Bat Cave Temple Bali

Located on Jl. Raya Goa Lawah, Pesinggahan, Kec. Dawan, Kabupaten Kelungkung, Bali 80761. Bat Cave Temple Bali or Goa Lawah temple known by the Balinese because of a cave in the main part of this temple, which is inhabited by a group of bats.

This temple was an important role during the Kusamba war. The Klungkung people fought against the Dutch Indian army led by Major General Andreas Victor Michiels, while the Kelungkung people were led by Dewa Agung Istri Kenya.

History

Bali there are thousands of temples, among them there are important temples or heavenly universe/Sad Kahyangan Jagat that must be visited by Hindus in Bali. Bat Cave temple is one of heaven’s blessings/ Sad Kahyangan Jagat according to the Padma Bhuwana scripture, as a place of worship of Maheswara and Sanghyang Basuki, with the function as the center of a Nyegara Gunung.

This temple stands in the meeting area between the mountain and beach, and inhabited by a group of bats in the cave, therefore this temple is called Bat Cave Temple or Goa Lawah temple. Goa Lawah is derived from the word Goa which means cave, while Lawah means bat, so Goa Lawah means the cave inhabited by bats.

Bat Cave Temple has a long history that began with the worship of bats, mountains and sea in the megalithic era. Then arranged and build a place of worship or Pelinggih of the gods and Bhatara by Mpu Kuturan in the X century. Then refined again by building Padmasana by Danghyang Dwijendra in the XIV – XV century, as you can see Bat Cave Temple today.

As we mentioned before that this temple as the place of Nyegara Gunung. Which means thanking Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa for his manifestation as Girinatha ( protector of the mountain ) and god Baruna as ruler of the sea giving Amerta to Sang Dewa Pitara ( the souls of ancestors who are already pure) and to the Yajamana, Sang Tapini and Sang Adrue Karya. Its is upon this concept that Hindus glorify the mountains and the sea as a source of livelihood