Myths about wish fulfillment are often encountered at tourist destinations, and one such place is the Holy Snake Cave in Bali.
The Holy Snake Cave is located at Tanah Lot Temple in Bali. Accessible only during low tide, this cave is situated beneath the cliffs, facing the Tanah Lot Temple in the middle of the sea.
During a Jakarta-Bali road trip using a hybrid Toyota Corolla Cross, detikTravel made a stop at Tanah Lot. The conflicting myths about this place certainly sparked curiosity.
When the water has receded, the barrier chain leading to the sea is opened. The cave becomes visible only when you are halfway to Tanah Lot Temple.
Truly on the side of the cliff, the access to this cave is quite adventurous. You have to walk on sharp and slightly slippery coral rocks.
In front of the cave, there is a guardian wearing traditional Balinese attire and a donation box. I asked if there was an entrance fee to see the sacred snakes.
“No entrance fee, just a voluntary donation for offerings,” he said with a smile.
Offerings will be given to the snakes as a dedication and a prayer for protection for the visitors who have come. The snakes here are considered sacred.
The cave is very small and gets even smaller as you go inside. Inside, a snake charmer named Wayan is sitting.
“Come on, enter. You can touch the snakes; they are tame,” Wayan urges curious visitors.
In his lap, there are two restless snakes. While stroking the snakes, Wayan begins to tell a story.
“The mother snake here was once the belt of a King of Kediri in East Java, Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha,” Wayan narrates.
Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha, also known as Dang Hyang Dwijendra, spread the Hindu religion from Java to Bali in the 15th century. In his mission, Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha meditated in the western Tabanan area.
However, his meditation was disliked by Bendesa Beraban Sakti, the ruler of Tabanan. With his supernatural powers, Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha moved the coral where he meditated to the middle of the ocean and established a temple.
“To prevent any disturbances, he untied his belt and transformed it into a snake,” he explains.
After completing his meditation, the snake was tamed by Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha. The snake was left to live there and has been guarding Tanah Lot Temple ever since.
Visitors who come try to touch these snakes. Because according to the myth, your wishes may come true if you touch the sacred snakes.
“We are not praying to the snakes here. We are still praying to God in our hearts while touching these snakes,” he explains.
Some are afraid, many are curious. One by one, tourists get the chance to touch the sacred snakes in the hope that their wishes will be fulfilled.
One of the snakes has a yellow line on its head. This snake is believed to be a descendant of the guardian snake because Bhagawan Dang Hyang Nirartha’s belt was yellow.
“Many come from outside the region. They return here and claim that their wishes have come true,” Wayan adds.
Near these snakes, there is a hole. I peeked inside and saw another snake. I became even more curious about these snakes.
“So, these snakes live in the temple. They are caught first and brought here so that tourists can easily see them,” Wayan reveals.
Wayan explains that there was once a foreigner who came only to meet the sacred snakes. Since these snakes are not always visible, the foreigner got upset. Since then, the sacred snakes are captured first to make them easily accessible.
“After we finish, we release these snakes again because they actually live in the temple,” he says.
These sacred snakes are revered by the Balinese people. The Holy Snake Cave is only open in the morning and afternoon. While waiting for the exotic sunset at Tanah Lot Temple in Bali, take a detour to this cave.
So, if you are in Bali or have already visited Tanah Lot, don’t miss this opportunity. These snakes are truly phenomenal. You can check the atmosphere of the cave and the appearance of the sacred snakes in Yudi Potret’s YouTube video below:
The experience of visiting the cave and seeing the sacred snakes above was written by Bonauli from detik travel.
Original Post By : travel.detik.com
Orinal Video By : Yudi Potret
