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Lombok is a revelation. Till very recently Lombok was not known to the world, rather it was her neighbor Bali who walked away with the accolades as an idyllic island holiday spot. Lombok’s beauty is rather of the innocent kind. The long shimmering white sands, aquamarine water and deep blue sky with white spongy clouds make Lombok an heavenly place to relax and recuperate. Lombok was under the Balinese influence before she came under Dutch colonial rule. Balinese monarchs and their subjects were practicing Hindus, therefore very naturally, when Balinese domination on the island gained a foothold, temples and other edifices were built. Though with the change in Lombok’s destiny, Balinese rule, is now only on the pages of history, but the edifices and structures like temples have withstood the test of time. These significant fragments of history come alive with exploring the island, in this context one cannot ignore the magnificent Pura Lingsar Temple, Lombok. Pura Lingsar Temple is Lombok’s holiest temple and it was built in 1714 AD. It was built by the Balinese when they first crossed over to the island, but it was also reconstructed with the help of Sasak Muslims as a symbol of unity. So this temple blends Balinese Hindu religion and Wektu Telu religions in one complex. Wektu Telu is the religion that was practiced by the Lombok natives before Balinese advent. Pura Lingsar Temple is interesting on quite a number of counts. The Hindu temple is in the northern section and the Wektu Telu is in the southern section of the temple. The northern section is on an elevated level than the southern section and such differentiation will definitely make those interested in Wektu Telu delve even deeper to find answers to such riddles. Pura Lingsar Temple, Lombok has a small temple pond. This pond is enclosed and the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The pond has innumerable holy eels which cannot be seen with just leaning over the water, they have to be lured out of their hidings with fragments of hard boiled eggs. There are stalls outside the temple selling eggs. To enter the temple one has to wear a sarong or a sash, but it is advisable not to enter any of the outer buildings. This temple sees some joyous occasions. Perang Topat is held in mid December every year, this is a ritual battle where after the costumed parade, Hindus and Wektu bombard each other with ketupat, that is, sticky rice in coconut leaves. Therefore a mid December visit to Lombok will allow one to be a witness to such festivals.
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