VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo received the Executive Board of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, the President was accompanied by Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin and Special Staff of President, Ari Dwipayana. After meeting the President, the Chairperson of the Parisadha Hindu Dharma Indonesia Wisnu Bawatenaya said that during the meeting, PHDI reported the plan to commemorate the Day of Silence or Nyepi Day to be celebrated on March 7, 2019. Related to that, Wisnu said that the PHDI would organize rituals at Prambanan Temple on Wednesday as part of the series of Nyepi Holy Day Celebration. In addition, he conveyed that the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) will also carry out the Santi Dharma activities as the culmination of the Nyepi Day commemoration in Bali Province. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend the peak of Nyepi Day commemoration. Responding to the report, according to Wisnu Bawatenaya, the President has instructed that the whole series of Nyepi Holy Day celebration activities can be carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

"We come to report to the President on the occasion of the Nyepi holy day which falls on March 7. Then tomorrow, on Wednesday, March 6, we will carry out a ritual at Prambanan temple, then we will also carry out the Dharma Santi in Bali at the Art Center. The time will be adjusted to the president’s schedule. We will carry out around April 5 in Bali. President Jokowi has told us to carry out this activity in an orderly and safe manner," said Wisnu Bawatenaya.

Wisnu Bawatenaya further said that the Dharma Santi celebration which is scheduled to be held in April, will be a means to unite all Hindus which spreads throughout Indonesia. At the peak of the Nyepi Holy Day celebration, all Hindus will form a joint commitment in building a more advanced Indonesia in the future. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)