Balinese Hindus in Jakarta are preparing to celebrate next week’s Day of Silence, or Nyepi, in a slightly different manner from those in Bali.
“We’ll still perform the Melasti ritual [to bathe sacred temple objects in the sea] and the Pecaruan offering, but we’ll have to adapt them to work in Jakarta,” Hindu priest I Gusti Nyoman Astawa, from the Aditya Jaya Temple in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, said Tuesday.
Nyepi marks the beginning of the Balinese Hindu Saka New Year, during which Hindu faithful observe a day of silence, fasting and meditation. This year it falls on March 16.
The lead-up to the day kicks off with the Melasti on Sunday, followed by the Bhuta Yajua to create balance between mankind, nature and the deities through the Pecaruan offering.
On Monday, the preparations culminate in a parade of giant papier-mâché monster effigies, ogoh-ogoh.
During Nyepi on Tuesday, Hindu faithful must refrain from turning on lights, starting fires, working, traveling or seeking out entertainment.
They are also expected to fast.
The Melasti ritual in Jakarta will take place at Segara Temple in Cilincing, North Jakarta, a short walk from the seashore.
“In Bali, we sometimes have to walk up to 12 kilometers to get to the sea, but that wouldn’t work in Jakarta,” Astawa said.
The sacrificial beasts for the Pecaruan also reflect local sensibilities.
“We’ve collected some animals, but no piglets like we’d get back in Bali,” Astawa said.
Nine animals will be sacrificed at the temple: five chickens, a goose, a duck, a dog and a goat.
The ogoh-ogoh parade Monday at 5 p.m. at the National Monument (Monas) Park in Central Jakarta will feature less than 10 effigies symbolizing malevolent spirits, from temples across Greater Jakarta.
Nyepi preparations began last Friday, said Aditya Jaya Temple spokesman Nyoman Udayana Sangging.
There are an estimated 33,000 Balinese Hindus in Jakarta, mostly in South and East Jakarta, says the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Worshiper Dewi Shinta said the small number of Hindus in Jakarta made them more united.
“I’ve faced no difficulties as part of the minority in Jakarta,” she said.
Her friend Wayan Sari said she had steeped her three children in the Nyepi traditions so they would not forget their roots.
“I’ve taught them to fast and meditate during Nyepi,” Sari said, adding she spent it reading religious texts.
Aditya Jaya Temple is the biggest of its kind in Jakarta. It was built in seven stages, beginning in 1972 and ending in 1997. The temple compound is laid out in the typical Balinese style, with traditional structures and large shade trees, including two banyan trees.
Kalpavriksha in Hindu mythology, the tree is believed to grant wishes. It symbolizes the Trimurti — the bark represents Lord Vishnu, the roots Lord Brahma, and the branches Lord Shiva.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|