KARANGASEM, Eyewitness – In the sacred courtyard of Pura Agung Besakih, the “Mother” of all temples in Bali, a small movement with great potential is being born from the hands of the younger generation. On Sunday (May 31, 2026), dozens of indigenous youth members of the Sekaa Teruna community gathered not for a typical ceremonial event, but to learn how to transform something previously considered “sacred waste” into a new source of life: compost from canang waste.
Held at the Rare Semesta Education Center, Banjar Dinas Besakih Kawan, the activity, titled “Training on Canang Waste Composting for the Indigenous Youth Community (Sekaa Teruna) in the Pura Agung Besakih Environment,” presented an interesting blend of Hindu spirituality and concrete environmental conservation actions.
When Offerings Never End Up in the Trash
Every day, thousands of canang sari (flower offerings) are offered by Hindus throughout Bali as a form of gratitude to Sang Hyang Widhi. However, behind the beauty of these coconut leaves and flowers lies an often overlooked environmental issue: the mounting piles of organic waste, especially around the largest temples like Besakih, which are visited by thousands of devotees.
This is where the concept of ecotheology finds its place. Rather than viewing the offerings as an end in themselves, this training teaches that maintaining cleanliness and environmental sustainability is an integral part of spiritual practice itself. Maintaining the Great Temple of Besakih, therefore, means maintaining Mother Earth.
This spirit aligns with the noble Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, the three sources of happiness born from a balanced relationship between humans and God (parhyangan), fellow humans (pawongan), and the natural environment (palemahan). By composting canang sari, the indigenous youth not only nurture their relationship with the Creator but also honor the natural world that sustains their lives.
Part of Indonesia’s Climate Commitment on the Global Stage
This activity was more than just a local training. The event, initiated by the Rare Semesta Foundation, was part of the 4th Period of the Community Fund for the Environment (Small Grant) Service, and was opened by the Project Director of FOLU Net Sink 2030, supported by the fourth phase of the Indonesia-Norway Partnership (FOLU-NC4).
The FOLU (Forestry and Other Land Use) Net Sink 2030 program is Indonesia’s strategic agenda to make the forestry and land use sectors a net carbon sink by 2030. Support from the Indonesia-Norway partnership positions this grassroots initiative in Besakih as part of global efforts to reduce emissions and maintain climate balance, demonstrating that major global action can be rooted in small movements at the indigenous community level.
Also present at the Kelihan Banjar Adat (Cultural Village) and Kelihan Banjar Dinas Besakih Kawan (Friends), as well as the opening of the Kelihan Desa Adat Besakih (Cultural Village) was Jro Mangku Widiartha.
Knowledge from Experts for the Next Generation
Participants received knowledge from a number of interdisciplinary experts. In a panel presentation, Prof. Dr. Gusti Ngurah Ketut Putera, S.Ag., M.Pd. discussed the relevance of Hindu educational management in strengthening ecotheology for the younger generation, while Dr. I Wayan Agus Gunada, S.Pd.H., M.Pd. presented the theme “Ecotheology: Protecting the Agung Besakih Temple, Protecting Mother Earth.”
The session then continued with practical mentoring. Dewa Ayu Agustini Posmaningsih, SKM., M.Kes., along with the Denpasar Ministry of Health Polytechnic Team, guided community-based waste management. Dr. I Wayan Karta, M.Si., introduced the concept of environmental ethnology in organic waste management and herbal utilization, complete with hands-on practice that involved young people processing canang waste into compost.
Hope Growing from the Land of Besakih
What makes this movement special is its spearhead: indigenous youth. Involving Sekaa Teruna Basuki Yowana Dharma and Yowana Desa Adat Besakih, this training sows the seeds of ecological awareness in the generation that will one day inherit the responsibility of safeguarding Bali’s most sacred temple.
From the Besakih courtyard, a simple yet powerful message resonates: that faith and environmental sustainability are never in conflict. That every canang offered sincerely can continue its goodness—this time in the form of fertile soil that fosters new life.
A small step at the foot of Mount Agung, towards a more sustainable Mother Earth.(*)
