Ulun Danu Temple

Ulun Danu Temple is a Balinese Hindu Temple located at Candi Kuning countryside, Baturiti sub district and Tabanan regency. The distance from Denpasar town is about 50 km north side the way from Denpasar to Singaraja. It is set at lakeside of Beratan with beautiful lake view and hills surround it. It is situated in the plateau area with cool atmosphere surround it and hills as a backdrop. We can find at north side of this temple is Pucak Sangkur mount, in the eastside there is Beratan Mount which also referred as Pucak Mangu or Pucak Pangelengan, in the south side there is Terate Bang Mount and in the Westside there is Tapak Mount and Watukaru Mount.

The Story and Philosophy

The name of Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is taken from the lake where the temple is built at Beratan Lake. The name of Beratan Lake is inseparable with the Beratan Mount as Deity and Goddess as fertility source, prosperity to keep the prosperity in life and society life. In papyrus chronicle of the Mengwi, this temple is referred as the name of Parhyangan ri pinggiring danu Beratan (sanctum located in lakeside of Beratan Lake ). Ulun is come from Hulu word meaning head or power and in this case is intended by Ulun Danu Beratan means power of Beratan Lake that is Danu Goddess.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is consisted of 4 temples complex that are:

• Lingga Petak Temple owns the function to worship the Siwa God
• Penataran Pucak Mangu Temple is referred this gate as Parhyangan ri pinggiring rawa Beratan or Danu Beratan Temple is founded by I Gusti Agung Putu to worship the Hyang ing Parwata or Deity which is placed in Pucak Mangu that is Bhatara Hyang Danawa as according to papyrus of Padma Bhuwana and Usana Bali, because Mangu Mount is located in north direction, hence it is called the Bhatara Hyang Danawa or Wisnu God
• Terate Bang Temple is functioning to worship of Brahma God
• Dalem Purwa Temple is functioning to worship of Danu Goddess which is considered to be miraculous of the Bhatara Hyang Danawa or Laksmi Goddess.

In Papyrus Chronicle of the Mengwi is elaborated by the history of Ulun Danu Beratan Temple founding together with existence of the Mengwi Empire. Therefore its status is pertained with the secondhand of Temple Empire what is usually pertained as Dang Kahyangan. It is the same to the description in papyrus of Usana Bali and Padma Bhuwana, hence Puncak Mangu Temple where the Panyawangan (representative place to worship) is the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. So it is called by entire Balinese residents as Kahyangan Jagat (The Biggest Group of Hindu Temple in Bali )