Bali Strait

Bali Strait

Bali Strait

Long time ago, Java and Bali was one. And in the country of Blambangan there was a spiritual man called Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra. He has a son, Manik Angkeran. Manik Angkeran has a bad hobby that is gambling. The worse thing was he never won. So each time he gambled, it was his father who paid the debt until finally Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra was run out of money and broke. His Father and Mother always told him to stop gambling but he never listen. When he was in bigger debt, he didn’t come home, and the debt collectors came to his house again and again. Because of the debt, Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra ask his Dragon God friend Naga Basuki to help him pay the debt. He came to the cave where Naga Basuki stayed and meditated, brought eggs and other offerings. Naga Basuki then asked him, why he came there. He told the dragon gods about the debt of his son because of gambling. The dragon god agree to help in the condition that Manik Angkeran ( his son ) has to stop gambling. Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra agree, the dragon god shook his body till some of his scales were off, and when the scales reach the ground they turns to gold. It happened many times until Manik Angkeran himself begging the dragon god to help him. But because of his greediness, Manik Angkeran cut the Dragon god’s tail. The dragon god was angry and burn him to ashes. When the father Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra heard, he came for forgiveness and ask the dragon god to give back his son. Yet the dragon god ask what for, he was a bad son. The father said as bad as he was, Manik Angkeran was his son and he had already had the punishment so he would not dare to do wrong again. (gamble) The dragon god ask for a reward that was to mend his tail and the father agreed. So it was, Manik Angkeran lives and stay near the cave and in order to cleanse his soul he meditated in another cave near the Dragon god’s . Dang Hyang Sidi Mantra went back home, but before he reach his country (Blambangan) he was afraid that his son friends would come and get his son back gambling. To prevent it to happened, he made a strait line on the ground, and from that line the water comes out until the land between Blambangan and Bali was emerged and became a strait called Bali strait.

Bali then was floating back and forth in the ocean and there were earthquakes for 2 months, rain and thundering storm. And Mount Agung was erupted (191 AD). God Pacupati sent his son God Mahadewa, God Gnijaya/ Iswara and daughter Goddess Dewi Danuh to help stabilized the island and rules over Bali. Further more God Pacupati sent another gods and goddess to shield the island to balance the nature and give prosperity. And in Bali they are called DEWATA NAWA SANGGA. Each guard the nine point of compass in Bali.