 Pura Taman Ayun, Bali
Pura Taman Ayun is the most important water temple in Bali. Located in Mengwi, this beautifully landscaped temple is laid out to symbolize the Hindu world. The temple ground visualizes the cosmic sea of Hinduism. It has a moat representing the sea, and at the center are the multi-tier meru shrines, representing Mount Meru.
Pura Taman Ayun (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Pura Taman Ayun is placed with an eye on Balinese geomancy. The alignment of the temple ground and its structures are said to ensure the harmonious flow of cosmic forces regulating the circulation of water from the mountains to the Bali ricefields.
Pura Taman Ayun was established around 1634 as the royal temple of the Kingdom of Mengwi, by the founder of the dynasty, I Gusti Agung Anom. The name Pura Taman Ayun means "Temple of the Garden of Fulfillment". The structures at Pura Taman Ayun that we see today dates back to the restoration carried out in 1937. Within the grounds of the temple are the ancestral shrines of the Mengwi royal family.
Pura Taman Ayun is a penyawangan, or temple for the worship of other sacred sites. As such, it is also home to shrines for the worship of Bali's mountain peaks of Gunung Agung, Gunung Batukau and Gunung Batur, as well as shrine to Pura Sada, another important temple in Mengwi. Unlike most of the temples in Bali, Pura Taman Ayun is orientated towards Gunung Batukau, and not to Gunung Agung.
The kori agung or main gate of Pura Taman Ayun (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Location Map of Pura Taman Ayun
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Moat of Pura Taman Ayun (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
The wooden drums of Pura Taman Ayun (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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