The island's youngsters have moved their ogoh-ogoh (papier-mache dolls) into the streets in preparation for today's Pengerupukan street procession.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has asked Balinese Hindus not to taint the Nyepi celebrations with street brawls and inter-village clashes.
"Please do not partake in any gambling activities during Nyepi, do not get involved in violence, and do not forget Nyepi is the time for contemplation and self-reflection."
Nyepi, which will fall Tuesday, is popularly known as the Day of Silence, during which Balinese Hindus celebrate the Saka New Year by refraining from lighting fire or light, from working, from partaking in any leisure activity and from travelling outside their family compound.
In the past, several inter-villages clashes and street brawls involving youngsters took place during Nyepi.
Some blamed them on the drinking binge, which generally takes place on the night before Nyepi during and after the Pengerupukan.
A large number of Balinese youths consume alcoholic beverages after participating in Pengerupukan as a way to wind down. Alchoholic binges have often led to brawls with youngsters from neighboring areas.
"In Pengerupukan, the youngsters compete with each other to showcase the best ogoh-ogoh in the parade. This competition can turn ugly and when alcohol enters the equation the results can be dirty," Hindu scholar Ketut Sumarta said.
Security during Nyepi will be provided by the village's pecalang *traditional guardsmen*. Pecalang head Made Mirta expressed his men's readiness to secure the day.
In Denpasar, the pecalang head will coordinate with 2,400 pecalang from customary villages in the city. The pecalang's main task is to travel the streets to ensure nobody travels outside their respective houses.
"However, we have prepared emergency cars to transport any residents in emergency situations, such as those who need medical treatment. If you are in such a situation, please leave your house and approach the nearest pecalang for assistance."
The management of Sanglah Central Hospital, the island's largest medical facility, announced that as many as 200 general practitioners and specialists would be placed on stand-by status in the hospital during Nyepi. The hospital has also prepared a stock of 1,200 dosages of anti-rabies vaccines (VAR), which is enough for three days.
"Those who are in medical emergency situations could contact the hospital and we will send our ambulance to pick them up," the hospital's medical services director A. A. Jaya Kusuma said.
Ubung bus terminal and Gilimanuk ferry harbor saw high traffic in the last few days as many non-Hindu residents left the island to spend the holiday in their hometowns.
"Since the holiday is quite long I decided to visit my home village in East Java," a Denpasar elementary school's teacher Istifadah said.
Ubung terminal chief Nyoman Sutika said there was a 10 percent increase in passengers. Gilimanuk ferry harbor operational manager Ospar Silaban disclosed there was a significant increase in 40 percent in passengers' and vehicles' traffic.
"In a normal day, we usually get 1,200 motorcycles, 300 cars and 800 passengers on foot using the services of this harbor."
