Bali Tour Guide

There were already many cars and even few buses when we arrive at the parking area of the temple. I was not expecting it but suddenly I remember, that day was weekend and just one day before full moon. A good timing to do tirta yatra, spiritual journey, by many Balinese people these days. My guess was right as soon as I enter the middle court of Penataran Lempuyang Temple, there were load of Balinese people waiting outside of the impressive white limestone gates. The turn for the praying came not for long. After walking on the steps that built between stone dragons, we finally enter the inner court of the Penataran Temple. I placed an offering on the altar after inserting incense then find a place to sit. The temple priest officiate the ceremony first before telling the people to start the ‘panca sembah’ pray. The pray then followed by blessing the people with holly water and ‘bija’ the rice.

Penataran Lempuyang Temple is the first and the bottom complex of the Lempuyang Temple. All symbols of God from other complexes will be brought here during the temple anniversary ceremony. The whole temple complex of Lempuyang is one of the important temples in Balinese cosmology. It is located in the East side and become the holly residence of God Indra.

Our hike is continued by following the small asphalt road. It was cloudy but not rain yet. While walking I made chat with a family of four, mother father and two teen chidren. They come from Singaraja, north Bali, and that day is their second day of tirta yatra. On the first day they went to Silayukti Temple in Padangbay and stay overnight there. By doing tirta yatra make them feel relax after the busy daily modern life. At the end of the asphalt road, there is the next complex, Telaga Mas. The complex is the holly purification place where a small water spring is located. The complex itself just consists of a small non roof shrine and a small platform for priest. There is no wall surrounding. We held a prayer to spiritually cleanse ourselves before continuing to more holly complex above.

Leaving Telaga Mas, we started to walk up on the cemented steps. Some people said, there are about 1800 steps here until the top part. I never bother to count it even though I came several times. I admired the spirit of an old lady I met on the walk. She left the rest of her family, her children and grandchildren, far behind her. I asked her how many times she been to the temple. This is her first time and maybe her last time, so she is very motivated. She also mentioned that her children generation has been spoilt by ‘modern food’ that makes them much weaker than her generation whom eat directly from the nature. I take a rest a while where we saw the sign of Lempuyang Madya complex. It is half away to the top. We did not go to the complex. The complex is a clan temple of certain families in Bali.

After getting back our breath, we continue the hike. I met other family. They came here to do ‘memendak’ ceremony. A ceremony held after cremation ceremony. A simple symbol of ancestral spirit is carried by a lady. After the cremation the ancestor spirit are consider holly. The spirit then needs to be ‘invited’ from several important temples in Bali to come to their family temple. Lempuyang temple is one of the temple use for the purpose. It was start to rain when we getting close to Pasar Agung complex. The complex consists of a shrine and a 5m by 5m roofed building and no wall. The building cannot accommodate most people who came that day. While waiting our turn we take a shade at some small warungs nearby. The rain gets very hard and we get wet anyway even we tried to squeeze our selves in the tiny warung. However, the sound of rain mixed with the sound holly song from some ladies then break by the sound of priest bell motivated us not to stop here. After finish our pray, we put our rain coats and start hike again on the pouring rain. For some while, there are no steps but rather flat stone path amongst the ‘pandanous’ plan. We saw man just lost a basket of offering after get grab by the monkeys. He didn’t look mad but patiently wait the monkeys emptying his basket.

‘Durung rauh ring Luhur sampun katur driki’ he said while smile at me. Mean, ‘Not yet arrive in the top but already ‘offered here’ . We walk up together with his empty basket. We saw a father carried his 6 year old boys on his next. The boy look tired but not complaining. Finally, we reach the top. We take a rest a while in the small wantilan building, located outside of Pura Luhur Lempuyang. The top complex in the top of Lempuyang Mountain.

The inside complex consist of several Padma Shrines, a welcoming building, bale pewedan (priest building) and several holly bamboo trees. The rain stop as we start our pray. The Gayatri mantram sang smooth amongst the gentle ring of priest bell. The calling sound then sends away by the cold breeze. Send it away from the top of Lempuyang to the misty fog above. I am sure with all the effort and sincere of the people here, the called would be picked up by Him.