BESAKIH MOTHER TEMPLE

As the biggest temple in Bali, the Mother Temple of Besakih is the center of all temples in the island. The history of Besakih began in the last years of the 8th century, when a Shiva priest, Sri Markandya, led a contingent of settlers in a ceremony of burying the five Metals “Panca Datu” (gold, silver, iron, copper, and precious stone) at a place on the slopes of mount Agung. On that place then people built a temple which is called Pura Besukian.

Besakih is a group of three main temples and a number of small temples are. The main temples are: Pura Batumadeg, (temple of the standing stone) on the North West to represent Vishnu the Preserver, Pura Kiduling Kreteg (temple on the South of the bridge) on the South East to represent Brahma the Creator, and Pura Penataran Agung in the center to represent Shiva the Dissolver. This last temple is also another group of small temples, including the oldest temple Pura Basukian (Basuki: the Cosmic Serpent), Pura Bangun Sakti, and Pura Manik Mas.

There are about 55 ceremonies held yearly in this temple, but the main festivals are the Bethara Turun Kabeh (the Gods descend all together) which is held on the full moon of tenth month of the lunar calendar, the Panca Wali Krama festival (once every 10 years) and  the Eka Dasa Rudra festival (once every 100 years).