Ulun Danu Batur Temple-"THE HEART OF LAKE"

Ulun Danu Batur Temple - Bali, is one of the biggest Hindu temple in Bali located in Kintamani Bangli. The temple is a very special place, with a very beautiful and stunning view of Lake Batur and the surroundings, with a great atmosphere. Many people visit this temple for its ambience and air of serenity. Its almost a "must" to visit Ulun Danu Temple, if you decide to get a Bali vacation - our Bali tours include visiting this beautiful and relaxing Bali temple.

Until 1926 Pura Ulun Danu and the village of Batur were located down in the caldera, at the foot of the Bali Batur volcano. After the volcano erupted violently in 1926, both the village and the temple were destroyed except for the most important shrine, an 11-tiered meru dedicated to Dewi Batari Ulun Danu. The villagers moved to the highest and oldest rim of the caldera where they rebuilt their village and the temple.

The King of Mengwi built the original temple in 1633. The main area of this temple complex lies in the middle of one of the major lakes which supply the irrigation waters for rice fields all over Bali. Pilgrims come from near and far to ask the Goddess of the Lake - Ida Batari Dewi Ulun Danu - to bless them with bountiful crops. There are actually three temples in this complex. Pura Teratai Bang or the Black Lotus Temple on shore is dedicated to the God Brahma. While the Goddess of Food and Drink, Dewi Bhogawati rules over the smaller temple next to it. The Main Temple is right in the water.

In choosing the next Jero Gede, the priestess goes into trance, Balinese believe the priestess is possessed by the goddess of the lake, and through her voice the goddess name boy who will become new Jero Gede. Since the Jero Gede is chosen by the goddess he is also called “sanglingan” or “lightning-struck”.

Ulun Danu Batur, Hindu Temple Bali or Temple of Crater Lake, holds special place in Balinese socio-religious like no other temple in Bali. This temple is the core of the all water temples in Central Bali. It is the paramount of water temple systems which has great authority over all irrigation systems that draw their water from Batur Lake.

Like no other high priest of any other temple in Bali, Jero Gede is considered to be the owner of Ulun Danu Batur Temple. He has the right to receive everything that goes in and out of the temple. Everything he needs is fulfilled by the congregation of the temple which is also means all farmers who received the water from Lake Batur. He has considerable authority over water distribution. No new rice field or new subak in central Bali can be opened without his permission. His words hold great weight in dispute over water between two subaks, and are always obeyed by the disputers.