Tirta Empul temple (Indonesian: Pura Tirta Empul) is a Hindu Balinese water temple located near the town of Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia. The temple compound consists of a petirtaan or bathing structure, famous for its holy spring water, where Balinese Hindus go to for a ritual purification called Melukat. The temple pond has a spring which gives out fresh water regularly, which Balinese Hindus consider to be holy or amritha.^[1] Tirta Empul means Holy Spring in Balinese.

Construction of the temple

Tirta Empul Temple was founded around a large water spring in 962 A.D. during the Warmadewa dynasty (10th-14th centuries). The name of the temple comes from the ground water source named "Tirta Empul". The spring is the source of the Pakerisan river.^[2] The temple is divided into three sections: Jaba Pura (front yard), Jaba Tengah (central yard) and Jeroan (inner yard). Jaba Tengah contains 2 pools with 30 showers which are named accordingly: Pengelukatan, Pebersihan and Sudamala dan Pancuran Cetik (poison).^[3]

The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, another Hindu god name for the supreme consciousness Narayana.^[1] On a hill overlooking the temple, a modern villa was built for President Sukarno's visit in 1954. The villa is currently a rest house for important guests.

Water quality

For most of the time, Tirta Empul is believed as a source of clean water for ritual bathing. However, according to a Coconut Bali report in 2017, authorities were investigating reports of water pollution and health risk at Tirta Empul from Gianyar.^[4]