The Concept of Sakti and Hindu Women's Leadership in Bali Divine Feminine Authority in Contemporary Religious Practice

Abstract

This article examines the dynamics of Hindu women's religious leadership in Bali by placing the concept of Sakti, or divine feminine power, as the main interpretive framework. In Balinese Hindu tradition, Sakti is not merely a metaphysical entity, but is also concretely manifested in the body, space, and rituals led by women. Through a religious ethnographic approach conducted in three regions Tabanan Regency, Bangli Regency, and Denpasar City, this study explores how Hindu women acquire and exercise spiritual authority within a religious structure still dominated by patriarchal norms. The research reveals that Balinese women are not only custodians of tradition but also agents of transformation in the contemporary religious landscape. Through their roles as Jro Mangku Istri, spiritual teachers, ashram managers, and local ritual leaders, they create new spaces of agency that blend the sacredness of the female body with sacred legitimacy. The concept of Sakti serves as a symbolic and spiritual language to negotiate power, expand spaces for participation, and break through structural limitations within religious authority. By highlighting the relationship between the body, ritual, and sacred power, this article argues that Hindu women's leadership in Bali represents a rearticulation of the meaning of Sakti that not only strengthens the continuity of tradition but also paves the way for a more equitable and transformative model of spirituality. These findings contribute to the global discourse on religion, gender, and authority, while enriching local studies on religiosity based on the relationship between the divine and the profane in the Balinese context.