Visiting Pura Luhur Batukau in Tabanan Bali

Bali has an abundance of temples.

There are family temples, village temples and temples that are recognized to have special significance for the whole island.

One of these is Pura Luhur Batukau in Tabanan regency. I had never visited the place before so Sunday seemed a good time to go.

Known as the Garden Temple it is located approximately 40 kms NW of Denpasar.

I changed into my convertible pants, long sleeve shirt and wrapped a sarong round my neck to give that last bit of sun protection.

After stopping at the petrol station at Jl. Kerobokan and Jl. Petitenget I headed off in the direction of Tanah Lot. The most direct way to get to the temple from Seminyak would be to go through Kerobokan and join the main Denpasar-Tabanan road just past the Ubung Bemo terminal. I hate that road as it is the main artery to Java and is clogged with pollution belching buses and trucks and so decided on an alternative route. My route took me close to Tanah Lot and at the town of Beraban instead of taking a turn to the left as I have done before to that famous temple, I headed right towards Tabanan. This area has a lot of rice paddies and for some reason coconut husk collection seems to be very popular here. I saw tons of places like in the area.

Reaching Tabanan it was simple to cross the busy road and continue northwards to Buruan and the temple. On the way I passed Yeh Panas hot springs and though about going for a dip. I didn’t bring my short though and the 2 options, wearing my pants and going starkers didn’t seem like good idea. I later found out the hot springs were bought by a hotel-spa and I’d have to pay $15 for the privelage

The cool thing about riding around on Sundays is that there is less traffic on the roads and locals are lounging around doing their thing. I see it all over Bali, kicking back under a ‘bale’ with their friends and kids. Makes for good photos and I think the Balinese have got the right idea.

The last few kilometers to Pura Luhur Batukau was up a fairly steep road making me thankful that I was not riding a bicycle. Locals love to freewheel down with their engines off to save 2 cents worth of petrol. I suppose if you travel this route everyday it could add up to a nasi goreng by the end of the year.

A few kilometers from the temple I stopped at a roadside satay stall and ordered a bag for 5,000rp. The food was dished up in a bowl and while it smelt good consisted of chunks of fat, grissle and chicken parts. I paid and left without eating…can’t win them all I suppose.

I passed a group of Balinese people walking up the hill presumably to an important family ceremony.

The temple sits at the end of a shady road and when I arrived there were 2 cars in the parking lot, no other motorbikes. The main entrance is right in front and to the right is a booth where visitors are expected to give a donation. I gave my change, 4,000rp. I brought 2 sarongs with me, the first was the one around my neck and the second ws the one I bought at the Bali Aga village with Andrea a few weeks ago. One of the older attendents fixed my sarong for me and took a photo. I still needed sash which the attendent lent me for free.

The fact that Pura Luhur Batukau is an important temple is further stressed by the set of directions visitors are given.

I hope they don’t consider me a ‘ mad gentleman.’

I felt comfortable to leave to helmet with the attendents who were busy playing poker. I knew they weren’t going anywhere and there just wasn’t anyone else around.

Why is Pura Luhur Batukau such a special place? For one its setting on the slopes of Gunung Batukau, surrounded by lush forest give it a truly Balinese feeling.

The site dates back to the 11th century and the rajas of Tabanan made it their state temple in 1604. Some time later rival rajas burned the place down and it was rebuilt in 1959.

The first thing I noticed were the male and female figures guarding the main gate, you see this all over and its repeated inside the temple. I think it means the male and female forces in the world are kept in balance.

Like the rest of Bali’s temples this one is laid out according to kaja-kelod (facing the mountain-facing the ocean) system. Temples have 3 courtyards, outer, middle and inner and the significance is they represent the graduation from the human to the spiritual world. The inner courtyard or ‘jeroan’ being the most sacred.

At Pura Luhur Batukau large rectangular bale pavillions with heavy thatched roofs were all over. Traditionally these are used for meetings, cooking food and the gamlelan orchestra. I wished I has Barrie with me to explain the significance of some of the ornamentaion and statues that were present.

I walked down a pathway that was indicated and came to a large pond probably 20 meters square with a small island temple in the middle. This is to honor the Gods of Lake Tamblingan, which is on the other side of Gunung Batukau. Along from this pond was a small courtyard set by itself and I could see where people left offerings and had perfomed ceremonies. The Holy Water for the temple comes from this source.

Walking around and back into the main courtyard complex I moved into the middle courtyard which was again ‘protected’ from evil spirits by an archway. This middle courtyard or ‘jaba tengah’is the transition zone between humans and the Gods.

I saw a statue of a creature on top of a turtle which I think represents the world resting on a sacred creature (Barrie feel free to explain).

The inner courtyard was partially accesable and I got to take a few photos. The tall structures with the tiered roofs are called ‘meru’s’ and are dedicated to deities and taller ones are the most important. The place was entirely deserted but I didn’t want oto over step the boundaries. Just as with the list of people who cannot come to the temple the Balinese have beliefs about the way to conduct yourself in a temple ( no slouching or rough behaviour ) which is simialr to how to act in a church. There are also symbolic rituals that take place in each part of the temple giving offerings to th Gods and keeping demons away. I’ll go into that more fully in an article all about temples.

Pura Luhur Batukau is one of the most important temples in Bali and on Galungan the Balinese people in this region make a pilgrimage here.

I stayed for maybe an hour and thanked the staff for watching my helmet. Clouds were gathering and I didn’t want to get soaked. The ride back was a nice slow downhill cruise to Tabanan, followed by a ride through the paddies close to Tanah Lot. I stopped for a drink and a donut at a local shop and my journey was about 90 minutes.

There are 20,000 temples on Bali and this is one of the best examples of an untouristy one.