The hidden giant in Kebo Edan Temple

The definition of Bali "Island of the Gods" is confirmed not only by the type of religiosity that marks the daily life of the inhabitants, but also by the innumerable presence of temples that characterize the entire territory. Hidden in the forest or in the center, each temple brings with it a story, a legend or a tradition that contributes to the great puzzle of local culture. An example of this is the Kebo Edan Temple, which plays an important role in unifying the beliefs of Shiva and Bhairawa in Bali. The name Kebo Edan, crazy buffalo, comes from the statue of a bull in the temple courtyard. The animal is Nandi, guardian of Shiva's abode and his companion who however in this case seems angry towards the Bhairawa Shiva statue which is depicted while performing Bhairawa's teachings. But the main attraction of the temple is the monumental 3.6 meter high Shiva Bhairawa, an imposing sculpture with an unrecognizable face, legs wrapped in snakes and which seems to dance on a corpse. This statue is thought to date back to the mid-14th century AD. and that he represents an incarnation of Shiva. The famous Pejeng giant stands in his specially built pavilion along the southwest side of the complex, adjacent to a sinuous, weather-worn frangipani tree.