| Uluwatu Temple | • | Sadha Kapal Temple |
• | Taman Ayun Temple | • | Kehen Temple |
• | Pancering Jagat Temple | • | Penulisan Temple |
• | Pulaki Temple | • | Meduwe Karang Temple |
• | Rambut Siwi Temple | • | Besakih Temple |
• | Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Temple) | • | Luhur Batukaru Temple |
• | Batur Temple | • | Tanah Lot Temple |
• | Jagatnatha Temple | • | Makori Temple |
• | Tampak Siring | • | Sakenan Temple |
• | Maospahit Temple | • | Petilan Pengrebongan Temple |
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Uluwatu Temple | | | | |
Located
at the western most tip of Bukit
Peninsula, this temple is one of Bali's
Kayangan Jagat Temples. Its location is
dramatic, perched on the edge of a high
cliff with a picturesque sunset view. The
temple is carved from the enormous limestone rock.
‘Ulu’ means head, ‘watu’ means rock, and ‘Luhur’
implies heavenly, ancestral, original
and transcendent all at once.
Uluwatu Temple was first used for worship by the holy 11th
century priest, Empu Kuturan, who came
to Bali to convey religious law and to
form Desa Adat (traditional villages).
This temple was then used for worship by
the next holy priest, Dang Hyang
Nirartha, who came to Bali at the end of
1550 and ended his holy voyage in this
area. |
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Sadha Kapal Temple |
This temple is famous for its detailed
and beautiful decorative carving. Dating from Majapahit
period, it originally was an old dynasty sanctuary
(prasada) of Ratu
Jayengrat, a noble, who sailed from
Majapahit and stranded on the coral reef
at Kapal Village.
This temple was
destructive by earthquake in 1917 and has
not been restored until 1950. The split
gate and a 16meter high tower inside the temple
are constructed much like ‘candi’ (temple)
in Java. The 64 stone seats, similar to
megalithic shrines, memorialize warriors
who died in battle. |
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Taman Ayun Temple |
Taman Ayun which means beautiful garden,
is located in Mengwi Village, 18 km
northwest of Denpasar. It was built in
1634 by I Gusti Agung Anom, a founder of
the Mengwi Kingdom, and became the main temple
for the ancient Mengwi Kingdom. The temple is surrounded
by ponds which give the effect from a distance as
if the temple is floating on water.
Taman Ayun Temple was renovated in 1937.
The grassy area of the outermost
courtyard, the fine array of roofs (merus)
and pavilions in the inner courtyard,
and its well-kept appearance make it one
of the most beautiful temples in Bali.
The temple complex consists of three
ground areas. In the outermost court is
Bale Wantilan which is used for all
events, religious ceremonies, dance
performances or cock fighting. To the west, there
is a decorative fountain called Padma Sana. In the
innermost court, surrounded by a small pond, there
are 29 buildings which function as places
for the gods and goddesses, called Bale
Pelik with beautiful carvings,
interesting relics and statues of the
nine gods, Dewa Nawa Sanga. The whole complex of
temple symbolizes the great Mandhara Mountain turning
in a sea of milk. |
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Kehen Temple |
Kehen Temple, one of ancient temples in
Bali, is located at the south of Bangli in Cempaga
village, about 43km from Denpasar. It was built
by Sri Bhatara Guru Adikunti Ketana who reigned
Bangli kingdom in the 12th
century in a terraced mountain
sanctuary. The people of Bangli believe
that Kehen Temple is the largest and the
most sacred temple of the region and regard
it as the state temple of Bangli.
This temple is worshipped by people around the village.
The ceremony takes place on Rabu Kliwon Shinta where
Ngusaba ritual is held one in a three years
period, which is on fifth Purnama around
November.
Kehen Temple offers an authentic Balinese temple
atmosphere. It has three courtyards connected by
steps, and is decorated with carvings and statues.
In the first courtyard is a huge Banyan
tree, surrounded by walls inlaid with
Chinese porcelain. In the next courtyard,
multi-roofed shrines (merus)
dominate the area. On the right side of this inner
courtyard are three throne shrines
representing the Hindu Trinity, Brahma,
Wisnu and Siwa.
Besides its magnificent panorama, Kehen Temple has
a variety of ancient manuscripts. There is a
manuscript about the slaughter of a black
bull during a feast held in the temple
in the year 1204.
