Bali is becoming recognised as one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, especially where tropical beauty is concerned. The island therefore is one of the most dreamt about tourist destinations in the present day with many people visiting to seek accommodation at luxury wellness and spa retreat in Ubud because of the many resorts such as COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali.
Bali however holds an incredible amount of history, which can tend to be overlooked due to the captivating tropical beauty. One of the best places to get an idea for Bali’s heritage is the Besakih Temple, also known as Pura Besakih. At first glance, the temple’s architecture is incredibly striking, with distinct pyramidal shapes that seem like they are straight out of the monolithic period.
Interestingly, no one seems to be entirely sure about the exact age of this temple, and most would say it dates back further than two thousand years. Pura Besakih is actually a compound and features multiple buildings, with each of them being dedicate to a three deities that form the Hindu trinity which are Shiva the Destroyer, Brahma the Creator and Vishnu the Preserver.
The temple doesn’t cater to any particular caste, and any devotee is welcome within its walls. This is due to it being the heart of Hindu festivities and ceremonies in Bali. Every year there is a recorded average of seventy festivals held within the compound, with every specific temple within hosting various celebrations.
Pura Besakih is highly regarded as being sacred due to an incident in the early 60s where several volcanic eruptions killed more than 1700 Balinese people, yet the lava flows missed the temple by mere meters and dealt no damage to the property. The people of Bali viewed this as a sign of the temple being a holy site in the eyes of the gods.
If you’re ever in Bali, be sure to check out this incredible attraction.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
