Nyepi Day is the Saka New Year, which is celebrated by Hindus in Indonesia. In 2021, Nyepi Day from Sunday 14th March 2021 to Monday 15th March 2021.
During Nyepi, all the people living and staying on the island of Bali must stay at home and not do any outside activities. At the same time, Balinese Hindus celebrate Nyepi with tapa brata penyepian, or four taboos.
The four taboos or prohibitions during Nyepi that are carried out are:
- Amati karya, or not working
- Amati lelungan, or not travelling
- Amati geni, or not lighting a fire
- Amati lelaungan, or not having fun
PT Jasamarga Bali Tol will temporarily close the operation of the Bali Mandara Toll Road for 32 hours starting Saturday 13th March at 11pm Central Indonesian Time (WITA), until Monday 15th March 7am WITA or on Nyepi Day, Saka Year 1943.
The closed toll road connects Denpasar City to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and the Nusa Dua area in Badung Regency.
“As in previous years, in honour of Nyepi Day which is celebrated by Hindus in Bali, we, PT Jasamarga Bali Tol (JBT) institutionally always respect local wisdom. One act is to temporarily close the Bali Mandara Toll Road in its entirety,” said the President Director of PT. Jasamarga Bali Tol, I Ketut Adiputra Karang.
He also said that the temporary closure was to comply with the circular from the Governor of Bali number 003.1 / 15191 / PK / BKD, November 3, 2020, concerning national holidays, joint leave, and dispensation of Hindu holy days in Bali in 2021.
Along with the toll road being closed, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali, will also temporarily suspend operations starting on Sunday 14th March at 6am WITA, until Monday 15th March at 6am WITA.
“To honor Nyepi Day in Bali, we will temporarily stop operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for 24 hours,” said Herry AY. Sikado, General Manager of the branch office of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali.
He said that his party had coordinated with related parties so that the temporary pause of operations could be carried out as expected. Despite being temporarily closed, a number of airport personnel will remain on standby to anticipate potential emergency flight and facilitate any medical evacuations.
Furthermore, cash withdrawal facilities and other transaction activities using ATM machines in Bali will be temporarily out of order on Saturday 13th March starting at 12pm WITA.
Trisno Nugroho, Head of Bank Indonesia (BI) Representative Office in Denpasar said that ATM facilities will resume operating as usual on Monday 15th March at 7am WITA. Meanwhile, electronic or digital-based banking services such as mobile banking will continue to operate as usual, as long as they are supported by the internet.
“This way, cash withdrawals and deposit services, as well as debits, are eliminated,” said Trisno.
Also Read Nyepi – What the World Could Learn