Balinese temple

Last updated
Richly adorned kori agung gate and pavilions within Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal compounds in Bali. Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal 200507.jpg
Richly adorned kori agung gate and pavilions within Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal compounds in Bali.

A Pura is a Balinese Hindu temple, [1] and the place of worship for adherents of Balinese Hinduism in Indonesia. Puras are built following rules, style, guidance, and rituals found in Balinese architecture. Most puras are found on the island of Bali, where Hinduism is the predominant religion; however many puras exist in other parts of Indonesia where significant numbers of Balinese people reside. Mother Temple of Besakih is the most important, largest, and holiest temple in Bali. [2] Many Puras have been built in Bali, leading it to be titled "the Island of a Thousand Puras".

Contents

Etymology

The pagoda-like Pelinggih Meru shrine of Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is a distinctive feature of a Balinese temple. Ulun Temple on Lake Bratan (7609679414).jpg
The pagoda-like Pelinggih Meru shrine of Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is a distinctive feature of a Balinese temple.

The term pura originates from the Sanskrit word ( -pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore), meaning "city", "walled city", "towered city", or "palace", which was adopted with the Indianization of Southeast Asia and the spread of Hinduism, especially in the Indosphere. During the development of the Balinese language, the term pura came to refer to a religious temple complex, while the term puri came to refer to a palace, the residence of kings and nobles, similar to Javanese kratons.

Design and layout

Balinese temple layout, arranged in three zones (mandalas) Bali temple diagram.png
Balinese temple layout, arranged in three zones (mandalas)

Unlike the common towering indoor Hindu temples of the Indian Subcontinent, puras are designed as open-air places of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between its compounds. These walled compounds contain several shrines, meru (towers), and bale (pavilions). The design, plan, and layout of the pura follow the trimandala concept of Balinese space allocation. [3] Three mandala zones are arranged according to a sacred hierarchy:

  1. Nista mandala (jaba pisan): the outer zone, which directly connects the pura compound with the outer realm and the entrance to the temple. This zone usually takes the form of an open field or a garden that can be used for religious dance performances, or act as an additional space for preparations during religious festivals.
  2. Madya mandala (jaba tengah): the middle zone of the temple, where the activity of adherents takes place, and also the location for supporting facilities of the temple. In this zone usually, several pavilions are built, such as the bale kulkul (wooden Slit drum tower), bale gong (gamelan pavilion), wantilan (meeting pavilion), bale pesandekan, and bale perantenan, the temple's kitchen.
  3. Utama mandala (jero): the holiest and the most sacred zone within the pura. This enclosed and typically highest of the compounds usually contains a padmasana , the towering lotus throne of the highest god, Acintya (the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, or "All-in-one God", in modern Balinese), the pelinggih meru (a multi-tiered tower-shrine), and several pavilions, such as bale pawedan (vedic chanting pavilion), bale piyasan, bale pepelik (offering pavilion), bale panggungan, bale murda, and gedong penyimpenan (storehouse of the temple's relics).

However, the layout rules for arrangements of the facilities of the two outer zones, nista mandala and madya mandala, are somewhat flexible. Several structures, such as the bale kulkul, could be built as outer corner tower; also, the perantenan (temple kitchen) could be located in the Nista mandala.

Gates

Stairs and terraces leading to the candi bentar split gate of Pura Besakih. Bali, Pura Besakih 6.jpg
Stairs and terraces leading to the candi bentar split gate of Pura Besakih.
Towering kori agung gate at Pura Taman Saraswati Ubud. Pura Taman Saraswati3.JPG
Towering kori agung gate at Pura Taman Saraswati Ubud.
Pura Taman Ayun Taman Ayun, Bali, Indonesia.jpg
Pura Taman Ayun

There are two types of gates within Balinese architecture: the split gate, known as candi bentar , [4] and the roofed tower gate known as paduraksa or kori agung. Both types of gates have specific roles in Balinese architectural design. Candi bentar is the gate used in the nista mandala, while the kori agung is employed as the gate between the madya mandala and Utama mandala inner compounds. The rules for gate types are also valid for non-religious compounds such as puri, nobles' and kings' residences.

Types of pura

There are several types of pura, each serving certain functions of Balinese rituals throughout the Balinese calendar. The Balinese temples are arranged according to the physical and spiritual realm of Balinese people, which corresponds to kaja-kelod sacred axis, from mountain tops to the realms of gods, hyang spirits, the middle fertile plain the realm of humans, and other beings, all the way to the beach and ocean, and the many realms in Indonesia.

