DENPASAR (indo.com): On July 15 2001, blessings will be given at every family compound, clan temple, school temple and many other places of worship in order to celebrate Saraswati Day. The day is devoted to Sang Hyang Aji Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and Arts, and reminds us of the value of our holy scriptures and the disciplines of science and art. The day is a holiday on the island, and the night before is characterised by Mekekawin - the singing of ancient Balinese songs, written on ancient lontar parchment.

Saraswati comes twice a year. According to the Balinese lunar month, the celebration falls on Watugunung, the last week of the Balinese calendar. All Balinese Hindu people welcome the descent of the God of Knowledge by conducting a series of ceremonies, starting early in the morning.

The name comes from a very beautiful goddess called Saraswati, the manifestation of the God Brahma (the Creator) in Hinduism. The complete symbol is the Goddess, holding a wina (a kind of guitar), a genitri (a small loop of holy chain), and the keropak (holy book). The Goddess is standing on a lotus with a goose and a peacock on either side.

This image is loaded with symbolism. The feminine beauty of the goddess symbolises the attraction and fascination that science has over mankind, whereas the genitri denotes that science is a continuing process without beginning nor end. The keropak simply symbolizes literature and books, the places in which science and knowledge are stored, and the musical instrument, the wina, indicates that science is a masterpiece of art and culture.

As is common throughout Balinese symbolism, the lotus flower represents holiness, and the peacock is the symbol of the charismatic power of those in possession of science. The goose symbolizes the wisdom of aligning with the good things in life, instead of the bad, in order that life in this world may become increasingly harmonious.