Youngsters parade Ogoh-ogoh or giant puppets symbolizing vices ahead of the celebration of the Hindu Day of Silence in the village of Tegallalang, Gianyar, Bali, Sunday (26/3). The Ogoh-ogoh parade is intended to neutralize the negative spirit and return it to its home so that Nyepi can be carried out in silence and peace.
Ahead of the celebration of Nyepi (the Hindu Day of Silence) tomorrow, we are reminded to take a break for a moment of silence and do some self-reflection.
We need a moment of silence because the hustle and bustle of regional elections that took place several months ago have had an impact on our social life. Whether recognized or not, the hustle and bustle, especially in the election for governor and deputy governor of Jakarta, bring us to a question to where our nation will be directed.
Indonesia has the nature as a nation which consists of various ethnicities, languages, religions, and beliefs. The process of becoming a nation continues with the awareness that the unity amid various differences is inevitable and must be maintained and built upon.
Therefore, the polarization of society that arises from the regional elections raises the question of whether the democratic path that we select is right, whether it is in line with the way of life of the Indonesian nation as taught by the fathers and mothers of the nation who promoted deliberation and consensus. Teaching tolerance in diversity, not being selfish while denying others.
With regard to being selfish, we look at various institutions, starting from the House of Representatives, which has postponed the selection of members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) up to the Regional Representatives Council which will be controlled by political parties, thereby eliminating the essence of representation for all groups in the community, particularly marginalized groups.
If we go back to the meaning of Nyepi, namely for the present and the future, we should have let the greedy nature go. Humans always take from the natural resources, but also must be willing to return them in order to create a balance.
It is the greedy nature that is displayed by the elite in the form of corruption, including in the electronic identity cards (e-ID) program. The imbalance also appears in the form of the prosperity gap, which is unbridgeable, when 10 percent of the population control nearly 70 percent of our national incomes.
The nature also reminds us, the imbalance is hurting humans. Temperature of the earth rises because humans use too large amount of non-renewable oil, disposing of carbon gas into the air. Seasons shift, storm seeds appear more often, and rainfall gets more extreme, so that they cause natural disasters and suffering for many people. The poorest communities are the most affected.
The invitation of Nyepi is the return of the soul to silence, reflection, introspection, and discovery of balance. That diversity isGod\'s will and therefore being tolerant, mutually respectful, and sharing are the prerequisites for a peaceful and happy life.