At the foot of
the stairway is an old temple, which has a
collection of historical manuscripts inscribed
on bronze plates. Statues, carved in a shadow puppet
style, line the first terrace from which steps lead
to the most important gate (the Great Exit).
Like other split gates found in all
Balinese temples, above the gate looms the
hideous face and splayed hands of Kala Makara. This
terrifying creature symbolizes the demonic one who
catches harmful spirits and prevents them from
entering the sacred space. On the other
side of this area is a statue of a
villager gesturing a welcome to visitors.
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Pancering Jagat Temple |
Pancering Jagat Temple is located in
Trunyan village, Kintamani. The temple’s
name is taken from Arca da Tonta or Ratu Gede Pusering
Jagat, a megalithic 4-meter high statue. The ceremony
in this temple is usually held on Purnamaning
Sasih Kapat around October.
Barong Brutuk dance is performed on the
ceremony to commemorate the legendary
wedding anniversary of Ratu Sakti
Pancering Jagat; the guardian of the
village and Ratu Ayu Dalem Pingit (Ratu Ayu Dalem Dasar). This dance can only be performed by adolescent boys (Sekeha Teruna)
of that village. The boys, together with
the village elders, must fulfill certain requirements
such as be successful in holiness ceremony for 42
days in Pancering Jagat Temple with certain
offerings. |
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Penulisan Temple |
Bukit Penulisan (Penulisan hill)
is located at 1745m above sea level,
approximately 3km from Kintamani, or 30km from the
capital city of Bangli. Bukit Penulisan is also
called Bukit Tunggal because its site is separated
from mountain range stretches along from west
to east of Bali.
Around 9th
century, Tegeh Koripan Temple was built
on Bukit Penulisan. It is also known as
Puncak Penulisan Temple since it is
located on the peak of Bukit Penulisan.
An old stairway leads to Puncak Penulisan
Temple, the ancient temple as well as the
highest temple in the island. During a
clear day, the view is breathtaking. The
temple is even more romantic and mysterious
when covered in a foggy mist. |
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Pulaki Temple |
Pulaki
Temple is located in Bayupoh Village,
about 53km west of Singaraja. It is situated
on a hill that is about 25m from the beach. This
temple is inhabited by monkeys which are considered
as the descendants of Dewa (Gods).
Pulaki Temple is one of the Sad Kahyangan Temples (the main temples)
in Bali. There are also Pabena Temple
and Pemuteran Temple which is well-known
for its hot water nearby. |
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Meduwe Karang Temple |
Meduwe
Karang Temple is located in Kubutambahan
Village, 12km east of Singaraja. This
temple is a place to pray for the plantation
to be fruitful.
The stairs are
guiding the visitors to the big area of
the temple. In front of the temple there are
rows of statues telling the story of Ramayana. The
inner part of the temple is the most sacred for
Hinduism people. It is decorated with carvings
reflecting the nobleness and the daily
life. |
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Rambut Siwi Temple |
Rambut
Siwi Temple is located on the top of a
cliff, overlooking a breathtaking view of
paddy fields on one side and the black sandy
beach on the other.
This spot
is a favorite hangout for painters. The
temple itself was built by Dang Hyang Nirartha.
Legend has it that he dedicated his hair to the
temple. Therefore, the temple is known as Rambut
Siwi which literally means ‘hair worship’. |
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Besakih Temple |
Besakih
Temple, over 900 meters up the slopes of
Mount Agung, is the largest and most
sacred Hindu temples in the island. It is named
after Naga Besukian, the dragon god thought by pre-Hindu
Balinese to inhabit Mount Agung, the highest
mountain in Bali. Besakih Temple has been
regarded as a central, holy temple for
the entire island since the Gelgel
Dynasty of the 15th
century. Today, it is referred by all Balinese as
the mother temple of Bali.
Over a thousand years and more, Besakih Temple was
extended to the present complex of about 30
temples. There are three main temples
within Besakih Temple; Pura Penataran
Agung, dedicated to Sang Hyang Widi Wasa.
Inside the main courtyard stands the three-seated
shrine enthroning the Trisakti, the trinity of Brahma,
Visnu and Siwa. During festivals the shrines are
wrapped in colored cloth symbolic of the
deities.
The other two main temples are Pura Kiduling Kreteg,
dedicated to Brahma; and Pura Batu Madeg, dedicated
to Wisnu.
