Pura Goa Lawah - the mysterious temple of the snake king (10 photos + 1 video)

This sacred underground temple is home to thousands of bats and, according to legend, a giant snake king.





One of nine sacred temples on the island of Bali, the cave temple known as Pura Goa Lawah is home to thousands of bats. It also is said to be home to a river of healing waters and a giant snake wearing a crown, according to local legend.



It is believed to have been created around 1007 by an Indonesian saint, and the ancient temple structures built around the cave's entrance are still used daily for worship and prayer.





Although the place had no name when the temple was built, it got its current name from the thousands of bats that hang attached to the ceiling and walls of the natural chasm: Goa means "cave" and Lawah means "bat".



It is believed that the cave can stretch across the entire mountain to the neighboring city. According to legend, the dark and gloomy depths of the tunnel are home to the mythical snake king Vasuki - a huge naga wearing a crown on his head. It is believed that he lives off the large number of bats that live in the cave. Another legend says that in the depths there flows a river with miraculous healing waters that can cure many ailments.



While the dimensions of the sacred cave have never been fully explored, stunningly complex temples have been built at its mouth, to which pilgrims make daily pilgrimages in full view of countless slumbering bats. Pura Goa Lawah hosts an annual festival, where devotees from all over the area come to pray at the entrance of this impressive natural wonder.





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