It’s the eve of Nyepi – Hindu New Year – a day of silence that only occurs in Bali. Final touches are made to an enormous papier-mâché effigy, known as Ogoh-Ogoh, lifted onto the shoulders of bare-chested Balinese men in monochrome sarongs. As the procession sets off, holy water is sprinkled while lantern smoke wafts into the balmy air. Cymbals clang at a frenetic pace, and bamboo sticks bang loudly as we are swept up in the hypnotic parade.
We follow the gruesome-looking Ogoh-Ogoh, standing 2.75 metres tall, as it winds its way through AYANA Bali. Every 100 metres or so, the mask-wearing Ogoh-Ogoh is spun in circles to chase away evil spirits. We eventually merged with another procession carrying a second Ogoh-Ogoh, also commissioned for Pengrupukan Day from artists and villages in Jimbaran and Gianyar.
Ogoh-Ogoh on parade.
Each Balinese village crafts its own Ogoh-Ogoh – symbolising negative elements, malevolent spirits or characters from Hindu mythology – and dances it through the streets to chase evil spirits away before the new year begins.
This Nyepi marks a significant milestone for AYANA Bali, given it’s the first celebrated in conjunction with the newly opened SAKA Museum. The elegant two-storey cultural centre at the entrance of the 90-hectare estate takes visitors on a journey into Nyepi and the artistic and cultural expressions connected to the Balinese principle of Tri Hita Karana (the Balinese traditional philosophy for life).
Balinese scholar and author Professor I Made Bandem tells us the museum pays homage to the Balinese Saka calendar – an ancient Hindu solar calendar adapted by the Balinese and dictated by the cycles of the moon. It houses a growing collection of Balinese artefacts and 10 imposing ogoh-ogoh effigies. “We want to introduce Balinese culture to guests and give them a deeper understanding of Nyepi,” he says.
It’s been a decade since I stayed at the sprawling AYANA Bali, now made up of four properties – AYANA Resort, AYANA Villas, AYANA Segara and RIMBA by AYANA. It’s late when we arrive at our private pool villa, with sweeping ocean vistas from its clifftop perch above Jimbaran Bay. A frangipani-filled bath is drawn invitingly.
The new SAKA cultural museum at AYANA Bali.
All 78 spacious villas offer a sanctuary where butlers on call 24/7 ferry guests in golf carts along winding stone pathways across the lush, rambling property. We enjoy phenomenal à la carte breakfasts at Dava, lazy lunches at poolside Sami Sami and rooftop drinks at Luna Rooftop Bar. A family of monkeys even visits our villa early one morning.
But it’s Nyepi when Bali falls silent – airports closed, travel restricted, bars and restaurants shuttered – that I’m most anticipating. We’re asked to draw our drapes as lights are dimmed and shut off across the island. The Balinese staff are excited as we foreigners get to experience Nyepi in stark contrast to Bali’s typically clogged roads and yoga studios, beach clubs, restaurants and bars heaving with tourists.