The canang sari is a daily offering made by Balinese Hindus to thank the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God Almighty) in praise and prayer, which is believed to create a mutual relationship between humans and spirits. It is a familiar sight in puras (temples), shops, small shrines in local houses and even on the sidewalks and steps.
The term canang sari is said to derive from Balinese words: sari (essence) and canang (small palm-leaf basket). Originally, canang sari's main materials, also known as peporosan, included betel leaf and nuts, gambier, lime and tobacco, in which each element represented four Hindu gods.
The colors of the flowers used as offerings are said to symbolize different gods. The white flowers are a symbol of Iswara, red is Brahma, yellow is Mahadeva and the blue or green ones are Vishnu. The mini baskets also come in various shapes and designs.
Balinese Hindu principles are known to revolve around obtaining balance and harmony between different elements in life and afterlife, also known as dasar asasi. Small efforts such as making and giving offerings are believed to have an impact on maintaining balance between humans, nature and the spirits.
For this reason also, if one day you visit Bali and stumble upon an offering tray on the sidewalks, do respect the offering by not kicking it or stepping on it.