First Time
Hi, my name is Vina. I am Hindu, and in my belief, we celebrate Nyepi Day. Nyepi Day is held every Saka year, and it symbolizes purity and self-reflection. It is one of the most important holy days for us because it teaches silence, discipline, and inner peace.
Last year, my family and I celebrated Nyepi Day in Bali. It was the first time my older sister and I experienced celebrating Nyepi there, so we felt very excited. We celebrated it together with our mother’s big family, which made the moment feel even warmer and more meaningful. A day before Nyepi, we prepared many kinds of food, from traditional cakes to delicious traditional dishes. We cooked everything together, and of course, we divided the tasks so that everything could be finished on time.
My sister, my grandmother, and I were in charge of making traditional cakes. We made many snacks such as lupis, dodol, and brown-sugar jelly. I helped by putting the sticky rice into banana leaves to make lupis, and I also helped stir the dodol mixture and wrap it in corn leaves. Meanwhile, my mother and aunt prepared the traditional dishes, such as ayam betutu, sate lilit, and lawar. My family in Bali still cooks using firewood, which makes the food smell and taste very authentic. The cooking process felt tiring, but doing it together made it really enjoyable.
On that day, we didn’t only cook. We also cleaned the house together. After finishing the cleaning, we took a bath to purify our selves before performing the mecaru ceremony. This ceremony is done to cleanse and protect our home from negative energies. After the mecaru, we joined the procession of the ogoh-ogoh and followed it all the way to the village temple. At the Village Temple, we watched ogoh-ogoh performances from each banjar. After the performances, the ogoh-ogoh were burned as a symbol of removing and destroying negative forces.
On Nyepi Day itself, I stayed quietly at home. We were not allowed to make noise, turn on lights, use fire, leave the house, or do any activities. Nyepi is a time for silence, reflection, and connecting with God. Families are encouraged to stay close and think about their actions throughout the past year.
Celebrating Nyepi Day in Bali was truly meaningful, and it will always be a precious and unforgettable experience for me.
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