Tirta Empul Temple is located near the town of Tampaksiring (or Tampak Siring) in the village of Manukaya, so it is also called Tampak Siring Temple. The village is about a 30-minute drive north of Ubud – the cultural center of Bali.
The sign that indicates you have reached the Holy Spring at Tirta Empul Temple
Tirta Empul Temple was founded in 926 AD and is still in regular use today. While it is a sacred place of worship for the locals, visitors from all over the world are welcome to experience its beauty and participate in its purification rituals.
The Holy Spring is located within the grounds of the Tirta Empul Temple.
Long lines of locals and tourists prepare to immerse themselves in the sacred water.
The ritual bathing at the temple is called Melukat. Participants prepare offerings of flowers and incense. After praying, they light incense at the altar on the bank and place the flowers on the spout, then bow their heads under the clear, flowing water.
(Eager visitors prepare to perform the purification ritual)
Holy Spring or holy water is located in the temple called Tirta Empul in the middle of the valley of two hills with springs sacred to the local people. In the Balinese language, Tirta Empul is loosely translated as water gushing from the ground. For this reason, Tirta Empul is considered a holy spring.
The temple is where Hindus in Bali come to perform purification ceremonies. The special feature is the underground water that has been gushing out from the ground for thousands of years without stopping, creating a sacred stream. Balinese people believe that the sacred water was created by the God Indra and the blessed water can purify those who bathe there, help them eliminate diseases, wash away sins, save souls and bring people joy.
Very interesting pictures at Tirta Empul temple
This place is always busy with long lines of people waiting to be purified.
Balinese Hindus line up in pools waiting to be immersed under the taps in a purification ritual known as melukat. Bathers start in the pool on the left and stand waist-deep in the pool under the first tap. Once they have cleansed themselves under the first tap, they join the next queue. This process continues until they have purified themselves under each tap.
However, there are two taps that are used exclusively for the purification of the dead and are forbidden for the living to use for the melukat ritual. For local families, if someone in the family dies, a relative will come here and bring the spring water to bathe the deceased one last time.
As with other temples and sacred sites around the island, you will be required to wear a sarong before entering the premises.
This is the lake where underground water continuously flows up from the ground. Water from here will flow into the 'purification' lake area behind.
Hindus have a tradition of worshiping Linga and Yoni.
In 2017, former US President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and their daughters Malia and Natasha included Tirta Empul on their list of things to see and do when they visited Indonesia. While Tirta Empul is not the only Balinese temple where you can find holy springs, it is considered one of the most sacred temples here.
And remember, if you plan to roam the sacred city of Bali, start your journey with a purification ritual at Tirta Empul Temple.
The mysterious sacred space of Tirta Empul temple
About the author:Thinh, a geopolitics and culture writer, currently lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City. Thinh is a visual storyteller in a reportage style. The author's stories are very personal shares from his personal perspective and feelings during his journeys around the world.
