Bali and the Balinese celebrate Saraswati

She is the Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning and the people of Bali celebrate and honor her in a vibrant Saraswati festival held every six months (210 days), on the Saturday of Watugunung (the last week in the Balinese calendar system) and is celebrated all over Bali. This year the festival falls on the 2nd May and 28th November 2015.

So if you’re planning a Bali holiday, book an Ubud hotel like the renowned Alila Ubud Bali, and be there to witness this religious and cultural spectacle that’s held in a series of days before and after Saraswati.
On Pangredanan, day before Saraswati Day, books are collected and dusted. On Saraswati Day people bring offerings to their holy books and scrolls in their houses under the belief that the most important thing for human life is knowledge. Then follows the days of Banyu Pinaruh, Soma Ribek, Sabuh Mas in which devotees pray to the Goddess make and make offerings. Finally at Pagerwesi, which is Four days after Saraswati Day, the Balinese people dress in their traditional dress and perform rituals at home and specially at temples. Visitors are welcome to enter the temple and witness the proceedings.