BALINESE HINDU TEMPLE

HOLY PLACES CALLED “PURA” FOR WORSHIPS ANCESTOR AND GOD WITH ALL MANIFESTATIONS

Balinese Hindu Temple is one of the holy places used by Hindus in Bali to worship God in all his manifestations. The temple is built on certain theological-philosophical concepts to become a place as well as a center for worship orientation. The temple’s form is located in an open area with a courtyard that can be used for prayer. The Hindu concept of a “holy place” has a broad meaning, namely a building and a “place” that has been “purified” through a purification ceremony, making the place sacred both physically and spiritually. As a result, when visiting a temple, it is expected to maintain ethics in entering the temple in order to keep its purity so that the temple remains holy and Hindus can worship comfortably. The temple comes in many shapes and sizes, but they all serve the same purpose: to give thanks to God through prayer and offerings.

Pura’s Meaning

The name “Pura” comes from Sanskrit and means “-pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore” which means gate. It can also be interpreted as Angkasa Pura which means sky gate. The name of the temple became very special as a place of worship in subsequent developments on the island of Bali, and don’t confuse it with the term “Puri,” which has a very different meaning, namely the name of the residence for kings and nobles. Prior to being known as Pura, temples in Bali were known as Hyang, Kahyangan, or Parhyangan, and the name Pura became more well-known as a place of worship for Hindus in Bali over time. So the word pura in Bali, which means a holy place, is used in praying and getting closer to God in order to improve the quality of human beings as individuals and social beings, and it is also hoped that by praying in temples, we can get to know each other among fellow Hindus in order to materialize Hindu internal harmony.

Temple Types in Bali

The temples in Bali, as a holy place for Hindus to worship, have several categories, but they all have the same goal, which is to ask God for physical and spiritual safety, and temples in Bali can be divided into two parts, namely Special Temples and Public Temples, which can be seen from where the temple is located. When it comes to temple types and categories, there are many types and categories of temples that are aimed at a specific group, worshiping a specific god, and also general temples that are universal in nature, that is, all people who want to pray. With these many categories and types, it is not incorrect to say that Bali is an island of a thousand temples, because there are indeed many temples in Bali based on the type, purpose, and function of the t The following are the temple types and categories in Bali:

Special Temples:

Special temples are temples that only serve one purpose: a place of worship for Hindus whose purpose is to worship a type of god who resides in the temple, and is addressed to a specific type of group or family. A temple that can only be visited by a specific group or family who maintains and cares for the temple, as well as a temple dedicated to worshiping a specific god for specific purposes and functions. Below the details, you can see the special temples category:

• Family Temple: It is a temple owned by each Hindu family and is usually located in the home of each head of the family, where daily offerings are made to request physical and spiritual safety. There are several types of family temples in Balinese Hindus, including Sangah Kemulan, Taksu, Pengijeng, and Penunggun Karang buildings for small families, and Sanggah Kawitan for large families, which is cared for by the entire family to ask ancestors and God with his manifestations for safety.
• Sanggah: Is a Hindu place of worship carried by one or more families with the closest lineage, and this temple is found in every house of the head of the family and is used to worship ancestors and God and its manifestations, this temple is private, so not just anyone can enter the temple without permission from the head of the family, only family members can enter this temple area
• Dadia Temple: is a place of worship carried by one lineage in one village, you could say the Dadia Temple is the upper level of the sanggah, where families who are still of the same lineage will pray at the temple dadia to worship ancestors and gods and their manifestations and to be cared for by families who are still of the same lineage.
• Pedharman Temple: is a place of worship that is still carried by one lineage in a broad sense, which means that if there is still one lineage in a family village, even if they live in different villages and regencies, they will come here to worship their ancestors and manifestations. This Pedharman temple is the highest level in the family temple structure; it is maintained by all family members who are still of the same lineage.

