
Thousands of years of history cannot be changed by a few vocal radicals who now suddenly believe that this nation should adopt discriminatory religious-based laws.
Indonesia should never go down the path of the Taliban by destroying historical artifacts based on distorted religious interpretations.
Nyepi thus is also a celebration of diversity.
We recount the commemoration of last year’s Day of Silence, which fell on a Friday — a day when Muslims busily congregate at mosques for Friday prayers around noon.
However, out of respect for their Hindu neighbors, Muslims in Bali refrained from using motorized vehicles to reach the mosques. The usual Friday sermons given over loudspeakers also were not heard.
It was an admirable show of tolerance without sacrificing the practice of one’s respective religion.
Let us hope there will be more such days of peace and compassion throughout the year.
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