Pura Belanjong

“A fragment of a Dutch ship,” our guide began, his voice low and mysterious, “that’s how Pura Belanjong got its name.” He gestured towards the temple, its weathered stones gleaming under the Balinese sun. Pura Belanjong. The name, we learned, comes from the Balinese words “belahane,” meaning fragment, and “ngenjung,” meaning fishing boat. Legend has it a piece of a Dutch vessel ran aground on the nearby Sanur Coast, giving the area, and eventually the temple, its unique moniker. Pura Belanjong isn’t just a picturesque temple. It holds a crucial piece of Balinese history. Nestled just a few kilometers from Sanur Beach, Pura Belanjong houses the Blanjong Inscription. This inscription is the oldest written record of Bali’s history, mentioning “Walidwipa,” the ancient name for the island. The inscription itself is a cylindrical pillar, a victory monument to Sri Kesari Warmadewa, a king who ruled Bali in 913 AD. The pillar tells of his triumphs over enemies in Gurun (now Nusa Penida) and Swal (believed to be Ketewel Beach). Sri Kesari Warmadewa, also known as Dalem Selonding, came to Bali from Srivijaya in Sumatra. His ancestors had conquered kingdoms in Java, and his own prowess is immortalized in the Blanjong Inscription. The inscription has two sides. One side bears six lines of Old Balinese, written in Pre Negari script. The other side features thirteen lines of Sanskrit in Kawi script. This unusual combination of languages and scripts speaks to the sophisticated knowledge of the people of Bali even in the 10th century. Pura Belanjong, with its ancient inscription, is more than just a place of worship. It’s a portal to Bali’s rich past, a testament to the island’s enduring history and the legacy of a powerful king.