The Mystical Tirtha Empul Temple A unique religious site

Though Indonesia is an Islamic country, there is a sizeable Hindu majority living here and most of this population lives on Bali. This creates a little pocket of Hindu culture that unique from the mainland Indonesian cultural practices.  The history of Bali can be raced back to 2000 BC when the island was inhabited by Austronesians who are thought to be the indigenous tribes that lived here before the arrival of settlers from China and the Indian sub continent. 

As most of the settlers in the islands were Chinese and Indian, the culture is influenced mostly by these ethnic groups and particularly by Hindu religion which can retrace its history on the island to 100 AD. The Tirtha Empul Hindu Temple was built much later in 926 AD and is revered in the present day Bali for the miraculous properties of its holy water. The temple was built on a natural water spring by the rulers of the island that belonged to the Warmadewa dynasty. This dynasty ruled the island for four centuries from the 10th century to the 14th century. 

The legend of the temple tells of a battle between a mythical King named Mayadenawa and God Indra. In the ensuing battle between good and evil, God Indra is said to have created a fresh water spring that would purify his soldiers from the poisonous pools of water that were created by the evil Mayadenawa. 

According to legend the Tirtha Empul Temple which literally means the Temple of the Bubbling Spring was built on this magical body of water. This important historical site can be accessed by a Bali resort such as the Anantara Seminyak Bali. A Bali Resorts located in the main tourist area is a good location for most travelers that wish to explore the cultural heritage of this island that is steeped in mysticism.