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Presenting
“Canang Sari” and “Sanggah
Cucuk” at Bali Arts Festival
Hinduism has three
fundamental frameworks namely tatwa (philosophy),
susila (ethics) and upacara (ritual activity).
Among the three, its uniqueness lies in
the ritual activity that is carried out
by the Balinese (Hindu) community. On the
odalan (temple festival), for instance,
banten and sesajen (offerings to God) of
which in its presentation is accompanied
by a gamelan ensemble, playing wooden split
drums, sounds of holy bells, kidung (song
of God) and dances.
 That’s
why all Balinese people, especially women,
are obliged to know how to make banten or
offerings. To learn the way to make these
offerings, the Bali Arts Festival (BAF)
2005 holds a competition of making canang
sari and sanggah cucuk (single-beamed bamboo
shrine). Competition took place in the Ksirarnawa
Building at Art Center on Sunday attracted
great attention from the Balinese community.
Competition of making canang sari was participated
by schoolgirls of primary school, while
sanggah cucuk competition is by male youngsters.
According to I Gusti Made Ngurah, Chief
of Bali Provincial Religion Services, the
phrase canang sari is derived from the word
sari (essence) and canang (base of all senses
that used on every ritual activity). In
Bali, canang has the same meaning as base
(betel leaf) that means sense.
According to Ngurah, any ritual sacrifices
of Balinese (Hindu) people makes use of
canang sari. Canang here constitutes a summary
of various kinds of leaves and flowers in
any arrangement and size. Therefore, in
canang sari, there are always leafs, flowers,
fruit, water and fire. As a matter of fact,
they are the most essential media of sacrifice
in Hinduism. However, the form of canang
varies like triangles, squares and circles.
The commonest form of canang sold in the
market, is square.
Meanwhile, sanggah cucuk is one form of
ritual paraphernalia made in such a way
and consists of klakat (base of square bamboo
plait) embellished with young coconut leaf.
Sanggah cucuk is usually used as temporary
shrine like in bhuta yajna ritual. If the
ritual applies panca sata, five sanggah
cucuks will be implanted in five directions
such as in the center, east, south, west
and east.
This is carried out because there is a belief
of the local community in pengider-ider,
namely God governs every natural angle with
his manifestation. In its function, the
five angles are called Dewa or Lord in which
each has distinctive powers, meaning and
color. In east direction is the Lord Iswara
is a white color and color of the offering
is all-white; in the north is the Lord Vishnu
wearing all-black; in the south is Lord
Brahma wearing all-red; in the west is Lord
Mahadewa wearing all-yellow and in the center
venerating the Lord Siwa wearing manca warna
(five colors).
He said, sanggah cucuk is also employed
at temple festivals and cemeteries for the
corpse that has just been buried. Formerly,
the sanggah cucuk at cemeteries was frequently
taken advantage by those that practiced
black magic so they can convert their appearance
(nadi). It was also added that there is
another kind of sanggah cucuk that is used
in the rice field. Thus, sanggah cucuk has
disparities pursuant to its function and
form. If sanggah cucuk with curved roof
is functioned to venerate Arda Naeswara
(Manusha Yajna ritual), while that with
no roof is usually used at Bhuta Yajna rituals.
Every Galungan Day celebration, sanggah
cucuk is affixed on the penjor pole that
is set up in front of house entrance gate.
As a whole the penjor represents a dragon
that supports world preservation where sanggah
cucuk is considered to be the head of the
dragon. (BTN/015)
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