• Asia,  Indonesia

    Nyepi: Celebrating a New Year in Bali with a Silent Day in Bali

     Only .7% of the American population practices Hinduism, so it is a religion that I had been pretty unfamiliar with. Before going to Indonesia, I knew that it was predominately a Muslim country, but the island of Bali is largely Hindu and I was intrigued to learn more. When one of my trips coincided with New Year in Bali, it was an opportunity to find out about the unique religion on the island and the traditions that coincide with the holiday.  Balinese Culture and Hinduism  Balinese Hinduism is a unique religion that is deeply rooted in their culture. Hindu is a deity religion, where there are different gods and spirits.…