More than 20,000 temples are scattered all over the island of Bali. All these temples are linked one and another create hundreds of temple networks based on the function of the temple and the clan of their congregation (network of clan temple). Each network has a central temple from which the network starts. The central temples can be everywhere; they are not localized in one area.

The function based temple networks involves only functional temples, or temple of professions, such as Melanting temple (temple of the trader), Ulun Suwi or Ulun Carik Temple – Ulun Suwi temple is an irrigation temple that belong to a subak (traditional water management group), and Banuan temple (dry fields temple).

Pura Melanting, Pulaki - Singaraja

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A piece of land is not “just a piece of land” for Balinese, there is something in the land or place that is revered and sometimes feared by them. something unknown, mystical but produces significant effect to Balinese everyday life even to the Balinese community since Balinese believe that mystical realm cannot be separated with the physical world.

The concept of rwa bhineda, two (opposing yet depending on each other) force of nature underlies the distinction made in Bali between the places considered tenget or angker, i.e. uncanny, magically dangerous, possessed by evil spirit or bhuta kala and places that are suci, nirmala, i.e. pure, clean, holy or consecrated by man with divine help. The implementation of the distinction of these two kinds of places can be found in the outline of a Balinese house compound or village.

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Pura Meduwe Karang at Kubutambahan, 12 km from Singaraja, and 108 km from Denpasar is dedicated to the fertility of the and is associated with the dry field (tegalan) and the fruit and vegetable gardens (abian) in the same way as the various temples maintained by the subak associations are linked with the complexes of wet rice fields. It is the temple of all those who cultivate the dry fields whether their crops be coconuts, or fruit, maize, or tobacco, or ground nuts, or coffee, or cotton, or lontar leaves, or palm sugar. The list does not include rice because the soil is unsuitable and the rainfall too low in the coastal areas of east Buleleng for the cultivation of rice in the dry fields.

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