Pura Kahyangan Jagad
Puras are located in the mountainous region of the island, built upon mountain or volcano slopes. The mountains are considered as the sacred magical and haunted realm, the abode of gods or hyang. [5] The most important pura kahyangan in Bali is Mother Temple of Besakih complex on the slopes of Mount Agung. Another example is Pura Parahyangan Agung Jagatkarta on the slopes of Mount Salak, West Java.
Pura Tirta
"Water temples", a type of pura that other than religious function, also have a water management function as part of Subak irrigation system. The priests in these temples have the authority to manage the water allocation among rice paddies in the villages surrounding the temple. Some tirta temples are noted for their sacred water and having petirtaan or sacred bathing pool for a cleansing ritual. Another water temple is built within lakes, such as Pura Ulun Danu Bratan. The best example of this type of temple is Pura Tirta Empul.
Pura Desa
A type of pura dedicated to the worship of Brahma the Gods and deities, that are located within villages or cities, serving as the center of Balinese people's religious activities.
Pura Puseh
A type of pura dedicated to the worship of Vishnu.
Pura Dalem
A type of pura dedicated to the worship of Shiva, Durga, Mother nature, Banaspatiraja (barong), Sang Bhuta Diyu, Sang Bhuta Garwa, and other deities, usually Shiva's shakti, Durga, is venerated in this temple. In the human life cycle, the temple is connected to rituals concerning death. It is also common for a pura dalem to have a big tree like a banyan tree or a kepuh which is usually also used as a shrine. The Pura Dalem is typically located next to the graveyard of the deceased before ngaben (cremation) ceremony.
Pura Mrajapati
A type of pura to worship prajapati (the lord of people) or the cosmic might. Most often, in this temple, Shiva is worshipped in his form as prajapati.
Pura Segara
"Sea temples", are a pura that are located by the sea to appease the sea Gods and deities. It is usually important during the Melasti ritual. One example of this type of temple is Pura Tanah Lot and Pura Uluwatu.

Sad Kahyangan

The Sad Kahyangan, Sad Kahyangan Jagad, or the "six sanctuaries of the world" are the six holiest places of worship in Bali. [6] According to Balinese beliefs, they are the pivotal points of the island and are meant to provide spiritual balance to Bali. The number of these most sacred sanctuaries always adds up to six, but depending on the region, the specific temples that are listed may vary. [7] A list of the Sad Kahyangan may include: [8]

Dang Kahyangan

Based on the ejection of Dwijendra Tattwa, which in this study was determined as Dang Hyang Nirartha's history, which in Balinese society is commonly called the History of Gede, mentioned Pura Parama Dharma, which is to pretend that Dang Kahyangan was built by Dang Hyang Nirartha or was awakened by the community to respecting and remembering Dharmayatra (religious holy journey) Dang Hyang Nirartha mentioned several 34 temples, some of them: [9]

Sea Temples

Pura Tanah Lot 1 pura tanah lot2.jpg
Pura Tanah Lot

Bali has several important "sea temples" (Balinese: pura segara), which were founded in the 16th century by a Majapahit Brahmin from Java, named Nirartha, to honour the gods of the sea. [10] Each of the temples is traditionally said to be visible from the next, forming a 'chain' around the coast of Bali. Many of the most important sea temples are located along the south-west coast of the island. The temples' positions were meant to provide a chain of spiritual protection for the Bali island.

Listed counterclockwise from Nirartha's legendary point of arrival in Bali, some of the most prominent Balinese sea temples include:

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Temples in Bali". Bali Directory. Archived from the original on 2010-05-11. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
  2. ↑ "Mount Agung and Pura Besakih". Sacred Destinations. Archived from the original on 11 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  3. ↑ "Traditional Balinese Architecture". School of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  4. ↑ "Bali:The Land of Temples". Indo.com. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  5. ↑ "Babad Bali - Pura Kahyangan Jagat". www.babadbali.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  6. ↑ "Sacred Sites of Bali". Sacred Sites. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  7. ↑ Balinese temples
  8. ↑ Nopen Sugiarta (16 April 2016). "Sad Kahyangan Jagat di Pulau Dewata" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  9. ↑ "Pura-Pura Dang Kayangan Warisan Dang Hyang Dwijendra" (in Indonesian). Dharmopadesa. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  10. ↑ "Important Balinese temples | Bali Blog". Archived from the original on 2015-01-21. Retrieved 2015-01-21.
  11. ↑ "Bali Hotel Villa Blog Culture Travel Guide Indonesia – BALIwww.COM » Pura Rambut Siwi". Archived from the original on 2013-09-07. Retrieved 2015-01-21.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Besakih Temple</span> Major Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia

