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| Place of Worship in the Island of the Gods |
| Bali
sometimes called an island of a thousand temples. Indeed the number of
temples in Bali is much more. Most accepted number is between 10.000 to
20.000, this is without counting household temples inside almost every
house in Bali.
In every village there are three main temples which are dedicated to Brahma (Brahman or Hyang Widhi shakti or power of creation) called Pura Desa, Wisnu (Brahman shakti of preservation) called Pura Puseh and Siwa (Brahman shakti of annihilation) called Pura Dalem, together they are called Kahyangan Tiga. Pura Desa or Bale Agung also has a purpose as a place to hold village council meeting, usually situated at the center of the village. Pura Puseh is also considered as temple of villager origin, meanwhile Pura Dalem as temple of the dead is located near the village cemetery. There are kawitan temples devoted for ancestors of many family clans in the village, there are melanting temples in the markets, subak irrigation temples, temples on the beaches, lakes, mountains, rivers and other sacred sites. In every household of Hindu Balinese, there is a family temple with shrines to worship Hyang Widhi and family ancestors. Beside these temples there are some very important temples for the whole of the Balinese called Kahyangan Jagat temples. These temples are places to worship many important Brahman or Hyang Widhi manifestations. Temples of this kind are often so picturesque and beautiful, so they became the object of interests to tourists and photographers that come to Bali from any directions. The following list of eight Kahyangan Jagat temples includes some exotic names:
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