One last look at Tirta Empul, before we head off to somewhere new in Bali.

The stone carvings at Pura Tirta Empul were certainly intricate. Because the temple was so much part of life, it made sense that the carvings also depicted scenes from daily life. Apart from the lack of motor scooters and technology and tourists, life in rural Bali hasn’t changed a whole lot.

Men still dress in sarongs and play in the gamelan.

Women still carry motherloads on their head.

And people still bring all sorts of offerings to the temple on festival days.

After washing there are prayers to be said. Blessings are administered by the priest, dressed entirely in white.

I guess water is as important to Hinduism as it is in Christianity.

The holy spring bubbles up from underground in this pool. Considering how much water polution Indonesia has, this pool is startlingly clear.

But the purpose of a visit to Pura Tirta Empul for most people was to wash themselves in the ancient spring, which is channelled into a series of pools. Since it was a festival day, the pools were full of people coming from the city (locals usually go on a non-feast day). Everyone gets into the act, from children to the elderly. People also collect the holy water for their homes.

This week we’re visiting Pura Tirta Empul, otherwise known as the Holy Spring Temple. Water plays an important part in all belief systems, and in Bali, being cleansed at this temple is particularly special – so special in fact that pilgrims have been coming there for a thousand years.

Another symbol of the tropics is the banyan tree. This is a large, old tree. One can imagine that it was a seedling when the very first pilgrims came to Tirta Empul.