Make Canang Sari with Ayu
Making a Canang Sari involves weaving a small palm leaf tray, filling it with symbolic items like rice, flowers (white east, red south, yellow west, blue/green north for different gods), and small treats (banana, cookie), then adding an incense stick, representing gratitude and balance in Balinese Hinduism, a daily practice often done by women.
Materials Needed
- Base: Young coconut leaves (janur) or palm fronds.
- Fillings: Rice, fresh flowers (white, red, yellow, blue/green), betel leaf, lime, sliced banana/sugarcane, small cookies/snacks.
- Symbolic: Incense stick, sometimes a small candle.
- Step-by-Step Guide (Metanding)
Create the Base Tray: Take young coconut leaves, remove the midrib, and fold them into a small, square tray, often by weaving or sewing them together.
- Add Rice: Place a small amount of rice at the bottom of the tray.
- Arrange Flowers (Symbolic Placement):
- White flowers (East): For God Iswara (purity).
- Red flowers (South): For God Brahma (creator).
- Yellow flowers (West): For God Mahadeva (supreme god).
- Blue/Green flowers (North): For God Vishnu (preserver).
- Include Other Offerings: Add small pieces of banana, betel leaf, lime, or a small cookie/biscuit in the center.
- Add Incense: Place a stick of incense in the middle of the flowers.
- Final Ritual: Offer a moment of prayer or gratitude before placing the Canang Sari in a sacred spot, like a family shrine or altar, as a daily expression of thanks for balance and peace.
