Starting from approximately 6 a.m. on Friday, March 7, 2008 and continuing until 6 a.m. the following morning, Nyepi is observed by the devout through abstinence from food and drink, human speech, movement outside the family compound, and even the lighting of fires or lamps. As a result, the island of Bali will resemble a ghost town with businesses and thoroughfares closed and silent.

Traditional village security forces - pecalang, will patrol the island allowing only emergency vehicles passage through the otherwise deserted streets. Compounds discovered to have lights shining from their windows or emitting noise may receive the “quiet” rebuke of small pebbles tossed against their window sills by local security teams, reminding all to adopt a more contemplative mood.

Nyepi is the first day of the Balinese Saka calendar (1930) and is strictly observed island-wide as a day of absolute silence and meditation, which includes the shut down for a 24 hour period of the island’s airport.

There are, however, compensations for those who visit Bali during the Nyepi period. A Mardi Gras-like celebrations featuring street parades and drinks mark the night before Nyepi. Before sunrise on March 7, 2008 a curtain of silence will descend across the Island as everyone takes refuge in their hotels or homes, there to remain until the following morning. Most major hotels permit guests full use of hotel grounds and outlets with a tacit understanding that guests should not venture outside the property’s bounds. Special arrangements are made for the hotel’s staff to stay overnight at their place of employment as normal traffic between homes and place of employment is impossible on Nyepi day.

As in the past, Bali’s only airport will also shut down during the entire Nyepi period. All flights that would normally embark or disembark passengers in Bali have been cancelled for the 24 hour Nyepi interlude. Technical or emergency stopovers are permitted at the airport, but no passengers or crew are permitted to travel to or from the airport terminal and other locations in Bali for the entire 24 hour Nyepi period. Bali’s seaport will also be closed throughout this period.

He said research conducted at a number of medical care institutions like hospitals had led to the conclusion that the problem of the illegal practice needs to be given serious attention by the government and society. Research done by WHO in 2008 had shown 20-60 percent of abortions in Indonesia were induced abortions and 50 percent of the cases were done in urban areas, he said on Saturday.