Candi (Temple) Belahan or Sumber Tetek Temple : King Airlangga’s Bathing Place

This temple  is located on the eastern slope of Mt Penanggungan, overlooking lush forest and not far from a beautiful rice terraces. The temple is constructed of red brick, and andesite with the main feature is two goddesses  and Garuda Wisnu in the middle of both goddesses.  Laksmi dan Sri are the wife or Sakti of  Wisnu. And it has been a long tradition in East Java that a king is dietified for prestide and legitimacy.  In Belahan Temple, King Airlangga is deitified as Wisnu. The Garuda Wisnu is not in the temple anymore but now displayed in Trowulan Museum. The queen, is the one wearing prabha, she was the daughter of King Dharmawangsa and  the other one is king’s second wife.

Airlangga was the king of Kahuripan. When he was 16 years old, King Dharmawangsa, his father in law was overthrown, and  Airlangga and his guardian, Narotama,  could escaped to forest. In the future he could defeat his enemies and then built a kingdom, Kahuripan Kingdom.

The size of the bathing place is 6.14 M X 6,14 M, the water sprouting from the bare breast of Laksmi. Laksmi and Sri are the symbol of fertility and prosperity. Both beautiful goddess standing on a lotus, bare breasted, wearing crowns and elaborate jewellery and draped clothing.

Because of the good quality of water, locals use the water in this temple for drinking water. You can sometimes meet locals carrying water jar.

Javanese come to this place for some ritual, the water also believed to have virtue. And it is never dry or lessen in dry season,