Swagina Temple:

Is a temple that serves and is useful for certain communities that are adapted to daily life, such as farmers, traders, and fishermen. That is, temples are devoted to specific professions by worshiping gods who reside in temples that have specific functions that correspond to the profession in which the community is involved. There are several types of swagina temples that can be distinguished based on the profession of the people; see below for more information:

• Temple Bedugul / Ulun Suwi / Ulun Danu / Subak: A temple aimed at farmers in carrying out their profession as farmers by worshiping Ista Dewata as the God of Prosperity, who is expected to provide enough water for agriculture by removing water from the earth and also raining so that agricultural land becomes fertile and farming’s life expectancy becomes prosperous.
• Melanting Temple: A temple dedicated to traders who worship Dewa Kuwera as a giver of welfare for Hindus who work as traders in the hope that they will be given instructions and guidance in carrying out their profession as traders and are expected to receive good luck in order to support their families.
• Segara Temple: Is a temple dedicated to people who work as fishermen by worshiping Dewa Baruna as the god of the ocean so that when fishermen go to sea, they will be safe and catch a lot of fish so that they can meet their family’s needs from the catch that will be sold to support their families.

Public Temple:

A public temple is a type of temple that is general or universal in nature and can be used as a place of worship by Hindus without regard for the people’s class, ethnicity, or profession. So this public temple can be visited and worshiped by people from all over Bali with one goal in mind: to ask Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Hindu god of Bali, for safety and welfare and to worship its various manifestations so that life can be very harmonious. The following are the general types of temples:

Kahyangan Tiga Temple: It is a village temple that serves as a place of worship for the three manifestations of God, namely Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva, by constructing a separate temple for each manifestation. There must be three heavenly temples in Bali: Desa Pura, Puseh Temple, and Dalem Temple, each of which worships a manifestation of God with their respective functions.

• Desa Temple: Is a place of worship for the manifestation of God as Lord Brahma, who serves as the creator of the universe and its contents through the magic of Dewi Saraswati, the Goddess of Science. With the characteristic of the building in the form of a large bale and a Padmasana, which also depends on local traditional culture and is usually located in the village center, it also serves as a venue for village consultative meetings.
• Puseh Temple: Is a Hindu temple found in every village in Bali that was built to worship Lord Vishnu with its function as the preserver of the contents of the universe and the magic of Dewi Sri as a symbol of prosperity, with the characteristic of a temple building in the shape of a meru overlapping seven and also in the shape of a meru. others, depending on local village customs and culture, Puseh Batuan Temple is an example of a Puseh temple that we can see.
• Dalem Temple: Is a Hindu temple in Bali that was built to worship Lord Shiva with its function as a smelter or pralina nature and its contents with the magic of Goddess Durga, the hallmark of the temple building is shaped like a gedong, and this pura dalem is also frequently referred to by tourists as the Temple of Death, where people who die but have not done the cremation ceremony, their spirit will reside in this pura dalem.

Dang Kahyangan Temple: Is one of the ancestral temples, namely Dang Hyang Nirarta, who made a place of worship to worship God and his manifestations when he came to Bali, while the Dang heavenly temple includes Pura Pulaki, which is located in the western area of the island of Bali, Yeh Jeruk Temple, Pekendungan Temple, Dalem Sakenan Temple, Tirta Empul Temple, Penataran Sasi This temple is very beautiful because of its unique location and characteristics that give it an incomparable beauty.

Sad Kahyangan Temple: Is a Hindu temple in Bali that serves to worship Ista Dewata, who is spread throughout the island’s six wind directions. The Sad Kahyangan temple is made up of six large heaven temples that are very sacred to Hindus in Bali and are also relics of ancient ancestors or spiritual leaders from the past that have been preserved until now. This temple is one of the oldest temples in Bali and is revered by Hindus. Sad Kahyangan Temple has six temples: Besakih Temple, Batur Temple, Lempuyang Temple, Goa Lawah Temple, Uluwatu Temple, Batukaru Temple, and Pura Pusering Jagat Temple.

