Saraswati Day is held in honor of Dewi Saraswati, Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. This day, celebrated every 210 days according to the Balinese Calendar, is one where people engage in prayer and the provision of offerings as forms of worship and gratitude.

This event will be held as an opportunity for the public to gather in ceremony with Gamelan Sekar Jaya and the Bay Area Balinese community at our banjar community center in Berkeley. Everyone is welcome, though special respect and space should be given for members of the Indonesian and Balinese community for this special chance to celebrate.

Ceremonial preparations and prayer with be taking place the first half of the day, followed by performances by Sekar Jaya’s angklung and dance ensembles in the afternoon. Bring a friend, enjoy the show and give thanks for the joy of learning and the arts!

This event will be free of charge and will take place mostly outdoors in the banjar garden. All ages are welcome. Masks are optional while outdoors and mandatory when indoors at our banjar.

At 1pm, Sekar Jaya’s ensembles will begin ngayah (sharing of music and dance in the spirit of an offering). At 3:00pm, Sekar Jaya musicians will lead a free community workshop on the angklung instruments. Ceremonies run on flexible “rubber time,” so please forgive us if these times shift and change as the event proceeds. If you have a special connection to Balinese culture and are interested in attending the Saraswati ceremony, please email info@gsj.org for more details about how you can get involved in this and future celebrations.

Visitors on Saraswati Day are encouraged to bring a scarf to tie around their waist (called a selendang) to show respect for Balinese traditions on holy days. If you don’t have your own, don’t worry! We’ll provide one for you.