Earth, Oracle and Facebook Fever

Long time ago, people were difficult to know the information in the other region. Beside that, they’re not easy to move from one place to other place, for the reason that the distance, transportation and communication tools were not properly yet. It means, world as a super big ball and people only live also know on the tiny area. They can’t move from one place to other place easily, in addition they can’t long distance communication as well.

But, Jayabaya, has a prediction called “Jangka Jayabaya”. Some of them said that “Bumi saya suwe saya mungkret” or in other word “the earth will shrink”. What does it mean? Or globe will get smaller? Our earth will reduce the size? Some people probably have presumed “yes, our earth will reduce”. What’s the fact? The number of population in our earth like the explosion of bomb, then the density of population becomes high. Next, probably our earth can’t be occupied by human being. Our globe will be seen smaller.

Kenichi Ohmae revealed about global village. In regard with “the earth will shrink”, how can create a global village? One of the important keys in the term of village is good communication, easy to communicate with other and easy to meet with other as well. Impossible, it can not be implemented in our earth. Perhaps, people thought it in the past, really impossible.

But, that presume has broken, while it need long processes. Radio created by Marconi, telephone created by Alexander Graham Bell, until the massive growth of computer technologies and internet connection in our world, the global village has taken off. People can communicate with other people in different countries using internet. They are also able to see the live events in other country, like sport events, news and other information, very fast and actual.

Beside that, people also can make a friendship with other people. There are some of famous social relationship network, such as Friendster, Facebook, etc. Many people join on there. But now, Facebook is very popular in the world. Isn’t it? They can meet others in Facebook, they can meet friends, new friends, native or foreigner people too.

Sometimes, they can meet or can be met by their friends in Facebook. Like myself, last week I added Sue Geldard Zrinski Eishauer. She said in my wall “Nice to make contact with you also. I was trying to figure out if I knew you but I don't think so. We are probably related in the Lord though”. Then, I said to her, “Hahaha, I think so that because of God we can meet. Facebook and Internet make everyone in the world can meet :-)”. She agreed with me about that.

Then, there are available some facilities or application which can express the user mood, hobbies and share some ideas/invitation etc. Every day, many people sign up and sign in on Facebook. Like a disease, Facebook fever has infectious people in around the world.

In other side, any people rejected to sign up or join in Facebook. Like Agung from Denpasar, he said that if join in Facebook or other social friendship network, many people very easy to find and meet him. Other people said that, it can consume lot money for internet bill.

Join or not join with Facebook or others, welcome to global village. Our earth will shrink because of the growth of information system and technologies.

Reflection on Nyepi’s Observance: Bali Takes a Day Off

Bali, the Island of Gods, have a lot of special point of interest. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous beach also the Bali’s traditional customs drive people from domestic also foreign come to Bali. They want to see the piece of heaven as well. Bali Hinduism, as a majority religion in this island, approximately 90 percent of total population, influence on all aspect in the Bali’s society. They have various Hinduism ceremonies and holiday to commemorate particular occasion, like full moon, Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi, Saraswati, PagerWesi and other rituals in Hinduism.

In March 2009, Bali celebrates 3 (three) important days for Bali Hinduism. There are Galungan, Nyepi dan Kuningan. In the same time, begin in the third week of March, that’s the campaign period for political parties, as a par of general election schedule. This is the special case for Bali. If in other regional, the campaign period was started in 16th of March, for Bali was begun on 20th March, after the Galungan celebration on 18th of March. Galungan means when the dharma is winning, against with adharma. Galungan occurs every 210 days and lasts for 10 days. Kuningan is the last day of the holiday. During Galungan day, gods visit the Earth and leave on Kuningan.

