 Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Bali
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is the most famous irrigation temple in Bali. It is located by the lakeside of Lake Bratan in the Bedugul highlands. The temple was built in 1633 by I Gusti Agung Putu, the King of Mengwi who later also built Pura Taman Ayun.
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan sits on the lakeside, with two artificial islands, each with a meru shrine on it. Within the lakeside temple are several shrines. The main one is Pura Teratai Bang, dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of the lake. A smaller shrine, Pura Dalem Purwa, is dedicated to the goddess of food and drinks.
Within Lake Bratan itself are the two artificial islands. The bigger one has an 11-tier meru shrine, which is the abode of the god of Gunung Mangu. As Gunung Mangu is the abode of the Hindu god Wisnu, the meru shrine is by extension dedicated to Wisnu.
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (19 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
The smaller island is called Lingga Petak. It is a shrine dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. On the island is a three-tier meru shrine reachable only by canoe. When the shrine was restored in 1968, three long round stones were discovered here, colored red, white and black. The white stone is a lingga, the phallic symbol of Shiva, and is part of the Hindu fertility worship.
Location Map of Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
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