A woman praying in a Pelinggih, on the edge of a rice field in Geriana Kauh Village, Bali, Indonesia. Around 1970 until late 1990, their rice fields damaged by pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Just over the past decade, villagers have developed organic farming and returned to a ritual that glorifies nature.
In the afternoon before Sang Hyang Dedari's sacred ritual, female youths of the village gathers and assembles Gelung--crown of a dancer made of pomelo skin, and five kinds of flowers: frangipani, gumitir, cempaka, kenanga, and Asian Pigeonwings. The crown is placed on a banana leaf because it can not touch the ground to keep its purity.
Ni Kadek Anggi Riskayanti poses for a portrait before sacred ritual begins. The dominant color of clothing consist white and yellow, it symbolizes glory and holiness. The uniqueness of Sang Hyang Dedari's Gelung (crown) from Geriana Kauh village made from plants grown within the village, villagers believe it aims to modesty, brings them closer to nature, also encourages people to preserve the plants.
The Sang Hyang Dedari candidates sit during Pengukupan-- the calling of the goddess in Dadya Dalam Carukan temple. Shortly after inhaling the smoke of incense, instantly they lost consciousness, then lie down with their eyes closed, believed the goddesses have possesed the bodies. Women who used to be Sang Hyang Dedari, will help carry them to take to Catus Patha (intersection). Ni Kadek Astiti Asih covers her face as she inhales the incense smoke. She failed to become Sang Hyang Dedari that night. Of the six girls selected, only five girls succeeded in becoming Sang Hyang Dedari that night.
After stopping almost 30 years and almost extinct, Sang Hyang Dedari's sacred dance procession was successfully revived in the last decade. Ni Komang Septiani walks through the audience, blessing them with the holy water before she finally climbs the temple, washes her feet, bless herself and falls into sleep, closing sacred procession that night.
A month after the procession, Geriana Kauh village harvest their agriculture product. During the absence of ritual, villagers experienced 30% deficit in their harvest. Therefore Sang Hyang Dedari sacred ritual was revived as the villagers believe the ritual brings more prosper and successful harvest. In this picture women in the village are in charge of separating the rice grain from the plants. After Sang Hyang Dedari sacred ritual revived, villagers