Canang Sari: Meaning, Purpose, and Significance of the Balinese Daily Offering

Have you ever walked down any street in Bali, and noticed an attractive small and square woven basket made from banana leaf and filled with flowers? Or while visiting a temple and you see Balinese people carry over unique tower creations made of various fruits during traditional ceremonies? Those are called Balinese offerings.

Balinese offerings can be spotted in every corner of Bali. From a few grains of rice stuck to a slice of banana leaf, the daily small offering placed around a home, to the towers of fruit, cake, poultry, and livestock carried in procession to the temple, Balinese offerings are a common thing you will see during your holiday in Bali.

One of the Balinese offerings that you will often see especially on the road is the daily offering called Canang Sari. What exactly is Canang Sari? Why is it so significant for Balinese people? Read on to discover the parts, purpose, and symbolism behind this sacred offering.

Read also: 7 Must-Follow Rules (and Whys) When Visiting Temples in Bali

What is Canang Sari?

As slightly mentioned in the introduction, Canang Sari is a Balinese offering that is served daily in the Hindu religious ceremony. The word ‘Canang’ refers to the tray and ‘Sari’ to the essence of the offering, such as cash, snacks, and cigarettes. It usually contains various flowers that have different meanings and are placed in specific directions. As a daily offering, Canang Sari is placed everywhere: at the foot of temples, on statues, at the entrance door of a home or shop, on motorbikes, on the beach, and more.

It is used as a way for Balinese people to express their gratitude and honor to the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God) or the creators of life. The offerings symbolize praise and prayer to maintain balance and peace on earth between good and evil, between Gods and demons, and between heaven and hell.

The process of making canang sari is taken care of by Balinese women and has become their daily habit. It is said that a good wife is supposed to know how to make canang sari. However, in recent years, canang sari can also be bought pre-made at traditional markets in Bali with the same meaning and purpose.

As a sacred and traditional element, during praying and putting canang sari around, the women need to wear a sarong and sash out of respect for the Gods. The ritual needs to be repeated every morning.

Read also: A Guide to Bali Traditional Clothes: The Names & Their Meaning

The Parts and Meaning of Canang Sari

Canang sari consists of some parts, such as:

1. Porosan is the core material that is made from betel leaf, lime, gambier, prestige, tobacco, and betel nuts. The material of porosan symbolizes Trimurti, the three major Hindu Gods. Shiva is symbolized by lime, Vishnu is symbolized by betel nut, and Brahma is symbolized by gambier.
2. Ceper. Canang sari is covered by a tray made from palm leaf, called ceper, and used as a symbol of angga-sarira (body).
3. Sampian urasari symbolizes the sun and becomes the place to arrange the flowers. The eight strands surrounding the central part of sampian urasari symbolize the eight wheels of life with divine power (God’s omnipotence).
4. Flowers. Canang Sari uses flowers of different colors and places them in specific directions with each symbolizing a Hindu God. The flowers consist of:

• White flowers pointing to the east as a symbol of Iswara, one of the primary forms of God
• Red flowers pointing to the south as a symbol of Brahma, one of the Supreme in the Triad of Great Hindu Gods
• Yellow flowers pointing to the west as a symbol of Mahadeva, the most Supreme God
• Blue or green flowers pointing to the north as a symbol of Vishnu, the Preserver within the Hindu Trinity of the Divinity

5. Rampe flowers, positioned atop the flower arrangement, represent wisdom. Different flowers, some odorless and some scented, suggest the fact that life is not always joyful or sorrowful. Thus, humans should be wise in the arrangement of life.

6. Rice represents the seed that comes from Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa in the form of Ātma at the beginning of life.

7. Boreh Miik is a symbol of good attitude and behavior.

8. Lengis Miik illustrates inner peace or self-control.

A canang sari is completed by placing kepeng (coin/paper money), which is said to make up the sari (the essence) of the offerings itself.

Purpose of Canang Sari

Balinese believes that the cosmos is divided into three layers: heaven where Hindu gods live, the world where humans live, and hell where demons reside. Canang Sari aims to maintain a balance between the good and bad, as it is used to show gratitude to the gods in heaven. On the other hand, it also honors the demons in hell so that they stay where they are instead of invading the world.

During canang sari placement ritual, the crucial element is a prayer which is said to deliver the sari (essence) of the canang to heaven. For each canang sari, a jepun flower is dipped in water from a holy spring. Furthermore, the holy water will be used to sprinkle the canang in a symbolic fusion of earth, fire, wind, and water. Finally, after the palms of the canang’s basket are bound together, a prayer is spoken as smoke from burning incense carries the essence of the offering to the gods.

