Bali Temples
As Hindunese, Balinese too worship the three main Hindu Gods the Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva which manifested in the God Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. There are many Gods and spirits inherited from Hindu-India and the others are uniquely Bali.
Balinese believe strongly in magic and and the power of spirits, which blend inside the religion also shown much on their rituals, ceremonies, offerings and customs. Balinese believe that that good spirits stay in higher places like mountain, whereas the lower places like the seas are places of the bad spirits.
Although there are certain bigger temples scattered along the island (some are off the beach and separated by the sea as well) those are respected, where Balinese come from all over the region to worship there. To name some of these bigger temples: Besakih, the mother of all temples in Bali located on the slope of Mt. Agung, Pura Sakenan on the Serangan island, Pura Rambut Siwi on Bali’s western coast, Pura Luhur, in Uluwatu, the steep & rocky edge of the shouthern part of Bali, Pura Lempuyang in Karangasem, Pura Pulaki in Singaraja, and others..
All cultural villages also have at least three main temples:
- Pura Puseh, the temple of origins, which faces the mountain and dedicated to the village founders.
- Pura Desa, the temple of the village, which usually located in the center of the vilage and is dedicated to the welfare of the village.
- Pura Dalem, which align with the sea and is dedicated to the dead.
In addition to those temples, most of the individual houses each has its own “merajan” (private shrine). The numbers added with dedicated monuments for certain spirits, public places, agriculture, arts and other aspect of life.
Now you can see why Bali is often referred as the island of thousands Temples and the Island of the Gods.