page_title: Dewi Sri
section_title: Ritual and custom
hierarchical_section_title: Dewi Sri / Attributes and legends / Ritual and custom
caption_attribution_description: English: Sacrificial house for the goddess of rice Dewi Sri in the rice fields, Jawa Bahasa Indonesia: Negatif. Tempat pemujaan di tengah persawahan bagi Dewi Sri, dewi kesuburan. Karangtengah, Jawa Nederlands: Negatief. Rijstsnijdende vrouw bij offerhuisje rijstgodin Dewi Çri, Karangtengah
context_page_description: Dewi Sri or Shridevi, Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese pre-Hindu and pre-Islam goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshiped on the islands of Bali and Java, Indonesia.
  The cult of the rice goddess has its origin in the prehistoric domestication, development and propagation of rice cultivation in Asia, possibly brought by Austroasiatic or Austronesian population that finally migrated and settled in the archipelago. Similar but slightly different rice spirits mythologies are widespread among Indonesian ethnicities and also neighboring countries.
  Although the mythology of Dewi Sri is native to Java, after the adoption of Hinduism in the archipelago as early as the first century, she was equated with the Hindu goddess Shri Lakshmi, and often regarded as an incarnation or one of her manifestations, as both are associated with wealth and family prosperity. Thus subsequently her iconography and depictions adopted the typical Hindu goddess attribute, style and aesthetic.
context_section_description: Dewi Sri remains highly revered especially by the Javanese, Balinese, and Sundanese people of Indonesia though there are many regional analogues or variations of her legend throughout Indonesia. Despite most Indonesians being observant Sunni Muslims or Balinese Hindus the indigenous underlying animist-era beliefs, notably of Sunda Wiwitan and Kejawen, remain very strong, are worshipped parallel to Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity without conflict; and are cultivated by the Royal Courts, especially of Cirebon, Ubud, Surakarta and Yogyakarta, which are also popular local and international tourist attractions. The Javanese harvest ceremony is called Sekaten or Grebeg Mulud which also corresponds to Maulid Nabi; the birth of prophet Muhammad.
  Traditional Javanese people, especially those who are observant Kejawen, in particular have a small shrine called Pasrean (the place of Sri) in their house dedicated to Dewi Sri, decorated with her bust, idol or other likeness of her alone; or with Sedana and possibly with a ceremonial or functional ani-ani or ketam: a small palm harvesting knife, or  arit: the small, sickle-shaped rice-harvesting knife. This shrine is commonly decorated with intricate carvings of snakes (occasionally snake-dragons: naga). Worshippers make token food offerings and prayers to Dewi Sri so she may grant health and prosperity to the family. The traditional male-female couple sculpture of Loro Blonyo is considered as the personification of Sri and Sedana or Kamarati and Kamajaya, the symbol of domestic happiness and family harmony.
  Among the rural Javanese, there is the folk-tradition if a snake having entered a house it will not be chased away. Instead, the people in the house will give it offerings, as the snake is a good omen of a successful harvest. Additionally, a ceremonial or auspicious keris will be employed by a folk-healer, sooth-sayer, paranormal or shaman in a winding, circum-ambulatory ceremony to bless and protect the villagers, the village, their shrines and the seeds of rice to be planted.
  The Javanese and Sundanese has a traditional ceremony called mapag Sri prior to rice harvest. Mapag Sri literary means "to pick up Sri", or to be precise "to call or invite Sri." The ceremony means to invoke the spirit of Sri to come to their village and also as a thanksgiving for a coming successful harvest.
  The Sundanese people, especially those who are observant Sunda Wiwitan, have their own unique festival dedicated to her, such as Seren Taun annual rice harvest festival, a tradition dated back to ancient Kingdom of Sunda era. During the blessing of rice seeds ceremony before planting the seeds or during the harvest ceremony, Sundanese and also Baduy people, sing certain song such as Pangemat and Angin-angin. These songs was meant to call and invite the goddess to come down to earth and bless the rice seeds, bless the farmers, and ngaruwat or tolak bala; to ward off bad luck and to prevent all misfortune befell upon the people.
  The Balinese provide special shrines in the rice fields dedicated to Dewi Sri. The effigy of the rice goddess is often made from carefully weaved janur (young coconut leaf), lontar or pandan leaf, or colored sticky rice and is called "Cili". In current Balinese Hindu belief, Dewi Sri corresponds to an amalgamation of the Hindu goddesses Lakshmi, Devi, and Shri. She also associated with rice, fertility, successful harvest, and family prosperity and harmony.
  Similar rice goddesses also can be found in other Asian countries such as Mae Po Sop; Siamese rice goddess in Thailand, and Khmer Po Ino Nogar; rice goddess of Cambodia.
caption: A small shrine for Dewi Sri in the rice field, Karangtengah.
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