My Short Visit to The Mother Temple, Besakih, in Bali Indonesia

Hi all, I would like to share about my short visit to Besakih Temple in Bali.

When I stepped down the car in parking area of this 7 century built temple, the day was not so bright. There were clouds in the sky. Since the sun was not around, the temperature in this 1000 meter above sea level temple was quite cool. It was great day for a short trek around the temple.

I walked to the temple, there was not many people only little shop along the way.

From the parking, I needed to walk along a small road for 5 minutes to reach the temple yard. There were many shops along the road that sell sarong or clothes. They also sell food like satay, or mixed rice. There were many people who would travel from all over Bali to pray to this temple. If not bring their own food, and picnic somewhere after praying, they could go to this small stall that offer food.

There was a black cloud behind the temple.

I continued my walk to bring my clients to see the temple. And as I mentioned, it was cloudy that day. The Mount Agung, the highest mount in Bali (3142 m) usually visible at the back of the temple since this temple is just on the mountain's slope. That day was only clouds.

The first temple was called the Penataran temple.

This temple is not actually one temple as a whole. Instead, there is a main temple which is called Penataran temple and there are at least 18 smaller temples surrounded the main temple. The small temples are called clan temples or tribes temple.

The Balinese people believe in one almighty God and anchestors. The Penataran temple is the place for almighty God and the manifestations, and the the clan temple (Pura Kawitan) is the temple to pray for their anchestors.

View from the gate of Penataran Temple looking down.

First, I went to the Penataran temple or the main temple. A group of people was still praying in the middle of inner area. Some priests were sprinkling holy water to the people one by one. It's going to be a while before everybody got their turn.

The gate to the inner yard was open, I managed to take few photos. There was a little boy on the gate, trying to close it.

In the inner area of Penataran temple, the prayers were waiting for the holy water, which will be given by the temple priests. The little boy was persistent to close the gate.

The prayers were waiting for the priest to give them the holy water for a blessing sign from the God.

Only those who come to pray were allowed to get inside the main temple. Visitors were advised to take the path outside this main area. From the path, we could still see what happen in the inner area.

This path was actually connect different part of the temple. People can get to their own clan temples taking this path. I saw some people coming and going to their clan temples when I was in this path. So, what happen usually is that the people would go to their clan temple to pray to their anchestors, and then continue to worship the almighty God after that.
I saw some people walked out of their clan temples.

A clan temple.

The tall shrines in the middle of the inner yard at the main area of the temple.

I walked through the path that took me around the main temple and also the clan temples. At the end, I ended back again to the main temple from different side. And I saw the people were finished praying, and started walking walking out from the temple through the stairs. Note that this is not even festival time, imagine when during the festival time, hundred of thousand of Balinese would come here during the day.

The people finished praying and got out from the Penataran Temple or the main temple area. These people came from a group or a big clan or even a village to come to this temple. Their transport home was waiting.