Tracing Balinese pre-historic life and religion at Goa Raja

Ananta Wijaya, Contributor, Karang Asem, Bali

Nineteen Hindu Pedanda high priests from all over Bali had gathered to jointly chair a rare religious ritual at Pura Goa Raja, one of 18 places of worship at Pura Besakih, the Mother Temple for Balinese Hindus, near Karang Asem, some 100 km east of Denpasar.

The priests walked around the Goa Raja temple while humming religious chants to pray for world peace. Elsewhere in the temple, another ritual called pecaruan (sacrifice) was also being held, as a precursor to the major ceremony.

On the north side of the temple, the Sidakarya Mask dance troupe performed vigorously to enliven the ceremony.

All of these rituals, running from Dec. 25 through Feb. 28 , have been conducted to commemorate the anniversary of Pura Goa Raja, after the completion of the temple's renovation project.

I Gusti Ngurah Oka Supharta, an expert in ancient Balinese literature, said that Pura Goa Raja was considered one of the holiest and most important temples in Bali.

Kusuma Dewa Lontar (palm-leaves) inscriptions recorded that Pura Goa Gajah was a holy site where Sang Hyang Naga Tiga -- Sang Hyang Naga Ananthaboga, Sang Hyang Naga Basuki and Sang Hyang Naga Taksaka -- emerged. The temple has been called Pasamuhan, the meeting place.

Sang Hyang Naga Tiga (three holy dragons) are symbols of all elements in the universe. Sang Hyang Naga Ananthaboga symbolizes the earth, Sang Hyang Naga Basuki is a symbol of water, while Sang Hyang Naga Taksaka symbolizes the air.

It is believed that Pura Goa Raja was the original source of the Balinese island. The three elements--water, earth and air, were theoretically believed to have formed the island about 3.7 billion years ago.

Balinese people strongly regard Sang Hyang Naga Tiga as providers of welfare and prosperity.

"It is very important to build a special worship place at Palinggih Ida Batara Rambut Sadana," explained Ngurah Oka Supharta.

In the Hindu faith, Ida Batara Rambut Sadana is the god of artha brana (prosperity).

Pura Goa Gajah is the right place for Hindu Balinese to pray for their well-being.

I Gusti Mangku Jana and I Nyoman Dana Asmara, chairpersons of the celebrations, urged the Balinese people to perform their prayers at Pura Goa Gajah. "This place was the source of living things in Bali."

Before the renovations began, Pura Goa Gajah bore the marks of the eruption of Mount Agung in l917. "The temple was in a very dilapidated condition and was left unattended," recalled the temple's low priest pemangku I Gusti Mangku Kubayan Manik.

There were only small-scale rituals held here because of a lack of funds and facilities, the pemangku said.

The renovation project, the first since l917, cost around Rp 700 million, while the ceremonies required no less than Rp 800 million.

"The renovation and the ceremonies were conducted to preserve Pura Goa Gajah as the original place of the Balinese people and the place where our prosperity came from," said the pemangku.