Besakih Temple Dress Code – Pura Besakih, also known as Pura Besakih or the Mother Temple of Bali, is a Balinese Hindu temple complex located on the slopes of Mount Agung in the eastern part of Bali, Indonesia. It is the largest and holiest temple on the island and is considered the most important temple in Balinese Hinduism.
The temple complex consists of more than 20 individual temples, with the main temple dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The temple is built on stepped terraces that climb up the mountainside, creating a dramatic and awe-inspiring sight.
Besakih Temple has a long and fascinating history. According to legend, this temple was founded by the Hindu sage Markandeya in the 8th century AD. The shrine has undergone many renovations and additions over the centuries, including significant rebuilding after the devastating earthquake in 1917.
Besakih Temple is an important pilgrimage site for Balinese Hindus, who come from all over the island to pray and make offerings to the gods. Visitors to the temple are welcome, but they are expected to dress modestly and act appropriately when on the temple grounds.
Besakih Temple Dress Code
Besakih Temple, also known as the Mother Temple of Bali, is a sacred site for Balinese Hindus. Therefore, visitors are expected to dress appropriately and politely. The following is a general guideline for Besakih Temple dress code:
Visitors are required to wear a sarong (a type of traditional Balinese skirt) and a sling (a cloth worn around the waist) when entering the temple complex. These can be rented or purchased at the entrance. Men may also wear the traditional Balinese dress known as the “kebaya”.
Visitors are expected to cover their shoulders and knees while inside the shrine. This means sleeveless tops, shorts and short skirts are not allowed.
The first rule that must be obeyed when we visit the temple is that people who come must not be dirty.
The dirty conditions in question are women who are menstruating and people with family members who have recently died at home.
People who are bleeding or have bleeding wounds are also not allowed to come to the temple.
Another rule is to dress modestly and keep your hair untidy.
At every temple in Bali, Balinese cloth and scarves are usually rented. So, friends who wear short pants or skirts, should borrow a scarf.
Another rule is to maintain behavior and speech because the temple is a place of worship.
Modesty in dressing to the temple is also regulated in the Rules for entering the temple as decided at the seminar in Amlapura in 1975, where it was stated that clothing to the temple is polite, neat, clean, and does not feature parts of the body that can stimulate , as well as simple make-up in the sense of not using excessive decoration.
Procedure for Entering the Besakih Temple
Following are the procedures or prohibitions on entering the temple, so that the sanctity of the temple is maintained.
Not in a state of cuntaka (just giving birth, death, woman having menstruation, baby not having three quarterly ceremonies, etc.)
lean physically and spiritually; birth: already bathed, clean clothes with proper clothing procedures for praying; inner: a mind that is still, calm, serene and ready to concentrate on serving the Almighty.
Women whose hair is let down are not allowed to enter because loose hair implies: romance (lust), anger, sadness, and studying black magic.
Prohibited from dressing immodestly or highlighting the shape of the body/aurat.
Kissing, fighting, arguing, swearing, gossiping, breastfeeding babies, spitting, urinating, scribbling on shrines, and so on
It is forbidden to be sick or drunk because it will make you pretend to be tired.
Hopefully we can fully understand the procedures and dress code for entering the besakih temple so that we can maintain the sanctity of the temple itself.
And in dress etiquette one should follow moral norms, ethics, and wise considerations. Don’t just think about personal pleasure and self-satisfaction, but also consider other people’s thoughts.