[ENGLISH] Sunset, Snake, and Tri Sandya in Puri Tanah Lot, Southern Bali

Puri Tanah Lot is a place of worship for Hindus in the southern coastal area of Bali Island, specifically for residents around the coast of Beraban Village, Kediri District, Tabanan Regency, Bali Province. At dusk, normally local Hindus flock to the castle.

Puri Tanah Lot (melipirnews.com)

Moreover, tourists from both domestic and foreign countries usually take a walk to look at the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean until they wait for the sunset. While waiting for the sunset, tourists can enjoy the beauty of Puri Tanah Lot, whose entire foundation is built from black stone and immediately plunges to the bottom of the sea.

The natural beauty of the sacred area of Puri (castle) Tanah Lot Castle in southern Bali is certainly a tourist attraction spot for visitors who come to Bali. Visitors can see the exoticism of a sacred castle building on coral rocks accompanied by shrubs in the middle of the open sea. After the eye looked, the beach edge of the Tanah Lot castle area stretched out a rocky cliff with distinctive curves. Not only in the main temple, to the west of Puri Tanah Lot there is a sacred temple building which also stands on a rock with a hole in the middle through from west to east. This temple is more popularly known as Enjung Bolong. Between Tanah Lot Temple and Enjung Bolong Temple, it seems to give a message of a natural combination that presents its own beauty.

According to local stories circulating by word of mouth, this castle was built by a brahmin who wandered from Java, namely Danghyang Nirartha, who succeeded in strengthening the Balinese people's belief in Hindu teachings and building Sad Kahyangan (Heaven) in the 16th century. At that time, Bendesa Beraben, the ruler of Tanah Lot, felt jealous of him because his followers began to follow Danghyang Nirartha. Bendesa Beraben then told Danghyang Nirartha to leave Tanah Lot. Danghyang Nirartha agreed, but previously with his strength he moved the rock chunk to the middle of the beach and built a temple there. Apart from that, he turned his shawl into a snake guarding the castle. Finally, Bendesa Beraban became a follower of Danghyang Nirartha. Still, according to local legend, this snake still exists today and scientifically this snake is a type of sea snake that has the characteristics of a flat tail like a fish, a black color with a yellow stripe, and is very poisonous.

Until now, the sea snakes told in the legend can now be found in a small cave right in front of Puri Tanah Lot and are sacred to the local community. Along with the rapid number of tourist visits, over time these snakes have become one of the tourist attractions at Puri Tanah Lot. This striped black and white snake called “duwe” or demon is believed to be the sacred snake that guards the temple.

One early evening, tourists looked at local people who wanted to worship. Women in white kebaya carry canang or banten accompanied by men who also dress in white and headband, a typical Balinese head covering. They walked hand in hand towards the puri. Even more exotic, the road to the castle from the shoreline is just a footpath. The waves sometimes naughtily flashed through the path, occasionally stopping step by step the people who wanted to take the tri sandhya before sunset.

Seas, mountains, springs, and places with natural nuances are considered sacred by Balinese Hindus following the principles of Tri Hita Karana (Three Causes of Happiness). The beauty of Bali is increasingly strengthened by the doctrine of Shivaism, a doctrine of renewal that views every space and place as having a spirit of life that needs to be preserved.

MN
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