Besakih Balinese Mother Temple. At the foot of the great Gunung Agung mountain sits the most sacred of all Balinese temples; Pura Besakih. A more spectacular location for this huge temple complex would be hard to find.
If you are lucky to visit on a clear day you can see Gunung Agung (3.142 m), a background that can give anyone a religious feeling. There has been a temple here for more than one thousand years, it is first mentioned in an inscription from 1007 BC.
Today’s role as the “mother temple” were achieved during the 15th century, when Bali became independent from Java and got it’s own ruler; Batu Renggong. He ordered the construction of nine temples, of which Besakih was the central one. Since then there has been continuous expansions and Besakih now consists of about 30 different smaller temples.
Besakih Temple is the biggest Hindu temple in Bali which has a beautiful view from the temple area. Where we can see the vast natural panorama to the sea. Therefore this temple is often visited by tourists from all over the world. Besakih Temple is located in the village of Besakih, Rendang District, Karangasem Regency, the eastern part of the island.
Located on the southwest side of the slopes of Mount Agung, the largest mountain in Bali. That’s because based on belief Gunung Agung is the holiest and highest mountain on the island of Bali.
About Besakih Balinese Mother Temple
Tall pagodas, so-called meru. The more levels, the more sacred.The largest temple is Pura Penataran Agung, which has a large shrine in honor of the holy Hindu trinity Brahma, Wisnu and Shiva. Symbols of this trinity can be found in temples all over Bali.
The most important ceremony in Besakih is called Eka Dasa Rudra, which is held once every hundred years according to the Balinese calendar, that is 115 years after our calendar. Last time, in 1963, it had to be cancelled due to a major eruption of Gunung Agung.
About 2.000 people lost their lives during this eruption, but miraculously Besakih was almost undamaged. A new ceremony were held in 1979, this time with more success.
Pura Besakih, on a clear day you can see the great Gunung Agung in the background.The site is open daily, try to visit early in the morning before the mist is too dense. The best time to visit will probably be during one of the many ceremonies, when hundreds of Hindus in lovely traditional cloths and carrying offerings meets to honor the gods.
Even if the Besakih complex is huge, each single building is not so impressive on it’s own. In front of the entrance you will find the inevitable souvenir stalls, where you can by a sarong which you need to be allowed inside, or you can rent one by the entrance.
Many so-called guides will offer their service, it is perfectly ok to say no, in any case agree about the price in advance. It is no problem to explore the site on your own, but be aware that most of the temples are closed for entrance by none-Hindus.
Recommended tour : Besakih Kintamani Bali Tour Package
Besakih is a good starting point for a hike to the top of Gunung Agung, you can hire a guide for the walk here. There are no high standard hotels around Besakih, but you will find some restaurants and simple accommodation.
The historical name of Besakih Temple
The name Besakih is derived from the word Basuki, an old language from Sanskrit Wasuki, and later became the Old Javanese Language. In Sanskrit, Basuki means survivor.
In the mythology of Samudramanthana it has been mentioned that Basuki is a dragon that wraps around Mandara Mountain. Apparently, the Besakih temple dates from very old times long before the influence of Hinduism.
Next, an ancient Balinese king from Sri Kesari Warmadewa discovered the Merajan Selonding Temple in the area of this temple complex. He also ordered to build the Blanjong Monument located in Sanur Village.
Besakih Temple Complex was built based on the balance of the cosmos. This is based on the conception of nature that spreads the basic temple complexes arranged according to the direction of the road. So, this building can represent nature as a symbol of the existence of world balance.
Location of Besakih Temple Karangasem Bali
Jl. Gunung Mas No.Ds, Besakih, Kec. Rendang, Karangasem Regency, Bali 80863
How to get Besakih Balinese Mother Temple
For those of you who want to visit Besakih Temple, you have to use private vehicles such as motorbikes or private cars. Because there is no public transportation that can be used directly to Besakih Temple.
The cheapest way, of course, is to rent a motorbike. However, if you want to enjoy a more relaxed and safe tour, we recommend using a car rental service with local driver in Bali. Because the driver has experience with this one tourist spot, of course it will make your trip to the Besakih Temple easier.