Pura Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Shrine)

Pura Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Shrine), located at southeastern part of Bali, is one of Bali’s popular tourist attractions that people shouldn’t miss when visiting the Island of Gods. Consistent with its name, the cave is over run with thousands of black bats. Upon approaching the cave, one can immediately identify a distinct aroma of bat droppings collected around the temple shrines.

The temple is quite simple but is very old and has a long history behind it. It was founded in 1007 by a great sage from Java, named Empu Kuturan, who went to Bali at the request of King Udayana and his wife. Another renown priest from Java, Resi Markandya, built small shrines of a Shivaite temple in front of the temple to guard the cave’s entrance.

During pre-Hindu time the locals believe that the cave are connected by a tunnel all the way to Pura Goa in Besakih, some 35 km away, and they also believe that the legendary giant snake, Naga Basuki, is guarding the tunnel. Naga Basuki is believed to be the caretaker of the earth’s equilibrium.

During Hindu time, Pura Goa Lawah is the designated place to worship God Maheswara, who many believe, resides in this part of the island. A variety of rites are held in this temple on daily basis, however, it is mostly used for rites associated with death, and it is now one of the island’s nine special Sad Kahyangan Temples.

The Bat Cave was also used to test the people found guilty of breaking the law under Klungkung and Mengwi kingdoms. When a dispute on who is the legitimate descendant of the Mengwi’s king occurred between I Gusti Ngurah Made Agung and I Gusti Ketut Agung happened, I Gusti Ketut Agung agreed to enter the Bat Cave under a condition in which if he came out alive he would be recognized as a descendant.

Legend said that I Gusti Ketut Agung entered the cave and came out at Pura Goa Besakih. When he was crowned as king he was known as I Gusti Ketut Agung Besakih.

Currently, the Bat Cave remains an attraction to tourists visiting Bali specially on their way to Pura Besakih, Karangasem Kingdom, Candi Dasa, and the serene Amed beach.

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