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Buleleng
Northern Lights
Ponjok
Batu Temple
A Place to Invoke Safety on the Journey
Along the northern beach of Buleleng
Regency, from eastern end to the west, there
are many temple buildings. Temple as house
of worship for the Hindus has been generally
established hundreds of years ago, during
the reign of kings in Java and Bali. Considering
they have been aged enough, most of the
temples have been renovated.
 One
of such great temples is that of Ponjok
Batu. This temple located at the territory
of Tejakula sub district, some 30 km east
of Singaraja city. Temple that was constructed
by black volcanic stone sits on the roadside
of Singaraja-Karangasem route, precisely
on the stony steeply sloping beach.
For Hindu devotees that will pay homage,
they should walk down some steps leading
to the beach. Then, in the midst of the
sea devotees will see a building in the
shape of cylinder and a ‘small jukung
outrigger’ made of the mixture of cement
and sand perches on it.
On the beach where numerous small and large
stones are scattered around, there is a
small sanctum. Having offered canang (a
kind of offerings), they will normally cleanse
their body with freshwater that springs
up from the sand amongst those stones. It
aims at purifying any impurities that may
adhere to on the corporeal body along the
journey. Afterwards, they climb the steps
and enter the temple area to carry out worship.
On usual days, car drivers or motorbike
riders that pass through the road in front
of Ponjok Batu Temple will, almost always,
stop for a while. They offer canang in front
of the temple and pay homage. After that,
a temple priest will sprinkle them with
holy water in order they will be secure
during the passage.
Ponjok Batu Temple is estimated to have
been founded during the administration of
Dalem Gelgel Çri Waturenggong, around
Çaka 1411 (1489 AD). At that time,
a holy priest named Dang Hyang Nirartha
came to Bali from Java Island. He was also
known as Danghyang Dwijendra who came here
along with some disciples by riding jukung
outrigger. (BTN/Gung Man)
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