Tanah Lot Temple

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Tanah Lot Temple

This temple was built in the 15th century by the priest Pedanda Bahu Rawuh or Danghyang Nirartha from Majapahit Kingdom. During his voyage along the south coast he caught sight of a rock island and rested there. Some fishermen noticed him and invited him to stay at their hut. Nirartha refused, saying he preferred to spend the night on the little island. That evening, he talked to the fishermen and advised them to build a shrine on the rock. Nirartha felt it would be a holy and appropriate place to worship God.

Tanah Lot Temple is located in coastal side of Beraban countryside, Kediri sub district and Tabanan Regency. It is situated in 30 Km in west side of Denpasar town and about 11 Km in south side of Tabanan town. The temple is built on the rock with 3 acre size and reachable in a few minute by walk, because it is just 20 meters from the coastal lip. This temple is very famous among tourist destination in Bali with spectacular view of sunset. At some nooks of coral reef around Tanah Lot Temple there are holy tame snake in black and white color where according to the local society believe that it as a deity property and as the guard of the temple from the bad influence.

The word of Tanah Lot is consisted of two words that are Tanah word interpreted as a reef looking like gili or isle. Lot or Lod word has meaning the sea. So Tanah Lot is meaning the small island floating on the sea. The location is now called as Tanah Lot has been used at a Megalithic period as a place that looked into holy, proven from the existence of menhir. Pursuant to environmental condition, hence the structure of Tanah Lot Temple is built at irregular reef plain of its angle which is only consisted of one plain yard as Jeroan.

The function of this temple can be realized from the function of the main temple building which is located in the temple main area. In this place, there is a main temple to worship the god in form of Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, the sea power. The media of worship to this god is the temple building with 5 storied meanwhile the 3 storied temple building in north part of this area is purposing to worship to Dang Hyang Nirartha.

In order to know the status of Tanah Lot Temple can be realized from the temple history, function and also incoming devotee existence pray when temple ceremony is held. In this case can be realized as follows:

  • Tanah Lot Temple as dang Kahyangan(the big Holy Temples in Bali ), because the history and the Penyiwi (The people taking care of the temple) are from the local people from Tabanan regency and surrounding area
  • Tanah Lot temple as Segara Temple, because its function as sanctum to worship the Bhatara Segara, the God with manifestation as the ocean Power Deity

The unique animal can be seen in this temple area is the snake which are generally can be met in the coast. Part of its stomach there are no athwart skin, there is only small skin, but this sea water snake very noxious but snakebite case are very seldom happened, because the sea water snake generally very passive.

What to See in Tanah Lot

As a favorite tourism destination in Bali, Tanah Lot owns a magnificent view in particular at the sunset time where the sun slows down to the earth stomach. Every visitor who visiting this place will be marveled to see the beauty panorama of Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is related to several sea temples on the south coast of Bali: Pura Sakenan, Pura Uluwatu, Pura Rambut Siwi and Pura Petitenget. All these temples are related to the primary mountain sanctuaries: Besakih at Mount Agung, Pura Batur at Batur and Pura Luhur Watukaru at Mount Batukaru.

Don’t miss this favorite place during your holiday in Bali, ask your guide to visit Tanah Lot, or check our gorgeous Ubud, Tanah Lot Tour, Ubud Volcano, Tanah Lot Tour, Tanah Lot, Taman Ayun Tour, and Denpasat City Tanah Lot Tour.  have a nice trip…