How - So many temples in Bali, Indonesia?

July 7, 2009

Bali is also known as "the island of the thousand temples". This is an understatement. There are probably over a million temples on the island. In fact, Bali has more temples than houses. Bali also has a large number of palaces of stunning beauty, a legacy of the eight ancient kingdoms that once ruled the island.Some of the Indonesians are very knowledgeable on Ramayana and have their version of Ramayana, which is different in some areas from ours. One of my friend there has a family spiritual master, who he says had lived in Gujarat. He is a Muslim, but the very old picture he showed me is an Indian, similar to Ramana Maharshi pictures. No idea on how the links were established though!Was Bali part of Bharatam or belonged to Vali - Sugreeva brothers?

Temples - the meeting point of humans and gods.

Temples are the meeting points of humans and gods and are resting-place for the gods during their stay on the island. Temples come to life only on certain festival days or at temple anniversaries (odalan), when they are elaborately decorated to greet the gods with offerings. There are temples for almost all aspects of Balinese life. There are house temples, village temples, family temples, banjar temples, subak temples, cave temples, temples for ancestors, rice fields, and even for monkeys. For the entire island, Pura Besakih, also known as "the mother temple", is the most important of all temples.Over a thousand years old, Besakih Temple is known as the "Mother Temple of Bali" Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung, at a lofty 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) Besakih is the biggest and holiest of all the Balinese temples. Named after the Dragon God believed to inhabit the mountain, it's said to be the only temple where a Hindu of any caste can worship.

Eighteen separate sanctuaries belonging to different regencies and caste groups surround the three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. To the Balinese, visiting the temple sanctuaries is a special pilgrimage. The mountain top setting gives it an almost mystical quality.

Steps ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where the Trinity shrines, dedicated to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, are wrapped in cloth and decorated with flower offerings. There are are number of temples but many of their inner courtyards are closed to visitors.http://www.bali-indonesia.com/attractions/temples.htm