Besakih Temple is a pura complex in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, Indonesia. It is the most important, largest, and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism, and one of a series of Balinese temples. Perched nearly 1000 meters up the side of Gunung Agung, it is an extensive complex of 23 separate but related temples with the largest and most important being Pura Penataran Agung. The temple is built on six levels, terraced up the slope. The entrance is marked by a candi bentar, and beyond it, the Kori Agung is the gateway to the second courtyard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubud Monkey Forest</span> Forest reserve in Bali, Indonesia

Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, also known as Ubud Monkey Forest, is a sanctuary located in Padangtegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Gelgel is a village (desa) in the regency (kabupaten) of Klungkung, on Bali, Indonesia. The village, near the coast four kilometers south of the regency capital Semarapura, contains a number of structures of cultural interest, and is known for its pottery and handwoven ceremonial songket cloth. The height of the village's power came during the kingdom of Gelgel, which dominated Bali from around the early 16th century to 1686. There are no traces left today of the old royal palace (puri). The old ancestral shrine of the ruling dynasti, Pura Jero Agung, is still standing in the old palace area. To the east of Pura Jero Agung is another old temple, Pura Dasar, which is a lowland counterpart of the "mother temple" of Bali, Pura Besakih. The village also contains the oldest mosque in Bali, which was built by Javanese retainers of the old kings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal</span> Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia

Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, or Padangtegal Great Temple of Death, is one of three Hindu temples making up a temple complex located in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – commonly called the "Ubud Monkey Forest" – of Padangtegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Ulun Danu Batur</span> Balinese Hindu temple in Indonesia

Pura Ulun Danu Batur is a Hindu Balinese temple located on the island of Bali, Indonesia. As one of the Pura Kahyangan Jagat, Pura Ulun Danu Batur is one of the most important temples in Bali which acted as the maintainer of harmony and stability of the entire island. Pura Ulun Danu Batur represents the direction of the North and is dedicated to the god Vishnu and the local goddess Dewi Danu, goddess of Lake Batur, the largest lake in Bali. Following the destruction of the original temple compound, the temple was relocated and rebuilt in 1926. The temple, along with 3 other sites in Bali, form the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province which was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyang</span> Spiritual entity in Java-Bali mythology

Hyang is a representation of the supreme being, in ancient Java and Bali mythology. The spiritual entity can be either considered as divine or ancestral. The reverence for this spiritual entity can be found in the folk religions of Java and Bali, such as the Sunda Wiwitan, Kejawen, Kapitayan, and Gama Tirta. The realm where Hyang resides is called the Kahyangan, which is an Old Javanese term that literally means "the abode of Hyang", "part of Hyang", or "heaven".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balinese architecture</span> Style of architecture

Balinese architecture is a vernacular architecture tradition of Balinese people that inhabits the volcanic island of Bali, Indonesia. Balinese architecture is a centuries-old architectural tradition influenced by Balinese culture developed from Hindu influences through ancient Javanese intermediary, as well as pre-Hindu elements of native Balinese architecture.

Pura Griya Sakti is a Balinese Hindu temple located in the village of Manuaba, Kenderan administrative village, Tegalalang subdistrict, Gianyar Regency, Bali. The district is known for its woodcarving and its terraced rice field. The small village of Manuaba is about 4 km north of Kenderan or about 2.5 km southwest of the town of Tampaksiring with its famed Gunung Kawi temple. Pura Griya Sakti is the main temple of a powerful Brahman caste in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Parahyangan Agung Jagatkarta</span> Hindu temple in Java, Indonesia

Pura ParahyanganAgung Jagatkarta or often referred to simply as Pura Parahyangan is a Hindu temple of Nusantara located in Ciapus village, Tamansari subdistrict, Bogor Regency, West Java, Indonesia.

