A Pura is a Balinese Hindu temple, [1] and the place of worship for adherents of Balinese Hinduism in Indonesia. Puras are built following rules, style, guidance, and rituals found in Balinese architecture. Most puras are found on the island of Bali, where Hinduism is the predominant religion; however many puras exist in other parts of Indonesia where significant numbers of Balinese people reside. Mother Temple of Besakih is the most important, largest, and holiest temple in Bali. [2] Many Puras have been built in Bali, leading it to be titled "the Island of a Thousand Puras".
The term pura originates from the Sanskrit word ( -pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore), meaning "city", "walled city", "towered city", or "palace", which was adopted with the Indianization of Southeast Asia and the spread of Hinduism, especially in the Indosphere. During the development of the Balinese language, the term pura came to refer to a religious temple complex, while the term puri came to refer to a palace, the residence of kings and nobles, similar to Javanese kratons.
Unlike the common towering indoor Hindu temples of the Indian Subcontinent, puras are designed as open-air places of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between its compounds. These walled compounds contain several shrines, meru (towers), and bale (pavilions). The design, plan, and layout of the pura follow the trimandala concept of Balinese space allocation. [3] Three mandala zones are arranged according to a sacred hierarchy:
However, the layout rules for arrangements of the facilities of the two outer zones, nista mandala and madya mandala, are somewhat flexible. Several structures, such as the bale kulkul, could be built as outer corner tower; also, the perantenan (temple kitchen) could be located in the Nista mandala.
There are two types of gates within Balinese architecture: the split gate, known as candi bentar, [4] and the roofed tower gate known as paduraksa or kori agung. Both types of gates have specific roles in Balinese architectural design. Candi bentar is the gate used in the nista mandala, while the kori agung is employed as the gate between the madya mandala and Utama mandala inner compounds. The rules for gate types are also valid for non-religious compounds such as puri, nobles' and kings' residences.
There are several types of pura, each serving certain functions of Balinese rituals throughout the Balinese calendar. The Balinese temples are arranged according to the physical and spiritual realm of Balinese people, which corresponds to kaja-kelod sacred axis, from mountain tops to the realms of gods, hyang spirits, the middle fertile plain the realm of humans, and other beings, all the way to the beach and ocean, and the many realms in Indonesia.
The Sad Kahyangan, Sad Kahyangan Jagad, or the "six sanctuaries of the world" are the six holiest places of worship in Bali. [6] According to Balinese beliefs, they are the pivotal points of the island and are meant to provide spiritual balance to Bali. The number of these most sacred sanctuaries always adds up to six, but depending on the region, the specific temples that are listed may vary. [7] A list of the Sad Kahyangan may include: [8]
Based on the ejection of Dwijendra Tattwa, which in this study was determined as Dang Hyang Nirartha's history, which in Balinese society is commonly called the History of Gede, mentioned Pura Parama Dharma, which is to pretend that Dang Kahyangan was built by Dang Hyang Nirartha or was awakened by the community to respecting and remembering Dharmayatra (religious holy journey) Dang Hyang Nirartha mentioned several 34 temples, some of them: [9]
Bali has several important "sea temples" (Balinese: pura segara), which were founded in the 16th century by a Majapahit Brahmin from Java, named Nirartha, to honour the gods of the sea. [10] Each of the temples is traditionally said to be visible from the next, forming a 'chain' around the coast of Bali. Many of the most important sea temples are located along the south-west coast of the island. The temples' positions were meant to provide a chain of spiritual protection for the Bali island.
Listed counterclockwise from Nirartha's legendary point of arrival in Bali, some of the most prominent Balinese sea temples include:
A Pura is a Balinese Hindu temple, [1] and the place of worship for adherents of Balinese Hinduism in Indonesia. Puras are built following rules, style, guidance, and rituals found in Balinese architecture. Most puras are found on the island of Bali, where Hinduism is the predominant religion; however many puras exist in other parts of Indonesia where significant numbers of Balinese people reside. Mother Temple of Besakih is the most important, largest, and holiest temple in Bali. [2] Many Puras have been built in Bali, leading it to be titled "the Island of a Thousand Puras".
The term pura originates from the Sanskrit word ( -pur, -puri, -pura, -puram, -pore), meaning "city", "walled city", "towered city", or "palace", which was adopted with the Indianization of Southeast Asia and the spread of Hinduism, especially in the Indosphere. During the development of the Balinese language, the term pura came to refer to a religious temple complex, while the term puri came to refer to a palace, the residence of kings and nobles, similar to Javanese kratons.
Unlike the common towering indoor Hindu temples of the Indian Subcontinent, puras are designed as open-air places of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between its compounds. These walled compounds contain several shrines, meru (towers), and bale (pavilions). The design, plan, and layout of the pura follow the trimandala concept of Balinese space allocation. [3] Three mandala zones are arranged according to a sacred hierarchy:
However, the layout rules for arrangements of the facilities of the two outer zones, nista mandala and madya mandala, are somewhat flexible. Several structures, such as the bale kulkul, could be built as outer corner tower; also, the perantenan (temple kitchen) could be located in the Nista mandala.
There are two types of gates within Balinese architecture: the split gate, known as candi bentar, [4] and the roofed tower gate known as paduraksa or kori agung. Both types of gates have specific roles in Balinese architectural design. Candi bentar is the gate used in the nista mandala, while the kori agung is employed as the gate between the madya mandala and Utama mandala inner compounds. The rules for gate types are also valid for non-religious compounds such as puri, nobles' and kings' residences.
There are several types of pura, each serving certain functions of Balinese rituals throughout the Balinese calendar. The Balinese temples are arranged according to the physical and spiritual realm of Balinese people, which corresponds to kaja-kelod sacred axis, from mountain tops to the realms of gods, hyang spirits, the middle fertile plain the realm of humans, and other beings, all the way to the beach and ocean, and the many realms in Indonesia.
The Sad Kahyangan, Sad Kahyangan Jagad, or the "six sanctuaries of the world" are the six holiest places of worship in Bali. [6] According to Balinese beliefs, they are the pivotal points of the island and are meant to provide spiritual balance to Bali. The number of these most sacred sanctuaries always adds up to six, but depending on the region, the specific temples that are listed may vary. [7] A list of the Sad Kahyangan may include: [8]
Based on the ejection of Dwijendra Tattwa, which in this study was determined as Dang Hyang Nirartha's history, which in Balinese society is commonly called the History of Gede, mentioned Pura Parama Dharma, which is to pretend that Dang Kahyangan was built by Dang Hyang Nirartha or was awakened by the community to respecting and remembering Dharmayatra (religious holy journey) Dang Hyang Nirartha mentioned several 34 temples, some of them: [9]
Bali has several important "sea temples" (Balinese: pura segara), which were founded in the 16th century by a Majapahit Brahmin from Java, named Nirartha, to honour the gods of the sea. [10] Each of the temples is traditionally said to be visible from the next, forming a 'chain' around the coast of Bali. Many of the most important sea temples are located along the south-west coast of the island. The temples' positions were meant to provide a chain of spiritual protection for the Bali island.
Listed counterclockwise from Nirartha's legendary point of arrival in Bali, some of the most prominent Balinese sea temples include: