Bali to halt flights, shut shops and turn off internet for ‘Day of Silence’
Known locally as Nyepi, Hindus on the island are expected to stop all work and play and remain indoors on Saturday, while unmarried people kiss each other as residents pour buckets of water over them
Indonesia’s bustling tourist island Bali is set to go quiet with internet service and flights temporarily halted for a “Day of Silence”, while young people get ready to pucker up.
Residents of the Hindu-dominated island stop regular daily activities for a day of meditation, fasting and introspection, an annual rite that includes elaborate beachside ceremonies and demon-like effigies.
Known locally as Nyepi, Hindus on the island are expected to stop all work and play and remain indoors Saturday, while unmarried people kiss each other as residents pour buckets of water over them in a ceremony called Omed-omedan.
Shops and tourist attractions will be closed for the day although public services including hospitals are to remain open.
On Friday, effigies known as Ogoh-Ogoh, which represent demons, will be paraded through the streets before they’re burned to symbolise renewal and purification.
