Hari Raya Saraswati, Om Swastyastu. Today is the day of the goddess Saraswati in Bali. Congratulations to everyone on this celebration of knowledge and wisdom!
Balinese people love Saraswati – the goddess of knowledge and wisdom, patroness of art and creativity, a master of eloquent speech who transforms pure and clear thoughts into wise words. Saraswati is the goddess of true Knowledge, beautiful music, and all forms of art. She plays all musical instruments, but her favorite is the vina (an Indian lute). She is the patroness of all arts and is a master of each one.
Saraswati means the source of knowledge and wisdom that flows endlessly. It is said that she created the ancient Sanskrit language, through which knowledge can be passed on to people. Saraswati is not conservative; she teaches people that Truth is movement, multidimensionality, and complexity, not stability and staticity. Truth and knowledge can change every day, every second. Truth exists here and now, in the present moment, as a living energy in constant motion.
Saraswati reminds people of the light of knowledge and wisdom that leads to the realization of all phenomena in life. Her favorite color is white because it combines the entire rainbow of colors and symbolizes knowledge. Her home is the whole world; her throne is a beautiful lotus flower that rises from the earthly world towards light and sun. She does not wear jewels and gold because her main value is knowledge.
Saraswati has four hands, each holding a symbol: an ancient manuscript (a lontar scroll on Bali) – a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, prayer beads made of pearls – a symbol of spirituality and endless knowledge that can never be exhausted, a bowl with holy water – a symbol of spiritual science and purification, and a musical instrument (vina) – a symbol of creativity. Saraswati can move at the speed of wind, and all elements are subject to her. But she likes the white swan (on Bali, of course, a goose), which knows how to distinguish the main from the secondary.
Walking around Ubud, we often visit the cozy little lotus park and temple dedicated to the goddess of wisdom and patron of the arts, Saraswati (Pura Saraswati). There is a legend that the goddess blessed the city of Ubud and took it under her protection, after which the pursuit of knowledge and spiritual sciences flourished here. Local residents and tourists alike honor the goddess Saraswati and celebrate her holiday, Hari Raya Saraswati every year, to marvel at her wisdom and beauty.
Saraswati Temple in Ubud
Saraswati is a highly respected goddess on the island of Bali. “Saraswati Day” is a state holiday in Bali, which occurs on the last day of the Balinese calendar called Pawukon. The day of the goddess Saraswati is beloved by the Balinese people, and a statue of this goddess can be seen in most educational institutions, right at the entrance.
How is Saraswati Day celebrated in Bali?
The day of the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati, is celebrated every 210 days (6 months). This day always falls on a Saturday called Umanis Watugunung. In Bali, on these festive days, people express their reverence for books, especially spiritual books and ancient manuscripts called lontar. Scholars and pemandu (Brahmin and Sudra priests) take out their sacred books, ancient scrolls of lontar, which they keep with great respect, and perform ceremonies with them. During the Saraswati festival and related ceremonies, it is customary not to read books, but only to venerate them, offer them offerings, and sprinkle them with holy water. Saraswati ceremonies are held in the morning or at noon, in family temples, schools, and educational institutions. In homes, Balinese people usually gather all the books they have and construct a kind of mountain out of them around which they hold the ceremony. Women prepare special offerings called banten, where each element carries its own sacred meaning. In most Balinese schools, students celebrate the festival in honor of the beloved goddess. They sing songs, play musical instruments, and dance. The following day, Sunday, begins the Banyu Pinaruh festival, which is a continuation of the Saraswati celebration.
What is Banyu Pinaruh?
Banyu Pinaruh, or Water of Knowledge, is a celebration that takes its name from the words “banyu”, meaning water, and “pinaruh”, meaning knowledge. Thus, it signifies “water of knowledge”. On this day, Balinese people traditionally go to sources of water – holy springs, lakes, or even the ocean – where they perform the “melukat” ceremony (purification and cleansing). Selamat Hari Raya Saraswati, may good thoughts come from all directions! Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Om This is how Balinese people congratulate each other on Saraswati Day, wishing them “Happy Saraswati Day, may good thoughts come to you from all directions”.
We are always happy to share the magic of Bali Island with positive people!
Sincerely, Bali Open Group, authors of the blog baliopen.org
