The Pilgrimage to Gunung Rinjani on Lombok, Indonesia

Every year at the beginning of the rainy season, members of the Hindu-Balinese minority trek to the volcano Gunung Rinjani and the crater lake Segara Anak. In this spectacular environment, which is characterized by fire, water and smoke, the pilgrims sacrifice to the deity Batara Gunung and ask for permission to fetch water from the crater lake and local springs. The pilgrims bring this Holy Water down into the valley in order to consecrate the flock with it on the fifth full moon of the Hindu-Balinese calendar. For both Hindu-Balinese and Muslim-Sasak, Gunung Rinjani and Segara Anak constitute the sacred center of Lombok.

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