Bali is known for temples with thousand years of history. Besakih is one such temple though with more credentials. It is considered to be the largest as well as most sacred temple in the area. A must visit if you stay somewhere like InterContinental Bali Resort for the temple offers a stunning view outside its premises. A beautiful sight in every sense of the word, the temple offers you a wide range of paddies, mountains, streams and so on.
If you simply open up a conversation with a Balinese as to how they feel about going to Besakih, you will get more information about the temple. If you need to know how to get to the temple seek the information desk of any Bali resort, and you will get the directions. If you have already been to Mount Agung, you will have a fair idea how to get here.
The temple is of course dedicated to Hindu philosophy. You will see white banners in reverence for Shiva in the middle of the temple. On your right, you will see red banners in reverence of Brahma. If you happen to see black banners, they are for Vishnu. There are many other temples in the vicinity. But you cannot visit them anytime, as they are closed.
Most of the shrines you see at the premises were built during the Majapahit Empire in 1343. The temple has weathered several types of inclement weather. It barely survived an earthquake in 1917. And when Mount Agung erupted a number of times, the temple had to be restored. But the eruptions did not end up in a complete damage to the temple.
If you travel with Balinese pilgrims, you can see how devoted they are in making pilgrimage to the temple. Their behaviour also changes with the rhythm of the temple’s environment. And for a moment, you will also be a devout Hindu at Besakih, Bali’s mother temple.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
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