Bali Artilce: Sacred Bathing Places in Bali

Water has a special place in Balinese life, not only because of the vital role it plays bin irrigating the island`s rice fields, but also because of its ritual significance as an agent of purification. With its source in the volcanic lakes and rushing streams of the central mountain range, water is identified with the purity of the gods who dwell on high. Eventually, however, it flows to the sea where it enters the realm of greatest impurity. And along the way it picks up the dirt of man, both in the literal sense-the Balinese are very conscious of personal cleanliness and bathe themselves in running water several times a day- and also in terms of spiritual pollution. It is in this last respect that water acts as a purifying agent, cleansing man of his mortal sins and preparing his soul for a better reincarnation in the next life. Holy Water Holy water (tirtha) is the key ingredient in this scheme of things, being the principal means by which various forms of impurity are ritually washed down to the sea. The preparation of holy water is a sacrament of great importance in Balinese religion which the Balinese themselves often refer to as the agma tirtha, or `holy water religion`. The degree of potency of holy water is contingent on its source, the status of the person who prepares it, and the type of mantra employed in its preparation. The holiest of holy waters come from high up in the mountains and is prepared by high status Brahmana priest (pedanda). Sacred Bathing Places Every village has a recognized bathing place-either the nearby river or a community bath, with separate compartments for men and women to perform their ablutions. In addition, there are numerous sacred pools and bathing places whose waters are deemed to have magical or curative qualities. The central Balinese regency of Gianyar is particularly well-endowed with sacred bathing sites. The best known of these are Tirtha Empul, near the village of Tampaksiring, Pura Mengening, a little to the south, Telaga Waja and Goa Gajah, but there are several other sacred bathingt places in the vicinity of the Sungai Petanu and Pakerisan rivers which flow through Gianyar from the mountains in the north to the waters of the Straits of Badung in the south.