Tanah Lot Temple is one of tourist object in Bali, Indonesia. Located at Beraban village on Sub District of Kediri in Tabanan Regency and is about 13 km western part of Tabanan. There are 2 temples perched at the top of the big rock, first perched at the top of rock’s chunk and the other one at the top of mountain side like Uluwatu temple. This temple is a part of Sad Kahyangan temple that is temples which constitute of Bali island hinge.
History
Depending on the legend, this temple was built by a Brahmin who roamed from Majapahit Kingdom in Java. He was Dahyang Niratha who succeeded making a strong faith to the inhabitant of Bali for the Hindu's doctrine and built the Sad Kahyangan in 16th century.
At the time the author of Tanah Lot, Bandesa Beraben was envious to him because his adherent begun to leave him and followed Dahyang Niratha. Bendesa Beraben told Dahyang Niratha to leave Tanah Lot. He accepted it and before leaving Tanah Lot, by his power he replaced a big rock to the center of the seashore (not to the center of the sea) and built a temple there. He also changed his shawl to be a snake to guard the temple. The snake has been living until this time and scientifically this snake belongs to kinds of sea snake which has characteristics flat tale like fish, black color yellow stripes and its poison was 3 times stronger than cobra.
The ending of the legend said that finally Bandesa Beraben also became Danghyang Niratha adherent. At the bottom and on the western part of this temple also has a water source and it is a holly water according to Hinduism. When the water withdraws guests can go to the temple yard to pray. We are only allowed to pray on the temple if we use a traditional custom. On Tanah Lot we can see the appearance of the moon in the night and the sun sets on the horizon. Both are a beautiful panorama that can be seen if we are having our sightseeing there.
Philosophy
The word of Tanah Lot is consisted of two words that are Tanah word interpreted as a reef looking like gili or isle. Lot or Lod word has meaning the sea. So Tanah Lot is meaning the small island floating on the sea. The location is now called as Tanah Lot has been used at a Megalithic period as a place that looked into holy, proven from the existence of menhir. Pursuant to environmental condition, hence the structure of Tanah Lot Temple is built at irregular reef plain of its angle which is only consisted of one plain yard as Jeroan.
Functions
The function of this temple can be realized from the function of the main temple building which is located in the temple main area. In this place, there is a main temple to worship the god in form of Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, the sea power. The media of worship to this god is the temple building with 5 storied meanwhile the 3 storied temple building in north part of this area is purposing to worship to Dang Hyang Nirartha.
In order to know the status of Tanah Lot Temple can be realized from the temple history, function and also incoming devotee existence pray when temple ceremony is held. In this case can be realized as follows:
• Tanah Lot Temple as dang Kahyangan(the big Holy Temples in Bali ), because the history and the Penyiwi (The people taking care of the temple) are from the local people from Tabanan regency and surrounding area
• Tanah Lot temple as Segara Temple, because its function as sanctum to worship the Bhatara Segara, the God with manifestation as the ocean Power Deity
The unique animal can be seen in this temple area is the snake which are generally can be met in the coast. Part of its stomach there are no athwart skin, there is only small skin, but this sea water snake very noxious but snakebite case are very seldom happened, because the sea water snake generally very passive.
