Myths Linked to Bali’s Iconic Tanah Lot Temple

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(9/20/2015)

 

Believed to trace its roots back to its building in the 16th-centuryDang Hyang Niratha Dynasty – Pura Tanah Lot sits on a pinnacle of land surrounded by the Indian Ocean a stone’s throw from shore. Local lore says that King Naratha once slept on the island, decreeing after his stay that it should become a place of worship dedicated to the Lord of the Sea – Dewa Baruna.

Connected by a landbridge to the mainland prior to a massive 1919 earthquake, Tanah Lot is one of seven sacred sea temples that dot the coast of Bali.

Myths Connected with Tanah Lot

Gathered from The Bali Post and other source, there are a number of interesting fables, myths and folklore embraced by locals worth sharing,

• Many believe that if you bring your romantic interest toTanah Lot the relationship is doomed to soon end.
• Conversely, couples that have formally married and started a family seem unaffected by the threat of a breakup.
• Pregnant or menstruating woman are considered “unclean” and must not visit the temple. Local legend contends that the natural land bridge that once connected the Temple to the shore crumbled into the sea when a menstruating woman tried to cross from the shore to Tanah Lot.
• Water drank from a source at the temple’s base is considered to bring good fortune.
• Venomous Sea Snakes found on the nearby shore line, and believed to the living embodiment of King Niratha’s sash(selendang), are said to make the short migration each evening through the water to spend the night guarding the temple. 

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