Hindu in Bali celebrate new year ‘tahun baru Saka’ with a day with silence. A Silent day (Nyepi in Bahasa) is a day from 6am to 6am the next day with no lights/fire, no work/activity, no sound, and no leisure.
Read more on Nyepi:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyepi
A very interesting ceremonies will be held before. Purifying the soul by cleaning in nearest beach/river/spring (called Melasti), Devil fights the goods amazing statues (called Ogoh-ogoh) parade with dancing, traditional music gamelan played, laser and fire.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogoh-ogoh
Airport will shut. And people are not allowed to get out and have to follow all no’s including tourist, except for emergency of course. And this year 2012 it will be on Friday which moslem have to pray in mosque, it will be exception also with conditions applied. It will showed the co-operation between religions in Indonesia.
http://www.mediaindonesia.com/webtorial/tanahair/?bar_id=MzA0Njgx
balinese silence day ritual of purifying by the water
ogoh-ogoh parade a day before silence day
