Ulun Danu Temple – Beratan Lake Bedugul Bali
Ulundanu temple is big temple complex beside the lake Beratan at the village of Candikuning, district of Baturiti, in the regency of Tabanan. It will take about 75 minutes from Denpasar in a normal traffic.
Cool temperature always covers the area of the temple since it is located around the mountainous area at the altitude of some 1400 meters above sea level. The verdant tropical rainforest surrounding the lake Beratan makes the view behind the temple more spectacular.
The name Ulun Danu, literally means “the beginning of the lake” But this might not to claim that the site is the beginning of a lake. It tends to indicate that everything that exists around the lake will have the orientation to the temple site, and cleanliness around the area must be continuously kept.
The whole complex is consisting of 4 units each dedicated to spirit of Lingga Petak, and temporary abode gods. It looks that the temple symbolizes the nature of surrounding as the respects of nature greatness, since the location is surrounded by peaks of Bali mountain chain such as the east is Mount Mangu, to the south is Mount Teratai Bang, and to the west is Mount Pohan.
Current pavilions, shrines and basements at the site looks to have been newly renovated and no historical facts can be used to trace the history of the temple. The only source to disclose the history of the temple is a chronicle of Mengwi kingdom, a manuscript now available the transliteration from Balinese characters to Latin at Bali Museum, in Denpasar.
It is written that I Gusti Agung Putu was defeated during the battle and became war detainment of Tabanan kingdom. The vassal of Marga implored the king to bring I Gusti Agung Putu to Marga, and from here he set the strategy to gain back his lost land. He went up to Mt. Mangu peak to meditate and request the inspiration.
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is consisted of 4 temples complex that are:
- Lingga Petak Temple owns the function to worship the Siwa God
- Penataran Pucak Mangu Temple is referred this gate as Parhyangan ri pinggiring rawa Beratan or Danu Beratan Temple is founded by I Gusti Agung Putu to worship the Hyang ing Parwata or Deity which is placed in Pucak Mangu that is Bhatara Hyang Danawa as according to papyrus of Padma Bhuwana and Usana Bali, because Mangu Mount is located in north direction, hence it is called the Bhatara Hyang Danawa or Wisnu God
- Terate Bang Temple is functioning to worship of Brahma God
- Dalem Purwa Temple is functioning to worship of Danu Goddess which is considered to be miraculous of the Bhatara Hyang Danawa or Laksmi Goddess.
In Papyrus Chronicle of the Mengwi is elaborated by the history of Ulun Danu Beratan Temple founding together with existence of the Mengwi Empire. Therefore its status is pertained with the secondhand of Temple Empire what is usually pertained as Dang Kahyangan.
It is the same to the description in papyrus of Usana Bali and Padma Bhuwana, hence Puncak Mangu Temple where the Panyawangan (representative place to worship) is the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. So it is called by entire Balinese residents as Kahyangan Jagat (The Biggest Group of Hindu Temple in Bali).
The temple ceremony execution at Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is consisted of two types those are:
- The temple ceremony which is executed every six-month (210 days) that on Anggara (Tuesday) Kliwon Julungwangi (Base on Balinese Hindu calendar). Every 12 months (420 days) is executed by the bigger ceremony from the ordinary ceremony, so-called Piodalan Agung
- Pakelem ceremony is executed at any times as according to situation and condition. The Pakelem ceremony owns the function to worship the supremacy and also cheapness of the infinite for award of life, fertility, prosperity, as impact of the existence of ecosystem balance so that give the benefit for life and universe life forever and ever, during Beratan Lake and Beratan Mount stand up.
For day or half day tour bookings to the Place please contact Ketut Maryana at DriversBali.com
Phone/WhatsApp: +62 81 2397 7705 (Mr. Ketut Maryana)
Website: https://www.driversbali.com
