Getting To Know The Nala Bedawang, The Mythology Of The Kura-Kura That Prevents Earthquakes In Bali

Bali Mythology, Bedawang Nala (Tamansafari)

YOGYAKARTA Bali has many mythologies, one of which is known as Bedawang Nala. The Balinese people know Bedawang Nala as a mythological creature related to natural disasters. To understand more about the mythological animals, look at the following article.

Reporting from the official website of the Sonobudoyo Museum, Bedawang Nala is a mythological figure. The figure is depicted as a turtle but resembles a horse. For Balinese people, the Bedawang Nala tortoise is often associated with the process of natural disasters.

In an article entitled The Philosophical Meaning of the Existence of the Bedawang Nala Ornament at the basis of the Meru Building which was published in the Philosophy Journal, the name Bedawang Nala has a Hindu mythology relationship in India, namely Vadavamukha or Vadavanala. The mythology refers to an animal in the shape of a burning female horse head that he lives on the seabed.

The concept of a burning female horse head on the seabed from India was then adapted into the local Balinese Bedawang Nala. It's just that its shape is leaning towards a volcanic giant tortoise which also lives under the sea. The depiction of the tortoise as a mythological animal itself is quite reasonable. Because these marine animals are quite common in the waters of Bali, and even have native habitats in these waters.

Still quoted from the same source, the conception of a giant tortoise named Betawang Nala is closely related to Balinese confidence in the earthquake disaster. The Balinese people believe that the island of Bali is being carried by a giant tortoise on its back. If Bedawang Nala moves, Bali will win.

In order for Bali to remain stable, Bedawang must be limited in movement. So assigned other cosmic animals named Naga Basuki and Naga Anantabhoga. The two cosmic animals were assigned to entangle the Bedawang Nala. In addition, both of them were also asked to supervise and limit all movements of the turtle.

In the real world, Bedawang Nala actually symbolizes magma in the earth's stomach. The magma volcanic activity was able to trigger an earthquake as well as a powerful tsunami. Meanwhile, Naga Basuki and Naga Anantabhoga symbolize two elements, namely water and soil that wrap magma.

From this depiction, it can be concluded that the concept of Bedawang Nala represents the relationship between humans and their nature. The Balinese people believe that humans and the universe depend on each other.

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