Pura Tirta Dawa Gunung Kawi Sebatu: A rich temple with holy springs

Fish pond containing large koi (Source: Private Collection)

The closest city to Gunung Kawi Sebatu is Ubud. This temple is a 20 minute drive from Ubud and is located to the North East of the city and is located in the small village of Sebatu. The best way to reach Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple is to follow the main road out of Ubud towards Lake Batur. If you are coming from Ubud then you approach Mount Kawi Sebatu from the small, winding road that originates from Jalan Raya Tegallalang. It is very easy to find it because the temple has clear signage. Surrounded by quite busy arts and tourism activities. This temple is very rich in water, including flowing water sources, water pools and purified springs, all arranged very artistically to glorify the grace of Sang Hyang Widi Wasa in his manifestation as Sang Hyang Vishnu.

Wounding Place (Source: Private Collection)

Entering the temple area, we will be amazed by the majesty of the temple building and its arrangement. Not much different from other temples, Pura Tirta Dawa Gunung Kawi Sebatu adheres to the Tri Mandala system, where the temple complex is divided into 3 parts starting from Jaba Pura, Jaba Tengah and Jeroan.

In the yard or jaba temple area there is a wantilan, which is a large pavilion which is usually used for gatherings of people, then there is also a shrine or kitchen and a Ngaskara Kajang Pelinggih. Apart from that, there is also a pool with a water fountain as a place for wounding, called Genah Panglukatan, next to which is the Pelinggih Batara Gangga, this pool is intended for anyone who wants to carry out wounding activities or clean themselves.

Innards of Tirta Dawa Temple Gunung Kawi (Source: Private Collection)

When entering Jaba Tengah we will see a Bale Patok in the middle, Bale Paselang on the left while Bale Agung is on the right, and towards the left of Jaba Tengah there is a pool with a water fountain in the middle of which there is a shrine which is said to be forbidden. touch the water and enter the area because the water and the shrine are sanctified by the residents there, the only people who can enter there are the regents and priests.

On the right side of Jaba Tengah we will find Taksu, Pangastawan Tirta, Gedong Tarub, Pelinggih Gunung Sari, Pelinggih Batara Gunung Lebah, Pelinggih Batara Gunung Agung, Menjangan Saluang and various kinds of bale. Moving on to the innards section, which is a very sacred place for Hindus to pray, there we will see the place of offerings, Paruman, Tepasana, Pengastulan Karang Jro Mangku Brata, Pelinggih Batara Gunung Kawi, Meru Ratu Gunung Lebah, Meru Ratu Gunung Agung, Menjangan Seluang, Padmasana Pelinggih Batara Wisnu, Pangastulan Saking Karang Evidence and Pangastulan Karang Liguh.

Shrine of sacred springs (Source: Private Collection)

Apart from just traveling and praying or doing wounding, we can also see a very large koi fish pond in the grounds of this temple, in which there are thousands of koi fish which are sacred to Hindus. The history of this temple is often linked to the arrival of Rsi Markandya. According to folklore, Rsi Markandya did yoga on a rock, then the rock that Blau sat on or used for yoga was called tirta dawaa Gunung Kawi, in the Balinese context, namely bliau meklase batu or grounded with rock, but over time the word klase batu became the word Sebatu Village.