Bali Attractions > Bali Temples

<<prev | next>>

Temples In Bangli

Pura Ulun Danu Batur
Five kilometres north of Penelokan, Pura Ulun Danu Batur is the second most important temple on the island after the Besakih complex, and one of the highly venerated directional temples, Kayangan Jagat, this one protects Bali from the North. It's fascinating temple to visit at anytime. As there are usually pilgrims making offerings or praying here, and the mist that frequently shrouds the area adds to the atmosphere, with grand structure looming out of the clouds. The eleven day odalan festival is particularly spectacular and attended by people from all over the island.

The temple is very different from any other in Bali in several respects. A virgin priestess of the temple selects 24 boys who will serve the goddess as priests in the temple for life. The most important priest, the high priest, Jero Gede or Sanglingan, is selected by the virgin priestess, and is believed to be the earthly representative of the goddess of the lake. His days are spent making offerings to her on behalf of the many pilgrims who come the temple, and at night he dreams under her guidance. Any farmer or Subak with plan that may affect the flow of the water in their area, or who are in comnflict with others about irrigation system come to confer with the Jero Gde, whose word in accepted as final.

With two extra courtyards to the right of the traditional outer, middle and inner ones, Pura Ulun Danu Batur is completely overwhelming for most visitors, simply because of the sheer number of shrines. Most significant is the eleven roofed Meru in the inner courtyard dedicated both to Dewi Danu, the goddess of the lake and to the god of Gunung Agung. On the left side of the middle courtyard is rather unusual shrine, tended by local Chinese community. Dedicated to Ratu Gde Subandar, the Great Lord Harbourmaster and storekeeper for the gods, it's likely that this image dates back to precolonial times when each king had a harbourmaster or trading master who was often Chinese. Most of the other shrines are either dedicated two particular god or honour the deified ancestors of particular ruling houses or clans. The kulkul tower in the outer courtyard to the left houses a drum that is beaten 45 times each morning to honour the 45 deities worshipped in the temple.

Puncaksari Temple
Located on the hill of Pulasari in Peninjoan Village , Pucaksari Temple and its surrounding villages have a cool climate. The temple provides a full view of a typical Balinese landscape going all the way to the southern beaches of Bali . At down, the sun rises behind mount Agung , amidst the tall, ancient tress that grow by the temple. In the predawn glow, seen from a far, a carpet of foliage which seem pristine an untouched. From the hills summit notice how the village compounds/scattered in the valleys and hills complement the nature that surrounds it, as if being a part of it all.

Temples In Tabanan

Pura Alas Kedaton
Monkey forest temple. Alas Kedaton is located in Kukuh Village of Marga Subdistrict + 4 km from Tabanan City or some twenty-five kilometres north of Denpasar. Alas Kedaton is actually a temple and this temple have two very interesting uniqueness. Own four entrance into the temple that is from west representing especial entrance northerly the other, East and from South arch which is all go to the middle of the yard. Secondary unique is the yard in representing holy place exactly its location is lower the than middle yard and outside yard.

This sanctum is encircled by forest dwelt by a group of monkey assumed as holy monkey. Beside that also there are a group of bat which live to hang-on in big wood tree bough and flies at any times, representing a very interesting attraction for tourist both foreign and local.

Ceremony in this temple is held on Tuesday (Anggara manis) twenty day after Feast Day Of Galungan. Which such ceremony started in the day time and should have finished before sunset. This temple often is also referred as temple of Alas Kedaton or Dalem Kahyangan Temple.

Pura Luhur Batukau
Usually silent except for its resident orchestra of cicadas and frogs, Pura Luhur Batukau does full justice to its epithet, the "garden temple". The grassy courtyards are planted with flowering hibiscus, javanese ixora and cempaka shrubs. and the montane forest that carpets the slopes of Gunung Batukau encroaches on the compound's perimeters to the north, east and west. Monuments are encrusted with moist green moss, and a web of path fans out to solitary shrines set further into the forest. Batukau's bird population finds plenty to feed on here, so you are likely to see a fair number of forest dwellers, including bright green woodpecker like barbets, scarlet minivets, olive-green grey-headed flycatchers and possibly even scarlet-headed flowerpeckers in the temple treetops.

Pura Luhur Batukau is thought to have become a holy site in the eleventh century, and was subsequently consecrated by the rajas of the kingdom of Tabanan who made it into their state temple and dedicated shrines here to their ancestral gods. In 1604, however, the rival rajas of Buleleng razed the shrines to the ground and, although devotees continued to worship at the ruins, the temple was not fully renovated until 1959. Many of the thatched meru now standing inside the inner sanctuary still represent a particular branch or member of the ancestral family of the rajas Tabanan. The most important shrine, though, is the unusual seven-tiered pagoda which is dedicated to Mahadewa, the god of Gunung Batukau. To the east of the main temple compound,a large square pond has been dug to represent and honour the gods of nearby Lake Tamblingan, which lies immediately to the north of Gunung Batukau. Only Batukau's priests are allowed access to the tiny island shrine in the middle of the pond, which they reach by means of a makeshift raft on a pulley.

Temples In Klungkung

Pura Tamansari and Penataran Agung Area
Tamansari and Penataran Agung Temples are located in the territory of Sengguan hamlet of Klungkung District. It is about 500 meters at north-east of Semarapura town. Its environment is one of the interesting tourist-objects with beautiful panorama at the back-ground of hilly view. It is also the historical remains of Majapahit era. The festival day of Tamansari temple falls on Saturday Kliwon Wuku Landep (a kind of auspicious day in Balinese calendar0. the weapons of royal heirlooms of Klungkung Kingdom are brought to the temple to be ritualized. While the Penataran Agung Temple located at the southern part, is also an important one for it is closely involved when great festival held in Besakih Mother temple . Beside it is often served as background of Barong Performance to tourist.

Panti Timrah
It is name of a Temple situated at Paksebali village belonging to district of Dawan, Klungkung regency about 3 kilometers east of Semarapura town. The interesting thing can be watched here is the arrangement but exciting to see. At the sight of "Dewa Maseraman" activity 7 sacred palankeens are carried on pushing each other here and there. One with cloth is overwhelmed by the other six palankeens, but however eventually the one with as the winner. The festival is usually done on Sunday that is a day after Kuningan Holiday.

Kentel Gumi Temple
The environment of Kentel Gumi temple situated at Banjarangkan district, Klungkung regency about 33 kilometers east of Denpasar. The refreshing environment makes it so attractive especially during the festivals extremely worth visiting.

Pura Klotok
Situated at a shore about 5 kilometers to the South Semarapura town. This environment is really interesting for its splendid view with scenic rice-fields at the background. While far the distance the peak of mount Agung with the stretch of turbulent wave of the ocean offshore cracks the silence to the visitors. This temple is functioned to beg for the wealth of crops. The festival is held every year on the fifth Purnama (Full-moon) day. Klotok Temple is also highly important for its involment to the great ceremonies in Besakih Mother Temple . "Melasti" ceremony often takes place here. Where Pratimas (a Pratima is a kind of ritual tool regarded as sacred) and the others are brought to Klotok beach several days before the new Caka year (the day of quietness). When the Ceremony held here, a great many worshipers overwhelm the environment of the temple.

<<prev | next>>

back to top