For Balinese people, a visit to the temple sanctuaries
at Besakih is a special pilgrimage. Each temple
has its own anniversary ceremony (Odalan) and on the full moon (Kedasa)
the entire compound of Besakih
commemorates the visit of the gods with
an enormous mass of visiting pilgrims. |
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Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Temple) |
Goa Lawah is one of the most sacred temples in Bali, built by the high priest ‘Empu Kuturan’ in 11th
century. The center of the temple is
built around a natural cave inhabited by
thousands of bats hanging down and flying
around, as well as holy python snakes.
Legend has it that this cave is a dwelling place
of Naga Basuki, the mythical and sacred dragon of
the Mount Agung as well as the guardian of Besakih
temple.
This temple is located in Wates village, on the
southeast coast of Bali, west of Candidasa, approximately
50km east of Denpasar. It is considered as one
of the important temples in the island.
Balinese people come to this temple with
offerings to complete a cremation
ceremony, called Nyegara Gunung ceremony.
This
temple was used as a place of worship by
the King of Klungkung in the 17th
century. Goa Lawah was also used to test
the people who found guilty of breaking
the law.
Around the 17th
century, a dispute happened between the
King of Mengwi's sons, I Gusti Ngurah
Made Agung and I Gusti Ketut Agung. I
Gusti Ketut Agung was not accepted as the
descendant of the King of Mengwi. He was
sent to be tested by the King of Klungkung who was
respected as the highest king. The King of Klungkung
asked I Gusti Ketut Agung to enter Goa Lawah. If
he came out alive he would be
acknowledged as a descendant. I Gusti
Ketut Agung accepted the sentence,
entered the cave and finally came out in Besakih.
Based on the King of
Klungkung’s decision, he then was
acknowledged as a part of the King of
Mengwi's family. He was known as I Gusti Ketut Agung
Besakih when he became a king. It is said that he
became deaf because of entering the cave. |
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Luhur Batukaru Temple |
Luhur
Watukaru Temple is located in Wangaya
Gede village, approximately 21 km northwest
of Tabanan. This temple is one of six sacred temples
(Sad Kahyangan) in Bali.
The temple is surrounded by thick foliage
and refreshing fresh air. There are old
Balinese remains in this temple. Numerous
local and foreign visitors visit this
temple, especially on its temple festival,
which is usually held on Umanis Galungan, one day
after Galungan. |
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Batur Temple (Ulun Danu Batur Temple) |
Batur
Temple, also known as Ulun Danu Batur
Temple, is located in Kalanganyar, Batur
village, Kintamani, approximately 900 meters above
sea level. It is also known as the Temple of the
Crater Lake, dedicated to the Lake Goddess Ida Batara
Dewi Ulun Danu, and Tirta Empul, where
run the holiest waters of Bali, believed
to have magical curative powers.
Batur Temple is the second largest temple
in the island. Huge ceremony, called
Ngusaba ke Dasa, is held here every
year.In the past, Batur Temple was
located on the south western slope of mount Batur.
After the destructive eruption in 1917 which ruined
the temple. Head of the village along with the
villagers brought the surviving shrines
and rebuilt Batur Temple to the higher
place in Kalanganyar.
In 1927, the people of Batur rebuilt Ulun Danu Temple
which once lay at the foot of the volcano.
Most of the 285 planned shrines are yet
to be completed. At present, the temple
is simply designed. |
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Tanah Lot Temple |
Tanah
Lot, located on the west coast of Bali,
in Beraban village in Tabanan regency, is
one of the most popular sites in Bali. Tanah
Lot means the ancient land as well as the land to
the south.
This temple was built in the 15th
century by the priest Pedanda Bahu Rawuh
or Danghyang Nirartha from Majapahit
Kingdom. During his voyage along the
south coast he caught sight of a rock
island and rested there. Some fishermen noticed
him and invited him to stay at their hut. Nirartha
refused, saying he preferred to spend the night
on the little island. That evening, he talked to
the fishermen and advised them to build a
shrine on the rock. Nirartha felt it
would be a holy and appropriate place to
worship God.
Built on a small cape,
Tanah Lot is only accessible at low
tide. During high tide, the rock appears
as a large ship at sea. There are several small
and big shrines nearby, the biggest one is Pekendungan
Temple. There is a spring considered sacred not
far from this temple.
Poisonous
snakes inhabit the nearby caves as the
guardian of the temple. The perfect time
to visit Tanah Lot is at the sunset when
the golden red sky surrounds the temple
and the wave crashes into the rocks.
