Tirta Emepul Temple is a sacred temple used to pray Balinese Hindus, located in Manukaya Village, Tampaksiring District, Gianyar-Bali Regency. This temple has a natural source of holy water that continues to flow and is used for the self-purification ritual (Melukat) of Balinese Hindus to cleanse themselves from negative energy, as well as becoming an attractive spiritual tourist destination for foreign and domestic tourists, because Tirta Empul Temple also offers a unique blend of natural beauty, distinctive Balinese architecture, and a deep spiritual experience, thus making it one of the most iconic places in Bali.
According to a myth described in a manuscript called Usana Bali which tells that the arrogant King of Bali named King Maya Denawa did not believe in God and forbade his people to worship God. Then came the punishment for King Maya Denawa, where soldiers from the god Indra came to attack Maya Denawa and depose her from the throne. But King Maya Denawa used chemical weapons that caused all of Dewa Indra's soldiers to be poisoned to death. Seeing this, Lord Indra then stuck his pole into the earth, and a spring appeared, and this water was used by Lord Indra to treat the dead soldiers, and finally they came back to life. So this spring source is still believed to be a source of life and prosperity. This is especially true if we associate this spring with the irrigation system around the area, as it provides hundreds of hectares of rice fields from the Tampaksiring area to the Pejeng area.
Tirta Empul Temple or Holy Spring Temple was discovered around 926 AD, during the Warmadewa dynasty from the 10th to the 14th century. The name of this temple comes from the name of the spring source called Tirta Empul, where Tirta Empul is derived from two words, namely Tirta and Empul. Tirta means holy water while Empul means water that comes from springs. So Tirta Empul Temple is holy water temple that comes from a spring in the temple area. The main uniqueness of Tirta Empul Temple is in the spring located in the temple area, where this spring is used by Hindu believers for self-purification baths (Melukat), praying for holy tirta and various religious ceremonies in the temple itself.
This temple is divided into three parts :
For non-Hindu tourists, it is allowed to perform self-purification (Melukat) in the shower, but it must be in accordance with the rules that apply in the temple including the Tirta Empul Temple area, using sarong cloth to cover the lower body and wearing a shawl tied around the waist, especially for women who are not menstruating. To make it easier for visitors in the front of the temple, a counter has been provided for the rental of these clothing equipment. The best time to visit Tirta Empul Temple is during the full moon, where many Hindus will perform worship. And if you want to feel the sensation of self-purification (Melukat) in the shower, it is better to visit in the morning and avoid it on holidays and weekends..
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