Besakih Temple

Known as the "Mother Temple of Bali", the sanctuary of Besakih on the slopes of Mt. Agung is the biggest and holiest of all Balinese temples. Over a thousand years old, steps ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where the Trinity shrines are wrapped in cloth and decorated with flower offerings.
Around the three main temples dedicated to the Trinity: Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, are 18 separate sanctuaries belonging to different regencies and caste groups.

To the Balinese, a visit to the temples sanctuaries is a special pilgrimage. Each has its own anniversary celebration or "Odalan". The sight of the temple against the background of the mountain is impressive and during festivals, colored banners add a touch of gaiety.

The split gates to the main courtyard	The three main temples

To the Balinese a visit to the temple sanctuaries at Besakih is a special pilgrimage. Each temple has its own Odalan, or anniversary celebration, and on the full moon of the Balinese month "Kedasa" the entire compound of Besakih celebrates the visit of the gods, with an enormous throng of visiting pilgrims.

Pura Besakih , the holiest of all temples in Bali. It origated most probably as a prehistoric terraced santuary where worship and offering were made to the God of Gunung Agung, the dominant landscape element in the Balinese world. Over a thousand years and more, it was enlarged and added to until grew into the present complex of about 30 temples. In the 10th century it was apparently a state temple. According to inscriptions kept here, an important event took place in the year 1007. If can only be quessed that this was associated with death rituals for queen Mahendradratta, Udayana's Co-ruler who died yhe previous year. Since the 15th century it was the state temple of the Gelgel - Klungkung dynasty which built a series of small templs inhonor of its deifie rulers. Now is the state temple for the provincial and national governments which meet all expenses. Today, Pura Besakih is revered by al Balinese as the "Mother Temple" Of Bali.

Within the Besakih complex, the paramount sanctuary is the Pura Penataran Agung which rears is lofty merus on a high bank of terraces. Steps ascend in along perspective to the austere split gate. Insede the main courtyard stands the three-seated shrine enthronigh the Trisakti, the trinity of Brahma, Visnu and Siwa. During festivan the shrines are wrapped in colored cloth sybolic of the deities. The Pura Penataran Agung And two other important temples higher up the slopes likewise together symbolize theTrisakti. In the center Pura Penataran Agung is hugh with white banners for Siwa : to the right, Pura Kiduling Kreteg with red banners for Brahma: and Pura Batu Madeg, to the left, with balck banners for visnu. These letter two temples are taken care of by the Karangasem and Bangli regencies respectively, certain othr being the responsibility of the other regencies. All of Bali comes thogether at Pura Besakih. Relegiosly. oness is symbolized in the padmasana in Pura Pentaran Agung, dedicated to Sang Hyang Widdhi Wasa, in the Supreme God.