Kedungu Beach Bali Indonesia

Tanah Lot is claimed as the work of the 16th-century Dang Hyang Nirartha. During his travels along the south coastline he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and decided to rest there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha therefore spent the night on the very little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and informed them to build a shrine in the rock, for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods. The key deity of the temple is Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, who is the sea god or sea power and these days, Nirartha is also worshipped here.

The Tanah Lot temple was designed and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple isone of seven sea temples around the Balinese coastline. Each of the sea temples was established within eyesight of the following to form a chain along the south-western coast. In addition to Balinese mythology, the temple was significantly influenced by Hinduism.

At the base of the rocky island, venomous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The temple is purportedly protected by a massive snake, which was created from Nirartha's selendang (a type of sash) when he established the island.