Tirta Empul Temple is built around the sacred spring at Tampak Siring. For more than a thousand years, Balinese worshipers have been drawn to Tirta Empul Temple whose sacred spring is said to have been created by Indra and to have curative properties. The tradition continues almost unchanged at the temple today. Over 1000 years old, the temple and its two bathing places have been used by the people for good health and prosperity because of the spring water’s curative powers. The most visited tourist destination in the Ubud area, to see the uniqueness of this Tirta Empul Temple, where holy water from springs in Tirta Empul Temple flows into the pool and is used by the local community to do physical self-cleaning. and the soul is believed to have a positive effect after soaking in this holy water which will make the negative things in your body and soul disappear and make your body and soul clean again
Mythology Of Tirta Empul Temple
It is narrated in the Usana Bali Lontar that Tirta Empul or Tirta Ri Air Hammpul was created by Bhatara Indra when he was at war with King Mayanadenawa of Be predecessor, the king is said to be very powerful and has the ability to disappear. Because of his supernatural powers, Mayanadenawa considered himself to be God, for that reason Bhatara Indra fought him. In a battle that took place in an area, Mayanadenawa and his troops were pressed, then they walked with their feet tilted, therefore, the area where the battle was then called Tampaksiring. In an unfavorable and life-threatening situation, Mayanadenawa came up with a bad idea by creating a poisonous spring (Yeh Cetik) for the purpose of destroying the troops of Bhatara Indra. And the bad idea turned out to be successful and because of fatigue due to constant fighting, finally many of Bhatara Indra’s troops drank Yeh Cetik. Not a few of Bhatara Indra’s troops were poisoned by drinking the poisoned water, which reduced the strength of Bhatara Indra’s troops a lot. To deal with the problem, Bhatara Indra then stuck a pennant-shaped weapon into the ground. Instantly a spring appeared that pooled upwards from the former stab of the celestial king’s weapon. After drinking the spring, Bhatara Indra’s troops recovered as usual. From this myth and centuries later the spring was arranged and perfected into a water garden by king Indrajaya Sigha Warmadewa in 882 aka and was given the name “Tirta Ri Air Hampul” or “Tirta Empul” which means steaming Pathirtaan. And until now this temple is known as Tirta Empul or also often referred to as Tampak Siring Temple because it is located in the village of Tampak Siring and the location is adjacent to the palace of the first president Sukarno, which is in Tampak Siring.
History Tirta Empul Temple
Based on the inscriptions found, it can be concluded that Tirta Empul Temple was built during the reign of King Masula and Masuli which can be seen from Usana Bali’s papyrus which reads “At that time all Balinese were happy, led by His Majesty Raja Masula Masuli, and the people all felt happy, all the people are equally issued padas, as well as other building materials, such as from Blahbatuh, Pejeng, Tampaksiring”. From the contents of this Balinese lontar usana Bali, it can be traced the reign of King Masula and Masuli in Bali and found in the Sading inscription which states that King Masula Masuli reigned in Bali starting in 1100 AD or 1178 AD, who ruled for 77 years. This means that there is a time difference of about 216 years between the construction of the Tirta Empul baths and the construction of the temple. Architecturally, the Tirta Empul Bath and Temple have historical values, spiritual vibrations, distinctive characters, and are friendly and friendly to the environment. The architectural appearance breathes tradition, and blends with the surrounding natural conditions. The spaces also imply a religious meaning.
Archaeological research that began in the early twentieth century has found evidence that the area in Tampak Siring does store a number of archaeological remains which are still functioning sacred (sacred living monuments), scattered in Panempahan Village, Manukaya Village, and Tampaksiring. The dense population of cultural heritage in this area can be seen as an indication of community settlements and dense occupancy or high social mobility that occurred in the past. The concentration of cultural heritage in this village can also be considered that Ancient Balinese civilization was born in this cultural area. One of the cultural heritages scattered in this area is Tirta Empul Temple.
Cleansing Pool at Tirta Empul Temple
The holy water pool in Tirta Empul Temple comes from a holy spring in the main courtyard of the temple where there is a large pool where this spring comes out, you can see this spring coming out in the pool. but this pool is not used for bathing, but there is another pool that is used, where the water from this spring pool is flowed through a pipe and goes to the purification pool, and in this self-purification pool you can soak and feel the positive aura there is. in this tirta empul spring. This pool is divided into 3 pools with different functions. The present temple as a common temple of Bali, the layout is divided into 3 courtyards. At the middle courtyard is constructed and first courtyards were constructed:
- Pool with 13 fountains, used as holy water for cremation or dead ceremony, Where if the local community will perform a cremation or burial ceremony then they will come here to ask for holy water that will be used as a means for the ceremony, and also for members whose family has died, they will come here to perform body cleansing which in Bali is called by the name ” Melukat” from all negative things in the body, because if in Bali if a family dies then that family member has bad luck in Bali known as “Sebel” for that they will come here so that bad luck does not spread to other families.
- Pool with 8 fountains, used as water for symbolic cleaning ( spiritual purification ), when a person is sick it is believed he is infected by immaterial dirt. As for if there is one of the family who is sick and has been taken to the doctor and does not recover, it is believed that there is a negative spiritual thing in the body, and they will come here to do a procession called “Melukat” to clean the negative aura that makes the body sick and local people believe that the holy water of Tirta Empul temple has a positive effect on someone who sick and healing the body and soul in this pool
- Pool with 5 fountains for holy water used people from outside come to pray. As for this pool, it can be used by outsiders who come to pray here and ask for holy water as a blessing so that the family is always given health, and soaking in this shower water to get a positive aura from the holy waters of tirta empul and is believed to cleanse the body from all kinds of things. negative impurities that are inherent in the soul and you will return to physical health
Those are some of the functions of the pool in this Tirta Empul Temple, from long time ago Tirta Empul has often been visited by foreign and domestic tourists with all its uniqueness and wonders that always make tourists stunned. If you visit the island of Bali and want to do a cleansing body, you can visit this Tirta Empul temple, if in your heart you believe in the efficacy of this holy water, surely it will be proven. Here you will see many people who come here and perform cleansing rituals in this tirta empul pond