Seven Charms of Balinese Nuances at Pura Agung Giri Natha Semarang

Abstract

Seeing the small number of religious tourism destinations in the city of Semarang, making the Hindus of Semarang city place Pura Agung Girinatha a place for religious ceremonies, and also as a social religious place. Pura Agung Giri Natha name is taken from the words Giri which means hill or mountain, and Natha which means sturdy. The construction of this temple was deliberately built on a high place. Pura Agung Giri Natha itself is an original Hindu temple built from various kinds of Balinese architecture, as well as buildings that have their own functions and philosophies containing various interesting meanings to know. Such as the placement of several Bentar Temples or Bali Gate as boundaries between three main areas, namely Nistha Mandala, Madya Mandala and Utama Mandala. Nistya Mandala, the outermost part of the temple which functions as a supporting facility for visitors to Pura Agung. Then there is Madya Mandala which functions as a meeting place, big day activities (piodalan) and social events. Then the last and most sacred part of this temple is the Utama mandala, as the core of the temple which functions as a place of worship for Hindus. The main building in the form of the magnificent throne of Padma, which symbolizes Mount Mandara as the throne of God in the Samudramantana story, is also contained in the Utama mandala. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method using the method of observation, interviews and documentation as the main information material in writing.