Pura Ulun Danu Beratan on the lake, clouds gathered on the mountains behind

Hindu

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan

“A tower risen on a mountain lake, the goddess of the waters that feed the island”

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Photo: Anandajoti Bhikkhu · CC BY-SA 4.0

Scenes

The temple floating on the mist-wrapped lakeAnandajoti Bhikkhu · CC BY-SA 4.0
The lake temple against a cloud-wrapped mountainG. Ken Prama · CC BY-SA 4.0

Meaning

Tiered towers rise from the mist-wrapped lake, casting their shadows on the still surface as if floating upon the water.

A lake temple held to have been founded in the 17th century, honoring Dewi Danu, goddess of the waters who rules Lake Bratan; its waters are regarded as the lifeline that feeds the island's rice fields on the slopes below.

Field notes

Location
Bedugul, Bali · Indonesia · S8.3° · E115.2°
Best time
Early morning while the mist still lingers, in the rainy season when the water is high
Getting there
About an hour and a half's drive from Denpasar, in the Bedugul highlands.
Etiquette
Keep to the lakeside visiting areas and photography rules, and observe quiet.

Sources

  • · Encyclopaedia Britannica: Bali
  • · UNESCO: Cultural Landscape of Bali Province
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