Ulun Danu Beratan Temple In Bali, Indonesia

History of the temple

The beautiful temple was constructed around the 17th-century to offer prayers to the main Hindu trinity known as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The temple also offered prayers to the lake goddess - Dewi Danu. During the rise of the Mengwi Kingdom, four complexes were made within the temple dedicated each to specific gods. There are four gates that face each other and pay homage to Punchak Mangu located at the northeast of the lake. Punchak Mangu is considered as the symbol of soil fertility.

Lake Beratan is considered holy because the lake serves as the irrigation system for the land nearby. It is considered the source for the rich fertility of the region. It is said that Lake Beratan was the biggest lake in Bali until an earthquake split the lake into Beratan, Buyan, and Tamblingan.

An interesting thing to notice here is the centuries-old sarcophagus laying on the left side of the temple that dates back to 500 BC. Despite begin the oldest temple of the country, the condition of the temple is pretty clean and good. The preservation technique applied to the Hindu and Buddhist architectural complexes is marvelous.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple Architecture

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in Bali, Indonesia is another magnificent temple in Bali that shouldn’t be missed out on a sightseeing excursion to Bali. This is a floating temple as it is surrounded by water on all sides. It consists of four groups of shrines. The temple also comprises of the four gates in all of the four directions of the compass. There are four main temple complex in the temple which are Dalem Purwa Temple where Goddess Danu is worshipped, Terate Bang Temple where God Brahma is worshipped, Lingga Petak Temple is where God Siwa is worshipped, and last Penataran Pucak Mangu Temple is where Hyang ing Parwata is worshipped. There are two major ceremonies that takes place in the temple, one is which takes place every 6 months and the other is every 12 months which is more grand than the previous ceremony. And the second ceremony is one which takes place as per the requirement of the situation or the condition. 

The area surrounding the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in Bali, Indonesia has a dreamy touch and looks mesmerizing. The clear lake surrounding the temple gives the soul-satisfying experience along with the pristine landscape. As soon as you enter the temple, you will see lush green garden area and the giant banyan tree to the left and to the right stands a Buddhist stupa. The temple is located at Jln Denpasar Singaraja which is in Batiruti district. Due to the picturesque scenery of this place, many locals visit it for an outing on weekends. The temple can be easily reached using local cabs or taxis. One needs to pay 50000 IDR for an adult ticket and 25000 IDR for a child ticket in order to enter the temple. The visiting hours of the temple are from 08:00 am to 05:00 pm and one can visit the temple 24 hours for worshipping purposes. No short dresses are allowed inside the temple, and even if you are wearing one, then you need to wear a sarong to keep your knees covered.