Mount Agung’s eruption is in the lap of the gods for Bali’s Hindu population
Since the volcanic alert, the Balinese have been praying for the safety of those who live near the ‘mother mountain’, the most sacred peak on the island and pivotal to its Hindu culture
For the local Hindu population of Bali, the smouldering volcano that has led to the evacuation of thousands of villagers is more than just a geological event.
For weeks since tremors were first detected in early September, millions of Balinese have been tirelessly coming together in prayer in the hope of calming the “mother mountain”.
Bali’s governor, I Made Mangku Pastika, was seen praying among dozens of Hindu worshippers at the Besakih temple last week, just a few kilometres from the crater of Mount Agung and within the officially declared no-go zone. The temple was briefly reopened by local officials, who deemed it necessary for prayers to be held there.
Priests have also been photographed holding prayers and taking offerings to the holy mountain top, standing before a white plume emitting from the crater, prompting both criticism and support.
“According to Balinese legend, without Mount Agung, there would be no Bali. It was said that what we know as ‘the island of Bali’ now used to be untethered, floating about the ocean and very unstable. Life was difficult for the people. The gods then came, and Mount Agung was given to us. It’s an anchor, a stake that keeps everything together,” Jro Mangku Made Gudug adds.