Pura Lempuyang Luhur is one of the oldest and the most revered temple in Bali, Indonesia. The temple is actually a collection of several temples along the hiking path to the summit. The main temple also the highest, the Pura Lempuyang Luhur, lies at 1,175m above sea level, up on the peak of the namesake Mount Lempuyang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Kehen</span> Balinese Hindu temple in Indonesia

Pura Kehen is a Balinese Hindu temple located in Cempaga, Bangli Regency, Bali. The temple is set on the foot of a wooded hill, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the town center. Established at least in the 13th-century, Pura Kehen was the royal temple of the Bangli Kingdom, now the Regency of Bangli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Goa Lawah</span> Balinese Hindu temple in Indonesia

Pura Goa Lawah is a Balinese Hindu temple or a pura located in Klungkung, Bali, Indonesia. Pura Goa Lawah is often included among the Sad Kahyangan Jagad, or the "six sanctuaries of the world", the six holiest places of worship on Bali. Pura Goa Lawah is noted for built around a cave opening which is inhabited by bats, hence its name, the Goa Lawah or "bat cave".

Pura Pulaki is a Balinese Hindu temple or a pura located to the west of Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia. The temple is set on flat land with rocky outcrops as the backdrop. Pura Pulaki is a pura segara or Balinese sea temples, set around the island to form a chain of temples which protect the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Beji Sangsit</span> Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia

Pura Beji Sangsit is a Balinese temple or pura located in Sangsit, Buleleng, on the island of Bali, Indonesia. The village of Sangsit is located around 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of Singaraja. Pura Beji is dedicated to the rice goddess Dewi Sri, and is revered especially by the farmers around the area. Pura Beji is an example of a stereotypical northern Balinese architecture with its relatively heavier decorations than it is southern Balinese counterpart, and its typical foliage-like carvings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang</span> Balinese Hindu temple in Indonesia

Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang is a Balinese Hindu temple or pura located in the slope of Mount Lempuyang in Karangasem, Bali. Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang is considered as part of a complex of pura surrounding Mount Lempuyang, one of the highly regarded temples of Bali. The temples of Mount Lempuyang, represented by the highest pura at the peak of Mount Lempuyang, Pura Lempuyang Luhur, is one of the Sad Kahyangan Jagad, or the "six sanctuaries of the world", the six holiest places of worship on Bali.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Maospahit</span> Balinese Hindu temple in Indonesia

Pura Maospahit is a Balinese Hindu temple or pura located in Denpasar, Bali. The pura is known for its bare red brick architecture, reminiscent of the architecture of the 13th-century Majapahit Kingdom, hence the name. Pura Maospahit is the only pura in Bali which was built using a concept known as Panca Mandala where the most sacred area is situated at the center instead of at the direction of the mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Dalem Segara Madhu</span> Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia

Pura Dalem Segara Madhu also known as Pura Dalem Jagaraga is a northern Balinese Hindu temple or pura located in the village of Jagaraga, Buleleng in northern Bali. It is about 11 km east of Singaraja. The village of Jagaraga is known historically as the place where the Dutch colonial government witnesses puputan or Balinese mass-suicide following their military attack on the kingdom of Bali in 1849. Pura Dalem Segara Madhu is known for its intensive wall decoration typical of northern Balinese architecture and for its unique western-influenced relief e.g. motifs of early 20th-century airplanes and automobiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Dasar Buana Gelgel</span> Balinese temple in Indonesia

Pura Dasar Buana is a Balinese Hindu temple or pura located in Gelgel, Bali, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Semarapura. Pura Dasar Buana is one of the Pura Dang Kahyangan Jagat, a temple which was built to honor a holy teacher of Hindu teaching. Pura Dasar Buana honored Mpu Ghana, a Brahmin who arrived to Bali from Javanese Majapahit to teach Hinduism in the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penglipuran</span> Village in Bali, Indonesia

Penglipuran Village is one of the traditional villages located in Bangli Regency, Bali Province, Indonesia. Penglipuran village is famous as one of the tourist destinations in Bali because of its society who still preserve their traditional culture in their daily lives. The architecture of buildings and land processing still follows the concept of Tri Hita Karana, the philosophy of Balinese society regarding the balance of relations between God, humans and their environment. Penglipuran Village succeeded in building tourism that benefited all of their communities without losing their culture and traditions. In 1995, Penglipuran Village also received a Kalpataru award from the Indonesian Government for its efforts to protect the Bamboo Forest in their local ecosystem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Padmasana (shrine)</span> Type of shrine found in Indonesia

A Padmasana is a shrine in the form of a tower, crowned with an empty throne to worship Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, a manifestation of Supreme God in Balinese Hindu belief. The term padmasana is derived from the Sanskrit, meaning lotus throne.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.