Restoration plan to boost glory of ancient Besakih temple

Restoration plan to boost glory of ancient Besakih temple

By I Wayan Juniarta

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The ancient temple Besakih, with towering
Mount Agung in the background, is perhaps one of the most popular
attractions of Bali, having been shown in most tourism brochures,
travel magazines, and Bali television documentaries.

Located at Menanga village in Karangasem regency, about 65
kilometers northeast of Denpasar, Besakih is also the biggest
temple compound in Bali with 18 public temples, four Catur Lawa
temples, 11 clan temples, six non-clan temples, 29 sub-clan
temples, seven sub-clan-related temples and 11 non-categorized
temples.

The importance of Besakih can be traced back into history and
myths from the ancient times of Bali.

"In a semi-historical account of Bali as mentioned in Usana
Bali-Usana Jawa, Mount Agung was a part of Himalaya's peak
brought to and then planted in Bali by the god Pasupati to
stabilize the island," art devotee Nyoman Sugiharta said.

Pasupati, he added, also asked his three children to stay in
Bali to be the guide, provider, and protector of the people of
Bali. His oldest son was to reside at Mount Agung, the daughter
at Lake Batur in Kintamani. The third child was assigned to
reside in the sea around Bali.

Pasupati promised that as long as the people of Bali worshiped
and respected his children, they should have no fear for the
well-being of their lives for the gods would guarantee their
eternal protection and abundant harvests.

Another legend has it that a Hindu priest, Rsi Markandya,
traveled with his 800 Javanese followers to the slope of Mount
Agung. In the area later known as Besakih, the priest buried five
metal amulets, Panca Datu, to ward off misfortune.

"Actually it was the second expedition to Bali for Markandya.
The first expedition several years earlier was a failure.
Markandya could only go as far as Taro village, now in Gianyar
regency, because most of his entourage was taken away by a
strange plague. The tragic end suffered by his followers forced
Markandya to return to Java," Sugiharta explained.

After the burying of those five metal amulets, no strange
plague hampered Markandya and his followers' efforts in settling
in the area. Presumably, the word Besakih was derived from the
word Basuki, which means "well-being".

"Or, it could refer to Besuki area in Java, where Markandya
allegedly came from," Sugiharta explained.

A palm leaf manuscript mentioned the name of Sri Kesari
Warmadewa as the king who built Besakih temple in the 10th
century A.D. In the golden age of Warmadewa dynasty in the 11th
century A.D., two influential Javanese priests Empu Kuturan and
Empu Bharadah visited Besakih. During the visit, Empu Kuturan
erected a multi-roofed Meru in Besakih temple compound.

A combination of awesome myths and close connection by each
clan to its own temple in Besakih compound has made Besakih
temple the most important temple in Bali.

"For a Balinese, Besakih is not just a place to worship God,
but also an ultimate destination, where his or her soul aspires
to reside after the final moment comes," Sugiharta said.

Threat

Metaphysical values are not the only reason for Besakih's
importance, numerous archaeological findings in Besakih compound
have made the temple important to non-Hindus as well.

A ancient menhir is a shrine in Batu Madeg temple, and early
stone tables can be found in Kiduling Kreteg temple, Batu Madeg
temple, Penataran Agung temple and Dalem Puri temple.

Yet this beautiful old temple compound with all its
metaphysical and archaeological importance is threatened by the
terrifying threat of modern processes.

Those who have visited Besakih in recent years could not fail
to notice that the atmosphere at the temple compound is not as
quite as it used to be.

The food stalls, snake fruit sellers, and, of course, the art
shops grow more numerous each year. Not to mention the billiard
parlors, providing youths not just entertainment but alcoholic
refreshments as well.

The numbers multiply by the dozens when a religious festival
is celebrated in Besakih. In addition to thousands of Hindu
followers donned in traditional costume there are hundreds of
non-Hindu people selling almost everything, from toys to pop icon
posters.

The unfortunate changes in the landscape of Besakih has been
made worse changes in attitude and character.

"There were and still are numerous complaints filed by
Besakih's visitors about the dishonest vendors and local guide's
impolite attitudes," Sugiharta said.

A recent scandal erupted when several local drunk youths beat
up a man after attempting to sexually harass his woman companion.
Both of them, who are members of a Hindu youth organization, came
to Besakih to pray. The incident humiliated the elders of Besakih
village, who then asked the whole Balinese Hindu community for
forgiveness.

The problems faced by Besakih were one of the topics addressed
in the World Bank-sponsored International Symposium on Conserving
Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Social, Economy and Tourism
Development held in Bali from July 9-14.

The symposium was one of the programs of the Bali CHC
(Cultural Heritage Conservation) Project, a comprehensive project
aimed at establishing an umbrella program for developing
conservation skills, resources and networks as well as
strengthening existing cultural institutions and legislative
protection.

An expert from Udayana University, Ir. IBG Wirawibawa Mantra,
presented a paper on Besakih's conservation and management plan.
The plan urged for environmental improvement, restricted building
permits, relocation of shops and settlements and development
guidelines.

"We will divide Besakih area into several zones with different
functions and building restriction," he said.

The plan also includes clean water management, waste
management and other necessary infrastructure.

Although the well-detailed plan was accepted by the
symposium's participants, several experts urged the Bali CHC
Project Team to act cautiously.

"Since the plan involves relocation of settlements, we must
make sure the people of Besakih understand the overall plan
completely before we make any real move,"a planner Rumawan Salain
said.

Besides Besakih, the Bali CHC Project also selected Singaraja
city in Buleleng, the Gilimanuk Archaeological Site in Jembrana,
the Mandala Mathika Subak museum in Tabanan, the water garden
Taman Ujung in Karangasem, the textiles collection of Bali Museum
in Denpasar and the palm leaf manuscripts of Gedong Kirtya in
Buleleng for its pilot projects.

The restoration and conservation plans for those pilot
projects were prepared by experts and scholars of the Bali CHC
project.

Head of Bali Cultural Office Ida Bagus Pangdjaja stated that
the World Bank had agreed to provide soft-loans to finance the
pilot projects. But, the regencies, where the pilot projects are
located, can also finance projects with funds from their own
annual budgets.

"The ball is now on their (the regencies) field. Regardless of
the financing scheme the regencies opted for, the pilot projects
will be started immediately. That's including Besakih," Pangdjaja
stressed.