On a unique rock formation located off the coast of the Indonesian island – Bali there lies a Hindu pilgrimage site and a temple known by the name Tanah Lot Temple. Read on to know more about this holistic site.
Overview
In Balinese language, Tanah Lot means “Land in the sea”. The temple sits on a rock that has been shaped the ocean over thousands of years. Today a temple sits on the rock which is of a Hindu origin. The main deity of the temple is Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, who is worshipped as the god of the seas by the Balinese people.
The tale of the temple
According to legends, during the 16th century, a Hindu traveller named Dang Hyang Nirartha upon visiting the rock sensed a holistic presence at the place. He requested the fishermen who resided near the region to build a temple to worship the Balinese sea gods. The fishermen too agreed and they built a shrine on the rocks.
Restoration
During the year of 1980, the rock face of the temple started to crumble this started to affect the temple’s structural integrity and the site became dangerous to visit. Fortunately, with financial aid from the Japanese government, the iconic temple was fully restored.
The temple as a tourist site
Located close to many other holiday destinations resort properties the likes of Alila Seminyak of Alila Corporate, tourists can visit the site by a taxi and will have to take a short walk to reach the temple. Foreign visitors have to pay RP60000 (approximately USD 4.5) as an entrance fee to visit the temple.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
