The Temple of the Purifying Waters of Tirta Empul

Of the numerous sacred Hindu temples across the island, the Balinese Temple of Tirta Empul (Temple of the Water that Flows from the Earth) is the perfect place to rediscover one’s sense of mysticism, peace and spirituality. A wondrous complex of temples and pools, among the most visited in all of Indonesia and a national cultural patrimony, the sacred water of which is used by the local and visiting faithful for prayer and purification in the ritual of melukat. In the central courtyard of the temple (jaba tengah), about thirty aligned springs flow into two rectangular pools (pertitaan), where bathers wait their turn patiently for the purification ritual which concludes only after one has passed their praying hands under every stream of water, except for those two reserved for the purification of the dead. A large pool filled with Koi fish and various souvenir shops occupy another level of the temple, while the internal courtyard is composed of a pool in honour of the gods Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma, as well as a series of altars, statues and votive sections. Founded in 926 A.D. during the Warmadewa Dynasty and dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu god of water, Tirta Empul is found in the village of Manukaya in Tampaksiring near the Presidential Palace. It is said that the miraculous springs of Tirta Empul were the work of the god Bhatara Indra, who, to bring his army that was poisoned by the evil King Mayadenawa back to life, created a spring of healing water by striking the soil with his staff.