There is always something unique and attractive in Bali. When hearing about a temple or Car Shrine, our mind may be immediately associated with the one in Nusa Penida Bali. The temple is indeed quite popular as a destination for pilgrimage or spiritual tourism for Balinese Hindus. However, who would have thought if there are car shrines in several villages in Bali. Of course, these car shines have been believed by local residents in a physical (sekala) and transcendental (niskala) manner. One of the car shrines is located at the Sangket Customary Village, Sukasada, Buleleng. Being unique in itself, Sangket Customary Village has three car shrines at once. They are located outside the trinity (kahyangan tiga) temples area of Sangket customary village.

Chief of the Sangket Customary Village, I Gede Tinggen, when confirmed on Monday (Mar 6) stated that the history behind the shrine construction began with a mystical story because sutri (sacred people at temples) frequently fell into trance during the temple festival and have a car shrine made in the local trinity temple. Even before the shrine was built, residents sometimes heard sounds as if troops were walking, including the sound of army trucks at night. Some residents even saw the incident.

This supernatural and unique phenomenon beyond common sense frequently occurred and then strengthened the determination of the residents to build the car shrine to comply with the request of the sutri who is experiencing trance and had been the results of the village meeting. Results of the village meeting are then adjusted to the customary traditions and the sekala-niskala (physical and transcendental realm) which aims to ask for protection, especially at the Sangket customary village. “Initially, people did not believe in the incident. However, since it happened again and again, and there were also residents who saw it, it was then decided to build a shrine for the car,” he explained.

Gede Tinggen added that the car shrine was commenced to be built in 2003. Where at the village temple was built a white sedan shrine believed to be the commander of the army, at the Mengening Temple was built a military truck shrine dedicated for troops that secure the territory and at Dalem Temple was built a shrine resembling an ancient pick-up car believed to be used for patrols. All of these shrines are placed in the outermost courtyard of the temple area, to be precise near the temple entrance. “By and large, during the temple festival our residents here put pejati offerings and tipat gong rice bags as a means to ask for safety, especially at the Sangket customary village,” he concluded. (BTN/Dp)