Jagatnatha Temple: Is a public place of worship created so that Hindus who are far from home can pray at the Jagatnatha Temple, and it can function as an intermediary temple to the large temples on the island of Bali, and it is used by various groups, castes, and professions who visit Bali. To pray, go to Jagatnatha Temple. In essence, the temple serves as a unifying tool for people of various ethnicities. One example is the Jagatnatha Temple, which is located in the heart of Denpasar.

In General, Temple Structure

The Hindu temple has a layout that cannot be built arbitrarily, and the concept of building this temple uses the Tri Mandala concept, in which the temple yard is divided into three, namely: the outer courtyard, the middle courtyard, and the inner courtyard. So, you can’t just build a temple; you need a layout plan and building space to create harmony in worship, while the parts of the tri mandala are as follows:

• Nista Mandala: is a temple courtyard located on the outside of the temple architecture; this is a slanderous or dirty and non-sacred part of a temple that anyone can enter. The building in Nista Mandala has Bale Kulkul for kentongan, Bale Wantilan for art performances, and Bale Pewaregan for cooking.
• Madya Mandala: is the temple courtyard, also known as the middle jaba, which is located in the center of the temple building and contains buildings such as Bale Agung, a long hall, Balai Pagongan, which is used to store gamelan, and Bale Storage, which is used to store valuables in temples.
• Utama Mandala: This is the temple courtyard on the inside, and it is the holiest page among the others because it contains the main temple where Hindus pray. In this section, people must really focus on facing Sang Hyang Widhi by giving up worldly desires.

When you enter a temple building, you are not immediately in the main area of the temple; instead, you will pass through the outer courtyard, the central courtyard, and the inner courtyard. If you want to see the Tri Mandala concept, go to Taman Ayun Temple, a village temple in Mengwi village that follows the Tri Mandala system. You can see the outer courtyard, which is very beautiful, the middle courtyard, and the inner courtyard. And it is expected that if you enter a holy place, you will behave and dress politely in order to respect Hindus who worship.

The Temple’s Entry Procedures

The temple is one of the sacred buildings used by Hindus to worship God and his manifestations, and it is cared for and guarded by Hindus who live nearby, and it is essential for Hindus to maintain the sanctity of the temple in order to avoid negative things that can disrupt the harmony in this life. Because the temple is classified as a holy place and things that are dirty will pollute the sanctity of the temple, it is expected that tourists who want to visit the temple comply with the system that is published in the temple area, and some taboos that do not allow tourists to enter the temple area.

• Menstruating Women: It is strictly forbidden for women who are still menstruating to enter the temple area. Menstruation contains blood, which will pollute the sanctity of the temple, so it is hoped that menstruating tourists do not visit the temple.
• After Childbirth: Because women who have given birth are considered to be still in a state of displeasure / unlucky, it is forbidden for them to enter the temple area because it will pollute the sanctity of the temple, so it is best to avoid going to the temple first.
• Family Dies: Devotees or tourists who have a deceased family (within 3 days) are considered to be in a state of displeasure and can reduce the sanctity of the temple, so it is best to skip the period before visiting the temple.
• Immodest Dressed: A temple is a sacred place where visitors must wear traditional Balinese clothing such as a sarong and shawl to respect the sanctity of the temple and may not wear revealing clothing.
• Maintain Behavior: While in the temple area, tourists are expected to maintain their behavior, such as not being noisy when Hindus are praying, not standing in front of people praying, and not engaging in other disrespectful behavior – among others.

Visit a Hindu temple in Bali on a spiritual tour.

Temples are sacred places where Hindus worship their ancestors, gods, and manifestations. Bali is not mistaken when it is described as an island with a thousand temples, because there is a temple in every Hindu home and a large holy temple in every corner of the wind. If you want to see the beauty of sacred places in Bali that are rich in history, you can take a spiritual journey to this place. We offer a Bali Temple Tour package that you can take and see ancient temples with their own unique histories. visited, at a very reasonable price, and, of course, a very satisfying service will round out your spiritual journey. An unforgettable opportunity to learn more about Hindu customs, culture, beliefs, and places of worship in Bali. A religious experience laced with spiritual experiences.