Lesser-known temples
Jimbaran has the usual three village temples, the Pura Dalem (called
Pura Kahyangan locally), Pura Puseh and Pura Desa. The latter
two are combined into one enclosure in Jimbaran, as occurs in
many villages. These tend to be overlooked in favor of the more
spectacular and better-known Pura Ulun Siwi (alternatively Pura
Ulun Swi). But each is interesting in its own right.
Pura Kahyangan lies just to the west of the cemetery, north of
the access road to Hotel Puri Bali. The Pura Puseh/Desa is about
50 in northeast of the market. It is interesting to note that
the odalan or anniversary ceremonies of these three temples, and
of Pura Ulun Siwi, all occur within four days of each other, commencing
on the third day after Galungan (which is the biggest holy day
in the traditional Balinese calendar). Jimbaran becomes a beehive
of ritual activity at this time of year.
One of the most important ceremonies in Jimbaran is the exorcist
Barong procession The Barong is a mythical beast who acts as protector
of the village and its people, represented by a mask and costume
which is paraded through the area at periodic intervals. Jimbaran's
inhabitants spare expense to support the Barong, making offering
to , to praying, and performing the ritual. Appearances of the
Barong in the main street of Jimbaran between Pura Ulun Siwi and
the market are always accompanied by the evil witch Rangda and
her two cohorts, and by a retinue of about a dozen other dancers.
Trance plays an important part in a Barong performance, and the
actions of the trance dancers who try to stab Rangda are bizarre
and unforgettable.
Pura Ulun Siwi
Pura Ulun Siwi (or Ulun Swi) is Jimbaran's best-known "sight"
- for the Balinesee as well as for tourists. This large temple
lies at the northwestern corner of the principal crossroads, across
the street from the market. It is unusual for several reasons.
Firstly it faces east, rather than south. During prayers, the
worshippers face west, rather than to the north, to Gunung Agung,
as is the usual practice. This is attributed to the fact that
the temple, once a primitive shrine, became a Hindu13, alinese
temple fairly early, in the 11th century. At this time the Javanese
holy man who founded the temple, Mpu Kuturan, still followed the
custom of his native Java in orientating his temples toward holy
Mt. Semeru, in East Java. It was only much later that Gunung Agung
became the focus of Balinese Hinduism.
The temple has only two courtyards, instead of the usual three.
The spacious interior courtyard measures 66 x 30 meters and is
dominated by an enormous eleven-tiered meru tower that is more
massive than artistic. The temple has been periodically renovated,
but remains simple and rustic, lacking the ornate paras stone
carvings that characterize the temples of Gianyar.
The principal gate, a kori agung with wings, is very similar in
construction to that of Pura Uluwatu on the Bukit, except that
it is made of brick instead of coral stone. There is a close connection
between these two temples, and it is said that one should pray
at Pura Ulun Siwi before proceeding to Pura Uuwatu.
Ulun Siwi is unusual in yet another way. It is the principal temple
in Bali dedicated to the welfare of both wet and dry rice fields,
and the spirits, which live in the temple, are thought to control
the mice and insects such as grasshoppers that periodically infest
the fields. Farmers and farming groups regularly come to Pura
Uluwatu to get water, which they then take back home and sprinkle
on their fields either to protect them from these pests or to
rid them of those already present.
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