Batukaru temple is a famous tourist's stop for sightseeing
to the west Bali country side. The location is on the
foot of second highest mountain in Bali that is Batukaru
mountain, from which the temple got the name. When people
go for a praying, first they stop at a temple called
Pura Jero Taksu which is still away before Batukaru
for the first prayer, but for those who has been many
times no need to stop here. The thought is that for
the first time people worship at Batukaru, it must be
a report or might be translated roughly as the registration
of the people who will have the praying at the main temple of Batukaru.
There is no historical fact to disclose the history
of the temple except manuscripts called Kusuma Dewa,
and the manuscript about Buleleng kingdom of 17th century.
Kusuma Dewa mentions that Mpu Kuturan, a priest from
Java who was in Bali around 11th century ordered the
construction of Sad Kahyangan ( 6 main temples on each
of the directions ). Batukaru temple is mentioned that
it is one of the Sad Kahyangan and is dedicated to god
at west direction. While manuscript of Buleleng kingdom
mentions that when the kingdom of Buleleng ( now Singaraja
) had been very prosperous and peaceful, the king Panji
Sakti wanted to extend his emporium and looked for possible
target to attack. At last the king with their big number
of soldiers arrived at Batukaru temple, and without
reason, by the manuscript mentioned that I Gusti Panji
Sakti attacked and damaging the temple. Soon thousand
of bees coming and hit him and the soldiers causing
all of them took a thousand flee. This story seems that
it was created by those who did not have sympathy with
Buleleng, and tried to misconstrue the hitory. There
are another story about king in Bali had also mentioned
by the Usana Bali having the same attitude toward the
religion with impact to the society, and at last defeated
by more religiously piouse regime. The manuscript of
Buleleng mentions the date of 1605 AD which is totally
not match the fact of Singaraja history. I Gusti Panji as the king of Buleleng
is just recently after the year of 1800.
There are some stone sculptures with water fountains
which style is the same at water fountain stone sculpture
at Gowa Gajah, Gianyar. Dr. R. Goris in his book said
that this ancient sculptures might originated from the
same period, that is from 11th century, but we must do not forget that in the past was a customs in Bali
when making something, especially temple, often imitated earlier creation.
In 1959 the temple was rebuilt from the remnants and
step by step until 1977 to reach the present architectural
condition. Now the temple is maintained by 2 perbekelans.
A perbekelan is a unit of local administrative area
consists of many Banjars. While banjar is the smallest
unit of Balinese settlement group. Those 2 perbekelans
are perbekelan of Wangaya Gede, located very close to
the temple, and perbekelan Tengkudak. These 2 areas
are responsible for maintenance, organizing the ceremonies,
and various activities scheduled to be performed at
the temple. Since the temple is one of the Sad Kahyangan
in Bali, during the ceremony will be very crowded, full
of cars, motor bikes, and people. It is suggested that
during the ceremony not to have trip to this temple
unless you are ready to walk for kilometers, even some time up to Wangaya Gede village.
One uniqueness in this temple is the ceremony which
is only last for one day, quiet different from the rest
of the temple in Bali which have the average ritual
duration at least 3 days. The main ceremony will fall
between Galungan and Kuningan holiday in Bali, while
Galungan and Kuningan is the biggest holiday for all
Bali except north Bali and villages called Bali Aga. The second uniqueness is that
the accomplishment of the ceremony has never been involving
Brahmana priest, it is enough conducted by local priests called pemangku.
The layout of the temple is the same as other temples
of Bali, consists of 3 courtyards every yard is connected
with split gate or closed gate. The main shrine is dedicated
to the god of fertility or in Balinese word " Ratu
Hyang Tumuwuh ", and others heard as ancestor's worship.
Bibliography
- Goris, Dr. R. Sejarah Bali Kuno, Singaraja, Bali, no date is appear on the script.
Sekte-Sekte di Bali, translated by Soejono, Bhrattara, Jakarta, 1974
Bali Atlas Kebudayaan, Pemerintah Republic Indonesia, no date.Arti Pura Besakih Menurut Sejarah dan Ibadat, Majalah Bhakti,Th. II, No. 17
- I.H.D. Kumpulan Penelitian Tentang Pura di Bali, diperbanyak untuk Lingkungan Institute Hindu Dharma Denpasar, Bali, no. date.
- Kempers, Dr. A.J. Monumental Bali,Introduction to Balinese Archaeology & Guide to the Monuments, Periplus Addition, 19
- Linus, Drs. I .Kt Sedikit Tentang Hubungan Konsepsional antara Candi dan Pura di Bali Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar, 1974
- Rata, Drs. I.B. Konsepsi Dasar dan Pengembangan Pura di Bali, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Udayana, Denpasar, Bali, 1979
- Pemda Propinsi Bali Sejarah Bali 1980
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