Winter 2019 - 12. Tirta Empul

12.  Tirta Empul

We were supposed to visit another temple, way down a ravine with 360 plus steps without railings. The name of this spot was called Gunung Kawi Temple (the Stone Relief Temple).

Again, this is a spot where water is the main reason for the location. Local folk believe and tell me that an old king and his whole entourage were buried here. Stupas, temples and pavilions abound covering the mainly flat ground, but the walls of this ravine are carved out with tomb-like shrines. These carvings go back to the years right after the installation of Subak.

Entrance to the Temple

  

But because of the many steps, we passed on this site and visited the Tirta Empul Temple instead. The Tirta Empul Temple complex was built about 962 AD.

Tirta Empul Temple Priest

Not only did we visit Tirta Empul (meaning Holy Water Spring), we participated in the ritual in the pool of the temple, the water purification. It is said that those waters have healing powers, based on an old oral history of a king who healed his troops here, using these waters. The king’s troops were previously poisoned by the god Indra, the god of war,  and only these healing waters helped. Some already dead soldiers even came back to life by just by being touched by the water.

You Must Go to Each Water Spout in Order

Water is spewed out of 13 faucets and it is good luck for you to be here. Wash yourself with the first 11 and all illnesses will go away. The last 2 faucets are only for relatives of ‘dead’ people or if you are diagnosed with imminent death… then use fountains 12 and 13, but only if you are severely ill.

Carol and I changed into our bathing suits in a nearby bathhouse, but we had to wear a sarong brought by Agung. Carol’s sarong had to cover her upper body also. Then we stepped into the cool mountain spring. With instructions from Agung and in front of the first

And the Ritual Begins

faucet, we put our hands in a praying position and made a wish. We then let the water run over our clasped hands and splashed the water first over our faces, then over our heads, then arms and body. This ritual is repeated at the next 10 downspouts, supposedly washing away all aches, pains and lingering or growing illnesses, all while standing up to your naval in this pool of cold water.  Carol thought the water temperature was refreshing on this hot day; I call it cold, though.

Stones on the Bottom of the Pool and a Koi Fish on the Right

The bottom of the pool was strewn with many lemon-sized, rounded stones. Not a nice way to walk from faucet to faucet, but we did it. It would have been easier had we had bathing shoes. And no, we did not use 12 and 13; we are not near death yet. Koi fish swam in the pool, too.  

Moving Along to Each Faucet

I felt a bit awkward in my Buddha looking body, flabby flesh hanging off my sides but Agung was very serious, this is a most important religious ritual. He truly believed he gave us health by making us enter this cold water, this water from the earth. The belief system in Bali when it comes to water is deep-seated and still very much ingrained.

We visited the Temple Tirta Empul the day after a full moon and were told that yesterday; the day of a full moon, the waiting line to get into this pool of water, under those downspouts was at least 3 hours. Lucky for us we came a day later.

Behind Each Curtain is a Small Change Room

We found out later that E. coli has sometimes been reported after many people use this pool. So we, Carol and I, used the pool after all the masses from yesterday?  Well, miracle of miracles… we are fine… the healing must have worked. We did not get sick. We are still fine, today.

Hindu believers are urged to visit this temple at least once a year and perform the water ritual to stay sound and healthy.  The preferred time of a visit is on a Full Moon when the water has the most power.

Running the Gauntlet of the Schlock Shops