Pura Agung Jagatnatha

25 October 2023 | Destination

Setiap hari suci keagamaan, sekitar Lapangan Puputan Badung selalu ramai dengan masyarakat Hindu yang berbusana adat. Mereka datang untuk bersembahyang di Pura Jaganatha, tempat suci Hindu terbesar di Denpasar, yang lokasinya berdekatan dengan Lapangan Puputan Badung.

Kehadiran Pura Jagatnatha sejak 1968 sebenarnya menjadi solusi bagi masyarakat rantau asal luar Denpasar untuk berhubungan dengan Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. Sebelumnya, tanpa pura ini, masyarakat rantau tersebut kerap kebingungan untuk mencari tempat sembahyang.

Maka, berdasar keputusan pasamuhan Parisada Dharma Hindu Bali, 20 November 1961, diusulkan untuk membangun sebuah pura besar di Denpasar yang mampu dikunjungi semua umat Hindu. Pada 5 Februari 1963, Gubernur Bali saat itu yakni Anak Agung Bagus Sutedja menyetujui pembangunan tempat suci tersebut dan diberi nama Pura Agung Jagatnatha.

Peristiwa Gerakan 30 S PKI pada 30 September 1965 sempat menghambat proses pembangunan pura. Namun, dapat kembali berlanjut setelah itu. Butuh sekitar tiga tahun pembangunan, hingga akhirnya pada 13 Mei 1968, pura ini selesai dibangun dan diresmikan.

Suka Cita masarakat Hindu di Bali atas kehadiran pura ini terlihat jelas pada Hari Raya Galungan. Bagi masyarakat yang tidak sempat pulang ke kampong halaman, akan menuju Pura Agung Jagatnatha untuk melakukan persembahyangan.

Jero Mangku Ketut Sudiarta sebagai pemimpin upacara mengatakan setiap Hari Raya Galungan, masyarakat Hindu akan memadati Pura Jagatnatha. Pura akan ramai didatangi hingga keesokan harinya yakni pukul 03.00 dini hari.

Menurutnya, setiap perayaan Galungan, ada sekitar 5.000 masyarakat yang hadir untuk bersembahyang di Pura Jagatnatha. Pura ini sendiri mampu menampung hingga 500 orang dalam sekali sembahyang. Sehingga, masyarakat yang hendak ke Pura Jagatnatha sering kali mengantri untuk mendapat giliran masuk ke dalam pura.

“Ini kan Sad Kahyangan (tempat ibadah kahyangan umum), siapapun boleh sembahyang di sini. Silahkan saja...,” kata Jero Mangku dengan penuh keramahan.

Kasubbag Bina Keagamaan Bagian Kesra Kota Denpasar I Nyoman Oka mengatakan Pura Jagatnatha memang menjadi tempat suci yang kerap dikunjungi setiap perayaan hari raya besar, seperti Saraswati hingga Galungan.

Kata dia, di Denpasar, selain Pura Jagatnatha, ada juga Pura Lokanatha yang biasa menjadi tempat persembahyangan. Untuk Pura Lokanatha, biasanya dalam perayaan hari besar kedatangan hingga 2.000 umat.

“Kalau di Pura Jagatnatha ini, ada sebanyak 20 pemangku yang siap memimpin persembahyangan,” katanya.

Anda yang bukan beragama Hindu Bali, boleh masuk. Hanya saja, demi menghormati tempat ibadah, Anda dan pengunjung lainnya yang tidak berkepentingan sembahyang untuk bersedia mengenakan pakaian sopan dengan mengenakan kain serta selendang diikat di pinggang.

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Pura Agung Jagatnatha

On every religiously significant day, the area around Lapangan Puputan Badung is bustling with Hindu worshippers dressed in traditional attire. They come to offer their prayers at Pura Jagatnatha, the largest Hindu temple in Denpasar, located in proximity to Lapangan Puputan Badung.

The presence of Pura Jagatnatha since 1968 actually served as a solution for Hindus from outside Denpasar to connect with Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. Before the existence of this temple, those from the outskirts often struggled to find a place for worship.

Based on the decision of Parisada Dharma Hindu Bali on November 20, 1961, it was proposed to construct a grand temple in Denpasar that could be visited by all Hindus. On February 5, 1963, the then-Governor of Bali, Anak Agung Bagus Sutedja, approved the construction of this sacred place and named it Pura Agung Jagatnatha.

The events of the 30th of September Movement by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in 1965 briefly halted the temple's construction. However, it resumed shortly thereafter. It took about three years of construction, and finally, on May 13, 1968, the temple was completed and consecrated.

The joy of the Balinese Hindu community at the presence of this temple is especially evident during the Galungan Festival. For those who couldn't return to their hometown, they visit Pura Agung Jagatnatha to offer their prayers.

Jero Mangku Ketut Sudiarta, the ceremony leader, mentioned that on every Galungan Festival, the Hindu community flocks to Pura Jagatnatha. The temple is crowded with worshippers until the following day, as early as 3:00 AM.

He stated that during each Galungan celebration, approximately 5,000 people attend prayers at Pura Jagatnatha. The temple can accommodate up to 500 people at once, so those who wish to visit often have to wait their turn to enter.

"This is a Sad Kahyangan (a public place of worship), anyone is welcome to pray here. Please, go ahead," said Jero Mangku with great hospitality.

I Nyoman Oka, the Head of Religious Affairs at the Kesra Division of Denpasar City, explained that Pura Jagatnatha is frequently visited during major religious celebrations like Saraswati and Galungan.

He mentioned that in Denpasar, apart from Pura Jagatnatha, there is also Pura Lokanatha, which is another place for worship. During major holidays, Pura Lokanatha usually hosts up to 2,000 worshipers.

"For Pura Jagatnatha, there are about 20 priests available to lead the prayers," he added.

If you are not of the Balinese Hindu faith, you are welcome to enter. However, as a sign of respect for this place of worship, you and other non-worshiping visitors should be willing to wear modest attire, which includes wearing a sarong and a sash tied at the waist.

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