Besakih Temple is Bali’s largest Hindu temple called Pura Besakih by local residents. It has a magnificent view from the top of the temple area, from where we can see the wide natural panorama to the ocean, so that tourists all over the world are visited this temple.
Besakih Temple is situated in the countryside of Besakih, in the Rendang sub district, in the regency of Karangasem, east of the Island. It is located in the southwestern side of Mount Agung, the biggest and largest mountain in Bali. It is because the trust of Agung Mount is the most sacred and highest mount on Bali Island.
Besakih Temple is located in the cool atmosphere of a plateau and Mount Agung is the background. From the top of the temple, we can see from the temple area to the ocean a beautiful nature panorama. Located in a cool area with a sparkling light and unique temple buildings spread over the temple complex, the atmosphere is tranquil.
The Temple of Besakih has now been opened for tourists and is the great place to visit in Bali. It is also ideal for people who did meditation.
The Mother Temple of Bali, the Besakih Temple, is more than 900 meters above the Gunung Agung slopes. It has been considered a sacred and holiest place in Bali since prehistoric times. The first recorded mention is an inscription dating back to 1007 A.D. It has been considered a central, holy temple for the entire island since the Gelgel dynasty of the fifteenth century.
All the Balinese people’s allegiances come together in Besakih. Each regency, as each caste group, has its own temple inside the overall compound. There are 18 separate sanctuaries in total. The three main temples: the Sang Hyang Widi Wasa temple, Pura Penataran Agung; the Brahma temple, Pura Kiduling Kreteg; the Wisnu temple, Pura Batu Madeg.
A special pilgrimage to the Balinese is a visit to the temple shrines of Besakih temple. Every temple is celebrating its own odalan or anniversary and the whole compound of Besakih celebrate the gods ‘ visits with an enormous crowd of visiting pilgrims on the moon of the Balinese month “Kedasa”.
The name of the Besakih comes from the word Basuki, the ancient language of Sanskrit Wasuki, then becomes the old language of Java. In this Sanskrit, Basuki means congratulations; in mythology of Samudramanthane, Basuki is a dragon twining Mount Mandara.
The omission comes from a megalithic tradition that had been shown to be a sanctified place. It appears that the temple of Besakih comes from a very old era which was far before the Hindu influence. The Merajan Selonding Temple was found here in this complex temple area by the old Bali king of Sri Kesari Warmadewa. He is also responsible for the construction of the Blanjong Monument in the village of Sanur.
The Besakih Temple is built according to the balance of the cosmos. It is based on the conception of nature which spreads the fundamental temple complex, arranged according to the direction of the route. This building can therefore represent nature as a symbol of the existence of a world balance.
As we know, the point in the direction of the east, the south, the west, the north and the middle as its center is named after Mandala. Panca Dewata is a manifestation of Siwa God in Hindu philosophy.
Like Penataran Agung Temple as a center, the conception of the courtyard reveal the solid conception between Indonesia’s original culture – the Punden Berundak – undak megalithic tradition with the concept of Hinduism.
The ancient omissions in Besakih Temple complex can be classified as two types of omissions from megalithic tradition and classical era. Besakih Temple is also an important tourist destination, next to the altar of the Hindu peoples of Bali.
Local rule: visitors are not allowed to enter the temple unless they worship our Balinese costume, ladies are not allowed to enter the temple during their period.