The ancient holy waters of the Tirta Empul Temple

By Shannon Lane @shannonroselane

FOR over a thousand years the Hindus of Bali have been travelling across the island to bathe in the holy spring waters of the Tirta Empul Temple, Indonesia

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The ancient temple is full of devout Hindus practising many holy traditions

An inscription dated 962 A.D claims the temple was created by the god Indra, who pierced the earth to create a fountain of immortality.

This enriched water feeds local purification baths, pools and fishponds, and Hindus flock here for its so–called ‘magical curative properties’.

Men and women of all ages bathe in the holy waters for spiritual cleansing

Malaysia-based photographer Mate Valtr visited the holy temple in July 2016.

He said: “The Tirta Empul Temple is one of the biggest and most frequently visited water temples in Bali.

All bathers must wear a sarong, and women must be fully clothed

“Balinese Hindus are coming here for a regular dose of purification, which starts with stepping into a pool with holy water fed through 30 waterspouts.

The holy water is collected in bottles for ceremonies in other villages

"Followers queue and wash themselves under each of the 30 spouts before they head into the next section of the temple for a prayer lead by a holy man, who afterwards gives a blessing through sprinkles of holy water.”

Tourists can also take part in the ancient tradition, as long as they follow the temple rules

There are three religious purposes for bathing in these springs – Tirta Gering; for cleaning evil spirits, Tirta Merta; for prosperity, and Tirta Sudhamala; for purifying the body and soul.

To take part in this energising tradition, and to reach spiritual cleansing, it is vital for visitors to follow the temple’s rules.

The Balinese Hindus travel to the temple from across the island to experience the cleansing water

Mate Valtr said: "Anyone entering the sacred ground of the temple has to dress respectfully and follow a certain dress code consisting of covering oneself in a traditional sarong and not overly exposing body parts.

Hindus have been practising their traditions at the temple for over a thousand years

"Because of the nature of the purification process, for males it’s somewhat tolerated to not cover their bodies completely. There is also a restriction for girls and women during their period to enter the inner temple parts."

After bathing in the springs, the Balinese Hindsus are sprinkled with holy water

The crystal clear water of the temple is also collected by bathers in cans or bottles to take back to their local villages. This holy water is then used in smaller ceremonies.

Bali contains the largest Hindu community in the otherwise Muslim orientated country of Indonesia, with only 1.7% of the entire Indonesian population practicing Hinduism.

It is said that the temple contains the most holy water in Bali

Mate Valtr said: “In terms of religion, Bali is a very interesting hybrid.

"Even though Indonesia is the country with the world’s biggest Muslim community, Bali is predominantly Hindu, combining aspects of animism and ancestors' worshipping.’