Source: Jakarta Post
KARANG ASEM, BALI, February 22, 2002: Nineteen Hindu Pedanda high priests from all over Bali gathered to jointly conduct a rare religious ritual at Pura Goa Raja, one of 18 places of worship at Pura Besakih, the mother temple for Balinese Hindus, near Karang Asem. The priests walked around the Goa Raja temple while chanting to pray for world peace. Rituals, running from December 25 to February 28, have been conducted to commemorate the anniversary of Pura Goa Raja, after the completion of the temple’s renovation project. I Gusti Ngurah Oka Supharta, an expert in ancient Balinese literature, said that Pura Goa Raja is considered one of the holiest and most important temples in Bali. Kusuma Dewa Lontar (palm-leaves) inscriptions recorded that Pura Goa Raja was a holy site where Sang Hyang Naga Tiga (three holy dragons) — Sang Hyang Naga Ananthaboga (symbolizing earth), Sang Hyang Naga Basuki (symbolizing water), and Sang Hyang Naga Taksaks (symbolizing air) — emerged. It is believed that Pura Goa Raja was the original source of the Balinese island. The three elements — water, earth and air, were believed to have formed the island about 3.7 billion years ago. “The renovation and the ceremonies were conducted to preserve Pura Goa Raja as the original place of the Balinese people and the place where our prosperity came from, said I Gusti Mangku Kubayan Manik, a temple priest.