http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20060329.E01
A quiet prayer
Most Indonesians understand little of the significance
of the aka New Year, known as Nyepi, or the Day of
Silence.
For non-Hindu laymen the only importance of Nyepi is
the additional day off for a designated national
holiday.
This is not surprising since Hindus comprise less than
2 percent of the population. Though Hindus are found
in every province, three-quarters of them live in
Bali.
Hence it will be on the usually bustling resort island
that the nuances of Nyepi will be felt the most
Thursday. Some 93 percent of Bali's 3.2 million
population are Hindu. Outside Bali, Hindus usually
celebrate the day by going to the temple to pray.
For practitioners of this faith, it is a time for
taking stock of one's life.
It is believed that only through quiet seclusion can
one obtain the objective clarity needed for such
contemplation.
During the day Balinese Hindus abstain from using
fire, any overt physical activity, traveling or
engaging in entertainment.
In modern times, this has meant a hermetic state of
sequestering themselves at home without cooking or the
use of electricity.
This state of solitude -- inner silence and emptiness
-- helps bring about the necessary balance needed for
reflection and personal redirection.
Though most non-Hindus will probably take this
opportunity to go to the mall or on a family picnic,
we should appreciate the inner value of a practice
which seeks to bring about a semblance of order to our
hectic lives.
Sometimes each and every one of us needs to engage in
some introspection on whether we can change the path
of destiny for the better.
Thus while few of us may be Hindu -- or even religious
for that matter -- the spirit of personal conciliation
with nature and our surroundings is a worthy endeavor.
We strongly urge respect for those engaged in the
observance of Nyepi. Especially in Bali, tourists and
holidaymakers must for a few brief hours suspend their
revelry in respect for the people and spirits that
make the island so enchanting.
Let the sounds of the wind and the birds be the
hallmark of Bali for one day.
Beyond the restriction of faith and religious
denomination, the observance of Nyepi as a national
holiday exemplifies the essence of Indonesian
nationhood. Despite being a tiny minority, the
acknowledgement of this Hindu day is proof of the
pluralistic nature of Indonesia's peoples.
A Muslim-dominated society that was fundamentally
conservative would not be so respectful of a faith so
different from its own. A community of peoples that
was outrightly liberal would also not respect
religious holy days with such reverence.
Who and what Indonesians are can be seen from these
facts.
Indonesia is proud of its Hindu-Buddhist heritage. It
is an inseparable part of our historical and cultural
identity.
Those who retain the faith are free to practice it.
Thousands of years of history cannot be changed by a
few vocal radicals who now suddenly believe that this
nation should adopt discriminatory religious-based
laws.
Indonesia should never go down the path of the Taliban
by destroying historical artifacts based on distorted
religious interpretations.
Nyepi thus is also a celebration of diversity.
We recount the commemoration of last year's Day of
Silence, which fell on a Friday -- a day when Muslims
busily congregate at mosques for Friday prayers around
noon.
However, out of respect for their Hindu neighbors,
Muslims in Bali refrained from using motorized
vehicles to reach the mosques. The usual Friday
sermons given over loudspeakers also were not heard.
It was an admirable show of tolerance without
sacrificing the practice of one's respective religion.
Let us hope there will be more such days of peace and
compassion throughout the year.
__________________________________
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