Water is the organising principle of Balinese Hinduism, and few places express that more directly than Tirta Empul. Set in the hills of central Bali, the temple encloses a spring that rises continuously into a clear basin before being channelled through carved spouts into two long bathing pools. Balinese tradition places the foundation of the sanctuary in the tenth century, and the site has never ceased to function: families arrive with offerings, enter the water fully dressed and pass beneath each fountain in turn, performing the melukat rite of purification. Filmed in 4K, the programme follows the architecture of walled courtyards, split gates and pavilions, the movement of light on moss-covered stone, and the daily choreography of ritual bathing. A self-contained portrait of a living sanctuary, well suited to strands on sacred sites, Asian heritage and world religions.