Though Tanah Lot is a small sanctuary, it
is related to several sea temples on the
south coast of Bali: Pura Sakenan, Pura
Uluwatu, Pura Rambut Siwi and Pura
Petitenget. All these temples are related to
the primary mountain sanctuaries: Besakih at Mount
Agung, Pura Batur at Batur and Pura Luhur at Mount
Batukaru. |
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Jagatnatha Temple |
Jagadnatha
Temple is located in Denpasar, on the
north side of Museum Bali and the east
side of Puputan Square. It is built towards
the west as any other temples in Bali.
This temple is built as the result of Parisada Dharma
Hindu Bali’s convention on November 20, 1961
in Campuhan, Ubud, Gianyar. One of decisions is
to establish the center of religious
educational activity to intensify the
Hindu religion in Bali especially and
Indonesia generally.
Every fifteen
days, on the full moon and on the dark
moon, this temple is full of Hindu's people
coming to pray which most of them are from Denpasar.
Sometimes, after the praying ceremony, the shadow
puppet show (Wayang) is held in the afternoon and the evening beside this temple. |
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Makori Temple |
Makori
Temple is located in Blimbing village,
55km from Denpasar or 32km from Tabanan.
This temple consists of many stones hidden in the
forest. It does not similar to other temple in Bali,
but it is a place where people pray to their God. |
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Tampak Siring |
Tirta
Empul Temple is built at Tampak Siring
around the sacred spring which is believed
to have magical curative powers. It is said that
the God Indra created the spring when he pierced
the earth to build the Amerta, the elixir of
immortality, with which he revived his
forces whom were poisoned by Mayadanawa.
Over 1000 years old, the temple and its
two bathing places have been used by the
people for good health and prosperity
because of the spring water's healing
powers. Regular ceremonies are held for purification,
especially pregnant women and those who have endured
a long sickness. On the full moon of the fourth
month each year, the villagers from
nearby Manukaya take a sacred stone to be
cleansed at Tirta Empul.
On the hill above the sacred spring is the
Government Palace, built in 1954 which
was once a resting home for Dutch
officials. It was also the former President
Soekarno’s residence during his frequent trips
to the island.
On the
south of Tirta Empul, near Mount Kawi, there
is Mengening Temple. There is a relation between
these three places. Mengening Temple also has a
spring of pure water. It is considered as the
memorial temple of King Udayana. |
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Sakenan Temple |
Sakenan Temple is built in the 13th
century by a holy priest ‘Dang Hyang
Dwijendra’ on a small island called
Serangan Island near Benoa Harbour and
Nusa Dua.
This temple is divided
into two parts. Inside the first part,
there is a shrine of Cri Cedana or Dewi
Sri, the goddess of prosperity and welfare. In the
second part of Sakenan Temple, there are shrines
for the Prasanak, the relatives of Dewi Sri who
come to visit the temple on its anniversary
day.
On the holy day of Manis Kuningan, Sakenan Temple
commemorates the anniversary of its founder Mpu
Kuturan. The festival is held in two days which
begins on the last day of Kuningan Wuku and ends
on the first day of Langkir Wuku. |
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Maospahit Temple |
Maospahit Temple was built around 14th
century. It was restored following a
large earthquake in 1917. It is
associated with Majapahit Kingdom as
parts of this ancient temple imitated from Majapahit
Kingdom. |
Some relics of the Maospahit Temple: |
• | Gedong has two Arca Terracota which put at right left entrance. |
• | Gedong
Kemimitan has one Arca
Terracota Pergina and one fragment
Arca Terracota. |
• | Candi
Bentar has relic of Garuda
on the left side and relic of
Bima on the right side. |
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Maospahit
Temple used to be a kingdom temple when
Badung kingdom was still the authority.
Nowadays, there are 20 families who take care the
temple and its ceremony. |
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Petilan Pengrebongan Temple |
Petilan
Pengerebongan Temple is located at
Kesiman Petilan Village, East Denpasar.
This temple is one of Dang Kahyangan and is well-known
for its Ngerebong ceremony. Petilan Pengerebongan
Temple consists of two parts: Jeroan temple and
Jaba temple. It is in wantilan hall of
Jaba temple, Ngerebong ceremony takes
place.
Ngerebong ceremony is a
religious ceremony which involves a large
number of barongs and rangdas. Along
with a large number of people who become in
trance, they encircle the wantilan hall three times
in a long procession. |
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