Balinese Offerings

Balinese religion is a combination of Hinduism,Boudhism,Animism and local traditions.People believe that the Goddesses and Gods are everywhere and in all things like a rock,a cloth,a tree,graveyards,road crossings.Anything,animate or inanimate can be a spirit,bad or good.
Through their offerings(banten),Balinese honor their gods,devils,ancestors and spirits.
Balinese offerings are one of the most highlight of Bali:seing a long procession of women dressed in Balinese costumes carrying offerings on their head(the most sacred part of the body) is a great pleasure.
Offerings are different in size(few cm to several m),color,shape and ingredient,but are usually made of organic materials.
The most common form,seen everywhere in Bali is the canang formed from coconut palm leaf square basked filled with betel,flowers,few grains of rice.
In each Balinese compound,in the morning,after the daily food is prepared but, before family eats,people can see a female family member carrying offerings on a tray with a stick of burning incense to the different shrines and holy places of the house.
Also simple offerings are seen in front of the shops,restaurants,hotels,offices;there are shrines,holy places everywhere in Bali,even on the ground of the building's entrance and crossroads where the numerous devils congregate.
But the offerings in the Temples(Pura) are more elaborate like towers of coloured rice ,cakes,fruits,vegetables,eggs,meat...these tall offerings have a soft banana tree trunk in the centre in which bamboo skewers with fruits,vegetables...are inserted.
These offerings for the gods are put on shrines,platforms,never on the ground(place of the demons).
During the ceremony,holy water is poured by the priest on the offerings.
Once presented to the gods,offerings may not be used again but may be taken home and eaten by the believers.