Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, The Most Beautiful Attraction in Bali

Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

Mata.co.id – Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, or often referred to as Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, is the biggest temple in Bali after Besakih Temple. The title of this temple refers to its position which stands on the shores of Lake Beratan. Location of this temple is quite special because it is in the highlands Bedugul, which is about 1,239 meters above sea level (asl). Such conditions make the temple environment is quite cool, with air temperature between 18-22 degrees Celsius. In addition, the beautiful Lake Beratan landscape also adds to the beautiful atmosphere of this place.

Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

The history of the founding of Pura Ulun Danu Beratan can be traced to one of the stories recorded in Lontar Babad Mengwi. In the chronicle is spoken about a nobleman named I Gusti Agung Putu who suffered a war defeat from I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng. To rise from the defeat, I Gusti Agung Putu meditated at the top of Mount Mangu to gain strength and enlightenment. Completed from his hermitage he founded Belayu Ayu (Bela Ayu), then returned to battle against I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng and gained victory. After that, I Gusti Agung Putu who is the founder of Mengwi Kingdom founded a temple on the shores of Lake Beratan which is now known as Ulun Danu Beratan Temple.

The Most Beautiful Attraction in Bali

In Lontar Babad Mengwi also narrated that the founding of this temple was done sometime before 1556 Saka or 1634 AD, or about one year before the founding of Taman Ayun Temple, another temple also founded by I Gusti Agung Putu. The establishment of Pura Ulun Danu Beratan is said to have made the famous Kingdom of Mengwi and its king, so that I Gusti Agung Putu was dubbed “I Gusti Agung Sakti” by his people.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

Visiting Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, travelers can enjoy the uniqueness of the temple and the beautiful natural surroundings. Beautiful atmosphere, cool, and clean air began to feel since tourists set foot in the parking lot to the temple. From this parking lot, tourists must first buy a ticket to enter the temple environment. The travelers will then pass a path decorated with flowers, grass, and evergreen fir trees. This path leads to the entrance to the temple (gate).

Before entering the gate, try to visit for a moment the building of the stupa (Buddhist temple) which until now still used as a place of worship. Not far from the temple area, there is also a mosque building as a place of worship for Muslims. The existence of these stupas and mosques reminds us of how religious tolerance has been practiced for a long time by the people of Bali.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, The Most Beautiful Attraction in Bali

Entering the gate, we will see a typical Balinese temple building characterized by a tower that bertingkat (meru). Inside the temple complex there are at least some tower buildings that have a terraced roof, the tower with 11 levels roof, 7 levels, and 3 levels. The existence of the storied tower depicts the worship of three gods, namely Lord Vishnu (11 levels), Lord Brahma (7 levels), and Lord Shiva (3 levels).

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Interestingly, because it is located on the edge of the lake is rather low, making the land around the temple is often inundated when the lake water discharge is overflowing. This condition creates a very beautiful scene, where the temple complex with its multilevel tower as if in the middle of the lake. This state of overflowing water is the best moment to photograph the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple.

Although regarded as a place of worship to the trimurti (Lord Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva), but in fact this temple was originally a place to worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parwati, which is a symbol for fertility. This estimate refers to the cosmology of the phallus and yoni, where Mount Mangu (the site of the ascetic I Gusti Agung Putu) is considered a phallus and Lake Beratan as yoni. The symbols of the yoni phallus are also visible in some parts of the temple complex. The symbol of the phallus-yoni is a symbol of worship to Lord Shiva and Dewi Parwati.

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

The allegation that this temple is a place of worship of Siwa-Parwati increasingly strengthened to see the function of this temple as a temple subak, the temple supported by the social organization of the people of Bali which regulates the distribution of agricultural irrigation.

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Pura Subak itself is specially made to invoke fertility for agriculture. The Hindus who worship at this temple worship the goddess of the lake, or in the local language is called the goddess danu (also called the goddess of water). Dewi danu may point to the figure of Parwati, the wife of Shiva who is a symbol of fertility.

Here it appears that agricultural activity around the lake is not only supported by a good system of irrigation, but also supported by a strong religious ritual. Pura Ulun Danu Beratan provides a fairly clear picture of how subak organizations manage agricultural irrigation systems and simultaneously build a means of worship to pursue the harvest.

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