Agung

The Holy Mountain

Every aspect of Bali’s geography and ecology is influenced by the towering range of volcanic peaks that dominate the island. They have created its landforms, periodically regenerated its soil, and helped to produce the dramatic downpours which provide the island with life-giving water. The Balinese recognize these geophysical facts of life, and the island’s many volcanoes, lakes and springs are considered by them to be sacred.

It’s 1:00 o’clock in the morning and my guide is praying in front of Pura Pasar, the highest amongst the Balinese temples. We had just climbed the steep 200 steps that bring from the car park to the temple and have 5 more hours of though climbing ahead of us. The goal is to reach the top of Mount Agung before sunrise when the mountain is usually free of the clouds that start to gather around it later in the day.

This Ribu is the highest point on the popular island of Bali and holds incredible spiritual significance for the Balinese. It is still an active volcano, and the last major eruption was in 1963 when pyroclastic flows flowed down the southern and southeastern slopes continuously and devastated numerous villages and temples in the region around Selat. They reached distances of 14 km from the summit and burned everything on their way.

Considered as a miracle by the Balinese, Pura Besakih, Bali’s most important, largest and holiest temple was avoided.

Folklore has it that when the deities made mountains for their thrones they set the highest peak in the east, the direction of honor to the Balinese. In every temple, a shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Gunung Agung. The tapering form of cremation towers, pagodas, and even temple offerings bear the shape of a mountain, mirroring reverences for this holy volcano.

Balinese legend has it that Agung was created when the Hindu God Pasupati split Mount Meru (the spiritual axis of the universe) and formed Mount Agung with a fragment.

There are two routes to reach the crater rim, leaving from different places. If you aim to reach the highest point of Gunung Agung then one needs to depart from Pura Besakih (6 hours) but if you are happy to reach the rim which is short by about 150 meters from the very top, then start hiking from Pura Pasar (4.5 hours). Both ways are more or less straight up with perhaps 100 meters is on relatively flat terrain. It is a demanding trail and things are worsened by the quality of the terrain: muddy and slippery at the beginning and with scrambling rocks and plenty of rubble when the forest gives pace to a desolated desolate landscape of barren volcanic rock and ash scree.

But do not this let discourage you: the view from the summit is just outstanding.