Read also: All about Balinese Sarong: A Complete Guide

How to Make Canang Sari

Making canang sari involves 2 main processes, including weaving and arranging.

1. Prepare the materials. As you have learned each part of canang sari, you know what to prepare, right? You can buy coconut leaves, flowers, incense, and food in the local market. One thing that you should note is that the flowers must be fresh and high-quality, and the food can be rice, fruit, or candies.
2. Weaving the coconut leaves. First of all, you need to fold the coconut leaves twice to make a square before tying all the leaves together with a thin piece of bamboo. At the end, you will have a small tray to hold the flowers.
3. Arrange the flowers. Although it sounds like a simple process, you must ensure that the colors and shapes are balanced with each color facing different directions.
4. Add the food. Last but not least, you should place the food on the side of the tray without touching the flowers.

Read also: 10 Characteristics and Facts of Bali Kintamani Coffee!

Other Types of Balinese Offerings

Although canang sari is the most well-known type of Balinese offering, there are also other types of Balinese offerings you can come across. All offerings have basic components such as leaves, water, and flowers, while the additional items are according to one’s profession and wealth, and the season in which they are made. As a sacred ritual, all offerings must use high-quality ingredients and be cleansed before placement.

Here are several kinds of other Balinese offerings you will see in Bali:

1. Daksina

Daksina is one of the most important offerings in Bali, used for big ceremonies such as weddings or birth ceremonies. Daksina is used for the purpose of spiritual testimony. Daksina symbolizes Hyang Guru (Lord Shiva) and acts as a witness to the deities.

Daksina is made of old coconut or lontar leaves. As you can see in the picture, it has bucket forms consisting of coconut, egg, uncooked rice, fruits, and more. This offering is used to show gratitude and ask for salvation from God.

2. Banten Peras

Banten Peras offerings consist of uncooked rice, fruit, coins, and other additional items put into a bamboo plate. This offering is used to inaugurate a ceremony, accompanied by a Daksina offering. Bantun Peras is a must offering especially for ceremonies as it has the purpose of requesting success.

3. Banten Pejati

Pejati comes from the word “jati,” which in the Balinese language means sincere. Combined with the prefix “pa”, pejati means a manifestation of one’s sincerity towards Sang Hyang Widhi and his manifestation. This offering can be used in every ceremony anytime anywhere. Banten Pejati is also called ‘Banten Peras Daksina’ since it has the same creation as the Daksina offering.

4. Banten Ajuman

Banten Ajuman consists of fruit such as oranges or bananas and snacks or bread. Yellow rice is also apparent occassionally. This offering is also made from coconut leaves just like the other Balinese offering, but it has a round shape. In terms of purpose, Banten Ajuman is used to glorify, honor, and also prostrate Hyang Widhi.

5. Gebogan

Gebogan offerings are tower shapes that consist of fruits and cakes. It has an eye-catching and colorful display as this Balinese offering is used to express gratitude to God for the infinite blessing. Whenever this offering is used for a ceremony, Balinese women will carry it on their heads along the way to the temples.

Read also: 7 Things You Need to Know about Sukawati Traditional Market, Bali

Life-lessons from Balinese offerings

Besides having a role as an offering, there are some life lessons you can take from the sacred Balinese offering tradition.

1. Taking our time and making meaning

Bring more joy into our lives and be grateful for every moment, whether it is a simple or complex thing. Start living your life with a common concept that can make a huge difference in your life and even to others.

2. Being vs doing

Step away from the to-do lists and start to build a relationship with yourself or others can be one of the ways to experience the best version of your life. It is important to know your authentic self and your true side as well.

3. Outward focus

Building a focus into something outside of your own can avoid becoming overwhelmed, anxious or feel isolated. Start using the recognition of your feelings as a signal that we may need an outward to shift your internal experience.

4. Showing Gratitude

Considering what you are thankful for and expressing it on a daily basis is useful to increase your happiness and bring a good time into your daily life.

5. Ritual, devotion, and faith

Starting to commit to things that are important to your life will bring a deep sense of purpose and connection to yourself and even to others. In the long term, this commitment will help you to develop trust and faith in yourself.

6. Life is sacred

Living your life as a sacred thing means that you will appreciate every beautiful moment, experience, and good connections that happen. Take a moment right now to consider the magic of being human and the lessons learned in life.

So there you have it, all the things you need to know about Balinese daily offerings. We have covered the definition, the anatomy, how to make one yourself, the meaning behind it, and other types of Balinese offerings in this article. You can even learn the life lessons Balinese offerings can give. After learning about the significance of Balinese offerings, you need to be careful not to step on it on the road in Bali. Share this article with a friend who is going to Bali soon!