On August 28th, all Bali celebrated the famous Saraswati Day, held in honour of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning symbolized by a beautiful woman with four hands, riding a white swan among water lilies.
It is held every 210 days, on Saturday/Saniscara Umanis Watugunung (based on pawukon in Balinese Calendar ). Saraswati day itself is celebrated by the Balinese people bringing offerings to their holy books and script in their houses, while students celebrate it at school, usually in the morning, and the office-workers in their office. In the afternoon of Saraswati day we are not permitted to read or write the book because all the books are offered. In the evening, called Malam Sastra, people read books (especially religious books) in their houses or in the temple. The day after Saraswati Day is Banyu Pinaruh day. “Banyu” means water and “Pinaruh” mean wisdom. In other words, we must have wisdom which always flows like water and which is useful for human kind. As a cultural ritual that is part of the traditions in Bali, the event is characterised by gathering of the locals in the early morning at any of the following locations: the river banks, the shores of the lake or at the beach. A purification ceremony consists in taking a bath at these locations. It is believed to rejuvenate the body and get rid of the mundane feeling that comes from day to day activities.
This is shown on the picture this week: a Pekutatan family bathes close to Dajuma to celebrate Saraswati.