Offering Canang Sari

Offering Canang Sari

Anom offering canang sari.
I learned about the art of making the beautiful Balinese Canang sari that adorn village and family temples, intersections, home entrances and any spot that the Balinese hold to be sacred.
The canang is a small, square coconut-leaf basket overflowing with a variety of brilliant flowers, whereas sari means ‘essence.’ (For example, a modest amount of money could make up the essence of a Balinese offering known as kepeng. One night while walking along the beach in southern Bali, we saw a canang sari waiting to be carried out to sea, along with a modest kepeng.) The Balinese make canang sari offerings on a daily basis.
My friend Anom crafts 100-150 canang sari per day, using all organic materials. This labor of love and devotion takes her approximately two hours. In addition to the mounds of vibrant buds, Anom uses coconut leaves and bamboo that is shaved into a toothpick-like thread.