Bali’s iconic Ulun Danu Beratan temple shut down yesterday afternoon, blocking out tourists, only to quickly reopen again today after an alleged financial scandal involving nearly Rp 40 billion.
The temple, sitting on the edge of Lake Bratan in Tabanan Regency, is one of Bali’s most famous destinations and is even illustrated on the back of the Indonesian Rp 50k note.
A sign announcing the temple’s closure to the public until further notice, was draped over a Ganesha statue in front of the temple complex’s entrance yesterday around 3pm. Dozens of local residents dressed in traditional Balinese wear could be seen surrounding the temple yesterday, local media reported.
However, the sign was gone by today after local police took it down.
Candikuning traditional village leader I Made Mudita confirmed that the temple reopened today.
“(The sign) has already been pulled down,” Mudita told Berita Bali.
A letter declaring the temple closed had also reportedly been sent out from local village authorities to the regent of Tabanan, with copies to the Bali governor, Bali Police, regionally-based military, Tabanan Police, Muncipial Police, Indonesia Hindu Religious Council (PHIDI) Bali, and the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA).
The cause for the temple’s closure is not 100 percent clear at this time, but there are understood to be a number of problems, allegedly including a widespread problem of profit sharing from the temple, which is an official Indonesian DTW, designated tourist destination.
As much as Rp 37.5 billion of money from the temple is unaccounted for, local media has been reporting.
Tabanan Regent, Ni Putu Kea Wiryastuti condemned yesterday’s closure and says what’s happening at the temple is an internal affair and therefore should be handled privately, as to not cause ‘public discomfort.’
She also went on to say that the action taken by traditional village and spiritual leaders to close the temple was not legal, as it is the job of the DTW office to manage the temple and they had not backed the destination’s closure.
“It should be resolved inside,” Wiryastuti said.
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