3 Holy and Divine Temples Must Visits in Bali

Bali is known by many as a sacred and a holy place. With the number of temples and religious practices present in the state, how can’t it be? These temples may be a serene and peaceful place for the Balinese locals, but tourists alike can also experience this zen for themselves.

Before going into details with the best temples to see in Bali, let’s take a small history lesson on Bali’s religious practices. Bali basically follows three principles: they are desa (place), kala (time), and patra (circumstances) and they also live by the principles of Hinduism. Hinduism is practiced by 95% of the total population of Bali and they teach the principles of achieving peace and harmony in life by the guidance of Wedas as their holy scriptures.

In addition, the people should maintain the harmony within themselves by participating in rituals. There are different kinds of rituals in Bali, from gaining knowledge, cleansing one’s inner self, marriage and birth ceremonies. There are also different types and levels of rituals and all require calling upon their deity to visit them in their heavenly abode. In terms of when do they do these rituals, the Balinese follow a complex calendar for it.

Now, let’s proceed to the temples. Bali’s temples are open yards and simple walled in where the Balinese can communicate directly with their gods. Their gods often visit them during temple festivals (odalan). They live in houses set in the temple called the pelinggih shrines.

Today, the temples are now considered tourist attractions in Bali, Indonesia. They may be tourist attractions now but they’ve maintained their holiness throughout the entire years. If you’re new to Bali, here’s a list of the recommended temples you may want to visit.

PURA BESAKIH

Known to be Bali’s holiest temple and also the “Mother Temple” of PuraBesakih, this temple stands 3000 feet up GunungAgung in East Bali. There are also 23 separate temples that surround the “Mother Temple” that date back to the 10th century.

In addition, the temples main axis is aligned to the peak of GunungAgung. This is the tallest mountain top in all of East Bali and also considered to be the holiest mountain. You’re actually visiting two holy spots at the same time.

TIRRTA EMPUL

Tirrta Empul is known for the spring that flows in its boundaries. The spring is famous for giving people good health and fortune when they take a dip. The water here is also used by priests as their source of holy water. However, before one could take a dip or take water from the spring, a sacrifice must be brought to the temple first.

The temple also tells a legend of a god named Indra. This god created the spring named Tampaksiring (also the name of the nearby town) as a cure to a poisonous spring created by a demon king. Now that’s something interesting for your eyes to see.

PURA LUHUR LEMPUYANG

Pura Luhur Lempuyang is considered as one of Bali’s most important religious places and one of the six temples of the world. The temple is dedicated to the supreme god Sang HyangWidiWasa. This temple is also one of the island’s nine directional temples that protect the Balinese from evil spirits.

For tourists, it’s a challenge just getting up the peak. You have to take 1,700 steps just to get there, roughly about an hour and a half. Once you get to the top, you’ll see an amazing view of GunungAgung. Breathtaking but a worthwhile experience, right?

Judging from the descriptions of each, we could say that these temples are one of the best sights. These are just some of the few things to do and see in Bali, so are you itching to see more of Bali? Travel today and experience it for yourselves!