HINDU RITUAL BATHING IN BALI


Pura Tirta Empul (which means Temple of Holy Spring in Balinese) is a Balinese Hindu water temple famous for its holy spring water, where Balinese Hindus go for ritual purification.
The temple (a large compound) was founded in 962 and is dedicated to Vishnu. 
Balinese Hinduism is the form of Hinduism practiced by the majority of the population of Bali. This represents a distinct form of Hindu worship incorporating local animism, ancestor worship and reverence for Bodisatthva. Although the population of Indonesia  is predominantly Muslim and Christian, 83% of the people on Bali are Hindu.

People journey from all over Bali to bathe in this sacred water, seeking blessing and protection; they believe the springs offer wellness and have magical curative properties.
In the inner courtyard of the temple is a large walled off rectangle that houses the spring itself. The water is fed into a series of fountains in which the devout balinese Hindus will ceremoniously bathe. Worshipers will first make an offering at the main temple and then proceed to the 15 fountains and allow it to wash over them four to thirteen times.

Pura Tirta Empul, Bali, Indonesia, 2013

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