The Legendary Goa Lawah
Pura Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Temple), located at southeastern part of Bali, is one of Bali's popular tourist attractions that people shouldn't miss when visiting the Island of Gods. Consistent with its name, the cave is over run with thousands of black bats. Upon approaching the cave, one can immediately identify a distinct aroma of bat droppings collected around the temple shrines.
The temple is quite simple but is very old and has a long history behind it. It was founded in 1007 by a great sage from Java, named Empu Kuturan, who went to Bali at the request of King Udayana and his wife. Another renown priest from Java, Resi Markandya, built small shrines of a Shivaite temple in front of the temple to guard the cave's entrance.
During pre-Hindu time the locals believe that the cave are connected by a tunnel all the way to Pura Goa in Besakih, some 35 km away, and they also believe that the legendary giant snake, Naga Basuki, is guarding the tunnel. Naga Basuki is believed to be the caretaker of the earth's equilibrium.
During Hindu time, Pura Goa Lawah is the designated place to worship God Maheswara, who many believe, resides in this part of the island. A variety of rites are held in this temple on daily basis, however, it is mostly used for rites associated with death, and it is now one of the island's nine special Sad Kahyangan Temples.
The Bat Cave was also used to test the people found guilty of breaking the law under Klungkung and Mengwi kingdoms. When a dispute on who is the legitimate descendant of the Mengwi’s king occurred between I Gusti Ngurah Made Agung and I Gusti Ketut Agung happened, I Gusti Ketut Agung agreed to enter the Bat Cave under a condition in which if he came out alive he would be recognized as a descendant.
Legend said that I Gusti Ketut Agung entered the cave and came out at Pura Goa Besakih. When he was crowned as king he was known as I Gusti Ketut Agung Besakih.
Currently, the Bat Cave remains an attraction to tourists visiting Bali specially on their way to Pura Besakih, Karangasem Kingdom, Candi Dasa, and the serene Amed beach.
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13 comments:
It scares me, btw bat could be use as medicine for asthma if I haven't mistaken...
Interesting.... They are the fruitbats, usually fly quite far in search for fruiting trees. The bat cave temple seems to be a good home for them
Those pictures are amazing. I can´t believe the temple has been there since 1007 - I guess it´s hard for us to imagine. Althouh the pictures are breathtaking, I don´t really like the sound of "aroma of bat droppings".. sounds nasty! A tunnel for 35km must have taken ages to build/dig/make... and it would have all been done with the "aroma of bat droppings".. NICE. I´ve never ventured out of Europe, but I think I´ll need to visit Asia at some point, preferably soon - I could do with a holiday!! :-)
That's a lot of bats, I would never go near that place!
@info: I've had asthma my whole life, I've heard of lizard saliva but never anything from bats that could help... do you know what exactly it is?
Very interesting! that fascinating creatures are the bats, very good your blog.
its true that in some cultures, fried bat lung as well as ground young gecko are potent remedies for asthma. Bat excrement collected at cave floors is commonly referred to as guano, it is known to be the best organic fertilizer available for it is rich in nitrogen and phosporus (important chemicals for crops). Guano also contains bacteria and fungi that protect plants from disease.
@ Frank Spiele..the tunnel is not made made, its supposed to be natural tunnel..
I meant to type man made, not made made
nice pics buddy!!
did u get ne bat from there? lol
Interesting information. I can believe that the temples are more than thousand years old. Nice pictures too.
When I visited it was spectacular to see the work done inside the temple and the creations done by the local Balinese .The priest took my sons who are Half Bali Half Australian to the front of the Bat cave for a memorial photo with him and my husband and I.
Wow, I bet is a great experience to be that close of the bats. The buildings are also great though.
seems to be interesting and adventurous.
nice photo, i have go there for praying course I'm Balinese people
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