Tanah Lot Temple, Kuta

Tanah Lot Temple, Kuta (Indonesia)

Tanah Lot is a rock formation off the Indonesian island of Bali. It is home to the ancient Hindu pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot a popular tourist and cultural icon for photography. Tanah Lot means Land Sea in the Balinese language. Located in Tabanan about 20 kilometers North West of Denpasar the temple sits on a large offshore rock that has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 16th-century Dang Hyang Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock islands beautiful setting and decided to rest there. Some fishermen saw him and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods. The main deity of the temple is Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara who is the sea god or sea power and these days Nirartha is also worshipped here.