Why do the Balinese people make Offerings?
The making
of offerings is a sincere sacrifice made
by the people of Bali in order to worship and thank God.
Why Balinese
making offerings?
This visible
spiritual act came from One of the best known books in the world was Mahabrata
(The great Hindu epic): The Arjuna’s charioteer, Krishna, then reveals himself
as a Wisnu and narrates the Mahabrata’s most famous passage, the
Bhagawad-Gita. In one of the most
celebrated moments of this long philosophical exposition of hesitation, action,
passivity, and the worship of God, Krishna tells Arjuna what God expects and
requires an offering: “ Whoever offers to me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a
fruit, or water, that offering of love, of the pure heart I accept.” ( ix :26)
Offerings
can be seen everywhere on the island of Bali, and you will see beautiful
offerings, consisting of flowers, leaves, rice, fruits, cakes, and holy water;
all are presented with devotion. The offerings range from modest to
extravagant, it’s depending the finances of each household. The Balinese make
the simplest offering like Canangsari from 25 to 150 offerings a day depending
on how large the household or temples.
Offerings
are often placed on an altar, shrines of the temple, in offices, in kitchens,
at beaches, in restaurants, dashboards of cars, motorbikes, shops, roads, house
entrance, beneath the trees, statues, rivers, lakes, and other places in need
of blessings. The Balinese believe that any place that receives regular
offerings accumulates sacred energy, eventually becoming sacred itself. Walk
down a street in Bali and you'll see hundreds of offerings, lovingly and
thoughtfully crafted pieces of art. More extensive offerings are found at
Balinese festivals, rites of passage, and other ceremonies. Offerings can be a
huge undertaking, requiring extended families, neighborhoods, or even whole
villages to work together for weeks or months to finish.
Each element is a symbol
and each color carries meaning. You will commonly see exotic fruits built into
a pyramid on a golden tray, to be carried to the temple on a top of a woman's
head. For the Balinese, offerings are the most visible and important part of
their religious activities, this ritual is a unique characteristic of Balinese
religious practice. The task of making offerings is mostly a chore of Balinese
women, and they work together to prepare offerings in a social interactive
group. The art of offering making is transferred from generation to generation;
the learning process begins in childhood. Balinese people who live outside
Bali, they also make offerings to worship
and thank God.
Author, Ekarini
(2016)
No comments:
Post a Comment