Bali News
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Tuesday, June 25, 2013
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Padanggalak undergoes periodic abrasion Bali Post
DENPASAR - The Head of Denpasar Environment Agency (BLH), Bagus Sudharsana, denied if the abrasion on Padanggalak Beach happened because of the unstoppable development around the shoreline. According to him, the shoreline scour in the region had been going on for a long time, not suddenly happen due to non-natural causes. “There is no relevance to development. Abrasion is the marine character, especially its waves. All we can do is only to survive. If we do not survive, we will constantly be undermined because the character of the waves is ferocious so that people are forbidden to swim,” said Sudharsana. According to him, Padanggalak Beach was still very affected by the estuary of Ayung River. Moreover, during the season of heavy rain, the estuary often moved around, causing a greater risk of abrasion. It was the most difficult to avoid on Padanggalak Beach. “Why does the abrasion happen? Because the river estuary is on the move so that it sounds like abrasion, whereas it is actually a periodical abrasion occurring due to violent pounding of waves,” he explained. Due to different characters of wave, the handling of coastal revetment system was also made different. On that account, it was protected by levees to withstand the blows of waves so as not to further erode the shoreline. But over time, the levees were gradually eroded and even prone to collapse. “There have been levees to hold the periodic abrasion. Otherwise, the impact can be imagined. On that account, the levees should be maintained by colleagues in the Denpasar Public Works. Indeed, it requires quite expensive cost for safeguarding the beach. Moreover, the location is also taken advantage for melis activity, a Hindu religious purificatory ceremony,” he said. Sudharsana also expected the communities in the upstream area to be willing to care for the environment. They were asked not to litter because the waste like plastic waste from the upstream could also pollute the beach. (kmb32)
IBP/File Photo
People walk at Padanggalak Beach. The Head of Denpasar Environment Agency (BLH), Bagus Sudharsana, denied if the abrasion on Padanggalak Beach happened because of the unstoppable development around the shoreline. According to him, the shoreline scour in the region had been going on for a long time, not suddenly happen due to non-natural causes.
Puncak Mundi Temple:
A pilgrimage destination in Nusa Penida PROBABLY the classy nickname given to Nusa Penida as a golden egg of Bali does not only refer to its natural potential. In terms of spiritual point of view, Nusa Penida is also often made a destination of Hindu pilgrimage in maintaining the balance of life. The majority of Hindus make the three major temples as their primary destination, including the Penataran Ped, Giri Putri and Puncak Mundi Temple. As the name suggests, the Puncak Mundi Temple is perched on the top of Mundi Hill, exactly at Rata hamlet, Klumpu village, Nusa Penida. Mundi is said to be the highest peak in the plains of Nusa Penida so that the temple remains to look sustainable. Puncak Mundi Temple consists of three elements, namely the Beji Temple as the first praying place, Krangkeng Temple and Puncak Mundi as the abode of Ida Batara Lingsir. Chief of supporting devotees of Puncak Mundi Temple, I Wayan Sukla, said on Saturday (Jun 1) that all the devotees of Puncak Mundi Temple
comprised 504 families scattered in eleven customary hamlets, including the Baledan Duur hamlet, Baledan Beten hamlet, Klumpu Kauh hamlet, Klumpu Kangin hamlet, Angas hamlet, Mentaki hamlet, Rata hamlet, Tiagan hamlet, Bila hamlet, Cubang hamlet and Iseh hamlet. Compiled from various sources, Wayan Sukla told the presence of temples on Nusa Penida Island was inspired by the marriage of Lord Guru (Ishvara) and Goddess Uma. From their love was then born a son named Lord Kumara. However, the birth of Lord Kumara became the beginning of a dispute between the Lord Guru and Goddess Uma. It happened because Lord Kumara was closely taken care of by his father, while he only came to his mother when asking to be breastfed. Being upset, Goddess Uma persecuted Lord Kumara while breastfeeding. With fury, her eyes turned red and her fangs came out. As a result, Lord Kumara was banged up to break his
head and his blood was drunk by Goddess Uma. Apparently, the violence was known by Lord Guru. On seeing her behavior like kala or evil spirit, the Lord Guru was angry. He condemned Goddess Uma to be transformed into a human being to the world. “During undergoing the curse, Goddess Uma was said to have arrived amidst a forest. Within such a lonely place, there grows a large and high banyan tree. There she cried and her milk exuded to the ground. It then grew into a king banana (gedangsaba). That is why, the banana is very good for baby,” he said. After long regretted her actions, she had desire to build a palace being no different from the heaven. She then established an ashram at the top of Bukit Mundi (Mundi Hill) and earned the title as Goddess Rohini. In the ashram, she performed solemn meditation. In short, Lord Guru could not stand alone to care for his son because Lord Kumara kept asking to be breastfed
by his mother. Afterward, Lord Kumara was placed on a platform shrine (pelangkiran) to take care of baby. Suddenly, Lord Guru remembered Goddess Uma who was previously condemned and had been residing at the top of Pucak Mundi. Ultimately, Lord Guru decided to come down to earth, precisely to the abode where Goddess Uma was performing meditation, at the top of Bukit Mundi. Lord Guru himself transformed into a priest named Dukuh Jumpungan and met with Goddess Uma. Later on, this area was named Nusa Panida, derived from the phrase Manusha Pandhita. “Likewise, Goddess Uma then transformed herself into a woman named Ni Puri becoming the wife to Dukuh Jumpungan in the world and permanently settled on Mount Kila or Pucak Mundi. Supporting devotees of the Puncak Mundi Temple then called them Lord Lingsir,” said Sukla. Sukla added that pujawali (anniversary) of the Puncak Mundi
Temple was held every six months, falling every Buda (Wednesday) Umanis Perangbakat and the nearest would fall on Wednesday (next Jun 26). Series of the procession would be commenced by organizing an assembly and notification ritual on Anggara Kliwon Wuku Tambir. Then, it was resumed with the implementation of animal sacrifice (pecaruan), taking down the sanctified effigies and embellishing them with ornamental paraphernalia on Anggara Kliwon Wuku Perangbakat. Afterward, the deities were escorted to do purificatory rite at Peji Temple and offered the anniversary ritual on Buda Umanis Wuku Perangbakat. After the temple anniversary, it was resumed with offering the penganyar ritual on Wrespati (Thursday) Paing Wuku Perangbakat through Sukra (Friday) Pon wuku Perangbakat (Jun 27 to 28) and the closing ritual procession on Saniscara (Saturday) Wuku Perangbakat (Jun 29) around 12:00 a.m. (kmb31)