Ida Batari Dewi Danu: The goddess of the lake

Ida Batari Dewi Danu: The goddess of the lake

By Garrett Kam

BANGLI, Bali (JP): A long time ago in the distant mythological past before humans lived on earth, a god was traveling around the mountains of Bali. He came across a naturally-formed statue made of kayu salem, the dark wood of the tamarind tree. Extremely attracted to the figure, he meditated and brought it to life. He taught the person sacred knowledge, and this new priest then established a temple dedicated to the deity of the mountain and lake to make use of this important learning to help other humans.

So says the legend of the Pura Ulun Danau Batur temple and its priests in Kintamani, high up in the Bangli district of central Bali. Perched on the edge of Mount Batur, it overlooks the smoldering volcanic cone and immense freshwater lake of the same name. This coexistence of the complementary cosmic elements of fire and water makes it a very powerful and holy site. It is also a dramatic and breathtaking location, to where people from all over the island come to worship. It is the second largest temple and second only in importance to Pura Panataran Agung Besakih, with which it has a close relationship. Indeed, most people come to pray and present offerings at both places, going to Batur first and then continuing on to Mount Agung in a day-long pilgrimage.

This year the annual ceremony begins on April 3 and continues until April 16. During this time, immense offerings are brought to the temple from the surrounding villages. Ritual Rejang dances are performed by young women while groups of men dance the Baris with different kinds of weapons as they weave in and out of the thick mists that descend during the late afternoon. The powerful sounds of the gong gede, an immense gamelan musical ensemble found only in a few places, rings out with authority over the high walls of the temple. Colorful flags and banners flutter in the chilly mountain breeze.

Most important among the many groups of worshipers are the farmers who receive their irrigation water from the lake. Grouped into subak or irrigation societies, their livelihoods -- and consequently those of almost everyone on the island -- are dependent on the flow of fresh water. They offer thanks to the goddess of the lake, Ida Batari Dewi Danu. In Balinese cosmology, water is a female element in contrast to the fiery male. Legend has it that a god and goddess emerged from Mount Tolangkir during an eruption in the 4th century. The explosion was so violent that it ripped the mountain apart and formed two separate volcanoes. The goddess occupied the lower of the two, Batur, while the god ruled up above on Agung.

Lake Batur, covering over 1,700 hectares, is fed by rain and eleven sacred springs and rivers. This number represents the complete cosmos: four major compass directions, four intermediate points, the center, and up and down. The rivers in south, east, central and parts of north Bali originate from this ocean of fresh water, the highest source in terms of geography and holiness. From these rivers are drawn the waters for irrigation and daily needs. All of the precious liquid, however, belongs to Dewi Danu. Pura Batur is dedicated to her, and the towering eleven-roofed -- the maximum number -- meru in the innermost courtyard is her shrine.

Arranged throughout the various temple courtyards are nearly a hundred other shrines, altars, pavilions, and other structures. Many of them are the deities of land, agriculture, plant diseases and pests, fertility, and purification. Others are connected to different descent groups and royal lineages. Among the more interesting shrines is a Chinese style building which houses Ida Batari Ratu Ayu Subandar, the divine harbor mistress. Associated with a Chinese princess who married a Balinese king many centuries ago, she is worshiped as the goddess of trade, business, and wealth by the Balinese, especially those of Chinese descent. Some years ago, a decision was made by some prejudiced officials to move this building to the outer part of Pura Batur in spite of protests from priests and worshipers. When several disasters struck the temple shortly afterwards, the shrine was relocated back to its original place.

Pura Batur itself was originally located down by the edge of the crater lake. Previous eruptions of Mount Batur had always spared the temple as it was such a holy place. In 1926, however, lava flows from a more serious eruption threatened to destroy the temple. A decision was made by the priests and local officials to abandon the site. All the sacred relics were carried away to a safe place high up on the crater rim as lava engulfed the temple. The present Pura Batur, opened in 1927, is built on this second site. On a clear day its uniquely carved gates and towers can be seen from afar.

Twenty-four priests selected during childhood by a virgin priestess maintain the temple throughout the year. They serve Dewi Danu for life. The highest among them is called Jero gede and is regarded as the earthly representative of the goddess of the lake. Descended from the Pasek Kayu Selem lineage of mythology, he officiates over major ceremonies at Pura Batur. He communicates with Dewi Danu through dreams, trances, and other mythical signs. His power and authority over the waters of the lake are not questioned. Jero gede decides where water will flow by channeling it via a complex network of dikes, tunnels, and catchment systems. This also requires complete cooperation among farmers of all the subak societies along the rivers and all the way down to the sea.

Water is a precious material in spite of its apparent abundance in Bali. It must be shared and used wisely so that everyone reaps the benefits. Attempts have been made in the past to tamper with the supply system in order to achieve maximum output, but this led to increased plant diseases and a rise in the rodent and insect pest populations. Farmers also fought over water supplies and sometimes destroyed the hydraulic systems of their rivals. Nowadays, competition over water occurs in businesses that require immense amounts of water, much of which is wasted. These includes golf courses, textile factories, and many hotels and restaurants.

It is said that because the goddess makes the waters flow, those who do not follow her may not own or use her fields. All of this literally filters down to anything dependent on the lake, from rice terraces to five-star hotels with Olympic-sized swimming pools. Pura Batur is thus not only the supreme irrigation temple, but also the paramount place for worshiping the goddess of the source of life: Water.