Pura Dalem Puri: Symbol of the Existence of Heaven and Hell in the Teachings of Siwa Sidhanta

Pura Dalem Puri is one of the temples that holds significant importance in the spiritual life of the Balinese Hindu community. This temple is often associated with the concepts of Heaven and Hell in the teachings of Siwa Sidhanta. It serves not only as a place of worship for deities but also as a crucial site for rituals related to the journey of the soul after death, representing the transition from Tegal Penangsaran, which symbolizes hell, to Titi Gonggang, symbolizing the bridge to heaven, and ultimately being received in Surga Loka in Utama Mandala.

Pura Dalem Puri is divided into three main parts: Nista Mandala, Madya Mandala, and Utama Mandala, each symbolizing the journey of the soul from a world filled with suffering and bad karma towards purification and the highest sanctity.

Tugu Tegal Penangsaran (Source: Personal Collection)

The outermost part of Pura Dalem Puri, Nista Mandala, is where Pelinggih Tegal Penangsaran is located. Tegal Penangsaran symbolizes hell, the place where newly deceased souls reside before they are cremated or purified through the Pitra Yadnya ceremony. In this area, souls undergo punishment for the bad karma they accumulated during their lives. Taru Curiga, a thorny tree that grows here, symbolizes the suffering and punishment for these souls.

Titi Gonggang, Titi Ugal-Agil (Source: Personal Collection)

Madya Mandala, located in the center of the temple, is a very important place in the symbolism of the soul's journey. Here lies Pelinggih Titi Gonggang, which symbolizes the spiritual bridge between hell and heaven.

Jeroan Pura Dalem Puri (Source: Personal Collection)

The innermost and holiest part of Pura Dalem Puri is Utama Mandala, where the main Pelinggih is found, dedicated to Batari Uma Dewi, one of the manifestations of Goddess Parwati as Batari Durga. In Utama Mandala, souls that have passed through the final purification are accepted as holy spirits and worshiped. Utama Mandala symbolizes Siwa Loka, which is heaven in Balinese Hindu teachings. Here, souls that have attained the highest sanctity through the process of Atma Wedana will be worshiped by their living descendants. At this stage, ancestral spirits are no longer considered to be in the lower world (Tegal Penangsaran) or in a transitional process (Titi Gonggang), but rather have been accepted into heaven, where they can bestow blessings upon their families on earth.

Rituals for worshiping holy spirits in Utama Mandala are often conducted during Ngusaba Dalem, when the community offers special offerings and prays for the blessings of their purified ancestors. Offerings in the form of saji darpana or offerings for ancestral spirits are presented to Ida Batara residing in Utama Mandala as a form of highest respect.

Ngusaba Dalem Puri is a major ceremony usually held during Tilem Sasih Kapitu (the seventh month of the lunar calendar), where souls that have not yet been cremated or fully purified are worshiped at Tegal Penangsaran and Titi Gonggang. During this ceremony, souls still in Tegal Penangsaran will be prayed for and offered offerings so that they may continue their spiritual journey towards Titi Gonggang. Meanwhile, souls that have undergone the Ngaben process but have not completed the Ngeroras ceremony will be worshiped at Titi Gonggang before finally being accepted in Utama Mandala. Ngusaba Dalem Puri becomes an important moment for the Balinese community to pray that their ancestors who have not yet achieved sanctity may be freed from suffering and purified.