23/08/2019
Tirta Empul Temple was built around the sacred spring at Tampak Siring. It has been more than a thousand years, Balinese worshipers have been drawn to Tirta Empul Temple whose sacred spring is said to have been created by lord Indra and to have curative properties. The tradition continues almost unchanged at the temple today.Over 1000 years old, the temple and its two bathing places have been used by the people for good health and prosperity because of the spring water's curative powers.
Tirta Empul Temple is a myth described on a manuscript called Usana Bali said that a Balinese arrogant king named Maya Denawa did not believe in god, and objected the people to worship god. Later the punishment for the king came. The warior of Bhatara Indra arrived to attack Maya Denawa and put him away from the throne. But Maya Denawa used chemical weapons causing all the warriors of Bhatara Indra were poisoned to dead. Seeing this Bhatara Indra than planted his pole to the earth, and sprang water. This water was used to spray the dead warriors, and they alive back. So this water source until now is believed to be the source of life and prosperity. It is especially correct if we associate this water spring with the irrigation system around the area, as it gives hundreds of hectares of rice field from Tampaksiring until Pejeng areas.
The inscription mentions the construction of Tirta Empul Temple in 960 AD, when the king Chandrabhaya Singha Warmadewa ordered this which is already 1042 years ago. It seems that this place was not interesting for ancient king but on 1954 the first Indonesian president Soekarno had built his presidential villas just at the west side of the temple. Originally a residence for Dutch officials, it was later used by former President Soekarno during his frequent trips to Bali. This villa has brought also the name of Tampaksiring become known world widely.
