Do you remember the time when you tried to eat chips in the
office but didn't want to share? Or when you wanted to fart and dropped a book
to conceal the sound, but because of poor timing, you dropped the book, the
whole class went silent, looked at you, and then you farted? Neither do I. It
didn't happen to me. I swear.
But today, I try to be as quiet as possible. If you have
watched a movie titled The Quiet Place that tells a story about monsters that
attack sound (and everything attached to it), yeah, I wouldn't make it a day.
I'm only talkative to certain people. I am not social, but I am clumsy and do
everything with passion. Cling, clang, cling, clang.
Why today? I write this on March 11, the day Bali observes
Silent Day (Nyepi). It occurs once a year and is the biggest day in Balinese
culture.
Today is a reflection day when you are supposed to
introspect yourself in silence. No sound, fire, lights, not going out but
staying at home. This applies to everything and everyone; even the airport is
closed. I can't think of a day when an airport is closed anywhere else except
for emergencies.
We tried to experience Nyepi some years ago by staying in a
hotel. At that time, it was our first year spending Nyepi in Bali, and we were
worried it would be hard for us to be at home. Rumor has it that they shut down
electricity. So, we looked for an affordable hotel that had a special Nyepi
package, which provided meals and lodging at a reasonable price. As for now, I
have experienced Nyepi many times and never encountered an electricity
shutdown, so that could be a baseless rumor. However, I went through an
internet shutdown a few years ago. They haven't done that for three years; I
guess the internet has become such a necessity in life, important for
emergencies, and great to have for those who go along with Nyepi without
related culture and religion.
For everything else, the rule is strict for everyone, and
there are traditional Balinese civilian officers (We call them Pencalang; I
have no idea what the term is in English, but they exist in the neighborhood to
ensure peace and safety). Not sure about other clusters, but in mine, I have
only great experience with them; they are always ready to help and do their
jobs well. These Pencalang all over the island go around to ensure that no one
is out there or making unnecessary noises. If you have special needs,
emergency, and noisy babies, you can inform them, and there will be exceptions
given.
We were lucky to stay in a hotel with a rooftop a few years
ago and experienced the night sky with dark surroundings. My favorite time when
I climbed the mountains was at night or dawn during the scale to the summit,
especially those non-commercialized mountains with hardly any other climbers. I
loved that serenity and peace when surrounded by total darkness that my eyes
would adjust to or showered in the silvery glitter of the moon. It was the best
time to look at the stars, far away from light pollution. It always gave me
feelings I couldn't explain, making me return for more, regardless of how
agonizing the journey to the peak was. Looking at the stars during Nyepi was a
very good substitute, as everyone tried to be respectful and quiet, with no one
fiddling with their phones, and were just there, enjoying the night sky and the
peace.
While it's not for everyone, it is certainly one of the
unique experiences and traditions the Balinese preserve, and I hope they
continue to do so. Although there are some 'outlaws,' most visitors or
non-natives respect this unusual tradition; as the saying goes, 'when you visit
a place, you respect its culture.' I don't remember the exact words, but it's
something along that line. It's on a bigger scale than what most are taught
since childhood: 'When you visit a house, respect its host.' I think it's basic,
common sense, although it seems like common sense is not that common anymore
when you read the news nowadays.
