Jembrana, Bull Racing Center

The Temple of Jagatnatha

One of popular names for Bali is the island of a Thousand Temples.
Is it true ? If you are on a tour of the island, there are temples located above the slopes of mountains, above hills and cliffs, on the bank of rivers, valleys and lakes, coastal areas, rice fields, in the villages and towns, also in every house compound seen from your tourist bus. The landscape of Bali seems to be gardens. Temples in Bali are divided into types in accordance with its role and function. Therefore, there are family shrines, clan temples, village temples and public temples.

The Balinese Hindu community also built temples in conjunction with their professional organization, for instance, the Subak-socio-economic religious organization for farmers has a special temple called “Bedugul Temple”, in every market, vendors worship to the God in the temple located in the market locally known as Melanting temple. Every temple has its own temple festival, the ceremony for the temple’s anniversary. At a temple festival, it is time for Hindu devotees to worship God. Balinese also worship God daily and twice a month (30 days) : full moon and dark moon locally known as “Purnama-Tilem”. Villagers come to village temples and in urban areas (in the town), people come to public temples known as Pura Jagatnatha on those occasions.
The temple of Jagatnatha can be found in Denpasar and other smaller towns. Negara, the capital town of Jembrana regency, 100 kms westwards from Denpasar has its own Jagatnatha built on 2,5 hectares , in the north-east of the town, in Pecangakan Civic Centre. It is easy to reach, as it is on the main road linking Gilimanuk - Denpasar. Overlooking the main road and clusters of mountain ranges as the background creates a fantastic and magical sight, moreover the temple is built in Balinese architecture : sculpture and carving. The area is divided into three yards : inner yard for worshiping, mid-yard for dances and traditional gamelan and the outer yard is used for a night market. On Purnama, the citizens of Negara, especially those who are students of Senior High School (SMU) flock together in the temple. Men wear white shirt, white headdress (destar) and yellow cloth, while women a brocade kebaya and batik cloth. Under the moon light, under the guidance of the temple priest (pemangku) and Brahmin priest (pedanda) the people pray. During the worshipping period, the aroma of fragrant incense can be smelt and the sound of the sacred bell, also Balinese gamelan, can be heard. The climax is when people receive the holy water.(Lanus Sumatra)