BESAKIH Temple perching the foot of Mount Agung in Karangasem is the largest sacred place for Hindus in Bali. It has an annual ceremony called Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh. This year, the ceremony is organized on March 17-April 7, 2022. In other words, the ceremony lasts for 21 days. It began exactly on the full moon of the tenth month in the Balinese calendar.
The implementation of the 21-day ceremony has several reasons. Firstly, it follows the execution of the previous implementations. Secondly, this is also intended to anticipate that people who will pray do not come in abundance which usually also results in severe traffic jams.
To get around this traffic jam, there are people who are leaving in the morning, afternoon, evening and late night. Because there are so many people who want to pray during that time, almost every time within 24 hours a day there are people saying prayers.
The peak procession of the Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh ceremony held once a year is centered at Penataran Agung Temple of Besakih. It started with a prayer together and continued with nedunang Ida Bhatara from the Samuan Agung hall.
The process of the Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh ceremony is officiated over by about 30 higher priests spreading over 25 temples in the Pura Agung Besakih complex. The ritual procession of Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh is also accompanied by the performance of a number of sacred dances.
What is Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh?
Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh is a ceremony that depicts all the Gods of God’s manifestations gathering at the Besakih Temple Hall and uniting to give gifts to their people to serve God.
During the Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh ceremony, all the main sacred symbols in the Besakih Temple complex are carried out ritually and held at the Pesamuan Hall. This illustrates that the Gods unite to give gifts to the people according to their respective levels of karma and devotion.
According to several sources, in general, the implementation of Ida Bhatara Turun Kabeh’s ritual aims to invoke the serenity and safety of the universe (Bhuana Agung) and its inhabitants (Bhuana Alit).
Where is the Besakih Temple?
Pura Agung Besakih or Besakih Temple is located on the slopes of Mount Agung, precisely at Besakih Village, Rendang, Karangasem. It is approximately 63 kilometers from Kuta.
For tourists, there are several transportation options such as renting a private vehicle with or without a driver, renting a motorbike or buying a tour package containing an itinerary to visit the Besakih Temple.