One week after Galungan, the other special day for Bali is Nyepi. Nyepi is the first calendar of Saka New Year. “Nyepi” in terminology, is adopted from “Sepi”, based on the Indonesian Dictionary, it means sunyi; lengang (read: quiet; lonely; silent). Then, what does it mean? Nyepi is time for quiet, time for silent; and then popular with the day of silent. In the Hinduism, they should do ritual which they called with “Catur Berata”; Amati Geni (No fire/light); Amati Karya (No working); Amati Lelunganan (No traveling); Amati Lelanguan (Fasting). That’s the principle in Hinduism. In spite of Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali should observe the day of silence also.

As a consequently of Catur Berata, it should be observed by Bali’s society in particularly.
All activities will be stopped in 26th of March 2009 as Nyepi holiday to commemorate the Catur Berata and meditation. That’s very special day, because Bali will be taking day off, no surfing, no dugem, no party, no swimming, no light, no working, no traveling and no other activities like that.

One day before Nyepi holiday, Bali Hinduism do a unique ritual. This is the popular ritual on this island. It called “ogoh-ogoh statues”. It builds for Pangrupukan eve which takes place on the Nyepi Day. Ogoh-ogoh statues normally have form of mythological beings, mostly demons or monsters, but now ogoh-ogoh statues have various forms, like celebrities, boxer or other popular people. The main purpose of the making of Ogoh-ogoh is the purification of the natural environment of any spiritual pollutants emitted from the activities of living beings (especially humans).

Ogoh-ogoh statue is made by the people of banjar (read: village) around Bali. In Pangrupukan eve, usually they lift up the ogoh-ogoh statue, and then go around banjar. Like a parade, children sing various songs as well. Finally ogoh-ogoh is burnt to ashes in a cemetery as a symbol of self-purification, before enter the New Year.

This year, ogoh-ogoh parade got a ban from the local government. It is related on the political parties’ campaign period in the same time. Local government worries that it can make the local security become unstable because of two big activities in Bali; ogoh-ogoh festival and political parties campaign; will invite lot of people. In the Pangrupukan eve next year, ogoh-ogoh parade will be coming back again.

That is the regulation from Bali’s local government. But, ogoh-ogoh statue still can be found in there. Wednesday, 25th March 2009, on 08.40, Bali’s Local Time, the traffic jam was held in the Jalan Raya Kuta, Bali. People who passed in Jalan Raya Kuta were surprised. They can see some young man make an ogoh-ogoh, and put it in the road. In the afternoon, ogoh-ogoh statues also can be seen in the several streets in Denpasar, like Teuku Umar and Diponegoro Highway. The ogoh-ogoh parade also can be seen in some banjar in Denpasar as well.


The Value of Nyepi
Catur Berata in Nyepi Day has many values for our life. All activities should be stopped. One day without working, light, electricity also. As a tourism destination, Bali is very busy every day. Bali never sleeps, twenty four hour Bali hectic always. Numerous vehicles like motor cycle, bus, and car as well make the road in Bali crowded. Surely, they need fuel every day. Then, all activities can’t be rid of with electricity, included in Bali. People use electricity for the lamp, television, computer, refrigerator etc. The electricity needs the fuel too.

A lot of advantage can be reached from Nyepi Day.It is time for meditation, contemplation and reflection, what happen in the last year, and what should we do in the next year. Stop the daily activities, can save energy particularly in fuel, electricity also. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (State Electricity Firm) said that if in Nyepi Day, it can save energy approximately 3 billion (assumed US$ 1 equal Rp 12.000, 00), equivalent US$ 250.000. This is very fantastic. The spirit of Nyepi should be spread to the other region, because of the global crisis, particularly in energy crisis. Definitely, Nyepi in addition saving on the fuel, because all vehicles/ land, water, air transportation as well, should be stopped.

In line with that spirit, the famous program from WWF called Earth Hour. On 28th March 2009, this program will invite all people to join for switch off the electricity, precisely on 08.30 pm until 09.30 pm local time. This is a fantastic program also and should be campaigned to other people, in the target for save the energy.

Last but not least, the spirit of Catur Berata and Nyepi bring many benefit for our life; reflection, contemplation, saving the energy as well. It possibly will bring our life better.