One of the famous mountain in Bali is Mount Batur. Mt Batur is the second big mountain after Mount Agung. Furthermore, This mountain famous because this is a favorite place for tourists to trekking to the top of the mountain to watch the beautiful sunrise.
Mount Batur is an active volcano and has erupted more than 25 times.
There is a lot of legend about this mountain, but in this article, I will only tell you 2 of the most popular stories, namely about Mount Batur associated with the gods and the story of Kebo Iwa.
Story 1: The Cosmology of Mount Batur: As a nail
A long ago, when Bali still unpopulated, the island still floats in the middle of the ocean. The island of Bali is not stable and floating on the wide ocean. Then it was known by the gods who were on Mount Semeru. Just information, until now Balinese believe that Mount Semeru is the main temple.
The gods who were on Mount Semeru then sent Dewa Besukih, Dewa Naga Tatsaka, Dewa Ananta Boga and Dewa Benawang Nala to move the peak of Mount Semeru to the island of Bali.
In this transfer, Dewa Benawang Nala served as the peak of Semeru, Dewa Naga Tatsaka, and Naga Besukih acted as a binder, while Dewa Ananta Boga acted as a carrier that flew the summit of Mount Semeru.
After arriving at the island of Bali, then the peak of Mount Semeru is divided into 2, one part becomes Mount Agung and the other part becomes Mount Batur. After placing these 2 mountains, then the island of Bali is no longer floating, fixated by Mount Agung and Mount Batur.
At this time, the Balinese believe that the two mountains are the shelter of the gods of the universe (Parahyangan Purusua Peredana).
Story 2 : Kebo Iwa, the giant who was drowned by Balinese
A long time ago lived a giant called Kebo Iwa. His body was big as a hill, he was kind-hearted and nice, sometimes he helped the villagers built a temple, house and cultivated their Richfield. For him, he did not need anything except food. But because of his big body, he had so much food. His food was enough for 1000 people. Indeed he was nice giant, but when the villagers could not give his food as he liked he will get angry and destroy everything in front of him.
One dry season was coming, this season was very rough. The villagers could not get their cultivation as usual and they could not offer the food for Kebo Iwa. Kebo Iwa was angry, he destroyed everything in front of him. he ate everything. Some breed animals, even he ate people he had captured.
After brainstorming, the villager’s headman has an idea, he asked Kebo Iwa to built everything he had destroy, after that the villagers will give him food. Kebo Iwa agreed.
The day after, he started to work, house, and temple he had to destroy built immediately. After that, he dug a well to find water sources. Mounds of soil were mounted up in the edge of the hole.
At that time the villagers collected many limestones, the giant curious what the limestones for, the villagers answer the will built a home for the giant. Kebo Iwo was very happy to hear that. He was very conscious because the people in the village would build him a house.
Day by day the holes become deeper, one day the villagers found the giant was sleeping and exhausted, “now, it’s time to bury him!” many people said. Afterward, they threw limestones to the hole. Kebo Iwo had just realized when the water had been mixed with limestones. The giant could not fight it and he passed away inside the hole. The water inside the well shortly flowed up and formed a lake called Lake Batur. Meanwhile, the mounds of soil formed a mountain called Batur Mountain.
