Hutan adat Pura Puser Saab

Pura Puser Saab is located in the Traditional Banjar Dehan area of the Mujaning Tembeling Traditional Village. The Mujaning Tembeling Traditional Area consists of three traditional banjars, namely: Banjar Saren, Banjar Dehan, and Banjar Pangkung Anyar. Each of these banjars has its own story. In general, the name Mujaning Tembeling comes from the word Mujanan, which is the name of the temple associated with the story in Banjar Saren. Meanwhile, the word Tembeling comes from the name of a spring located in the forest. In 2003, the Mujaning Tembeling Traditional Village was established; like traditional villages in general in Bali, this Traditional Village was formed based on the concepts and philosophical values of Hinduism that are social-religious and social-community in nature.

Pura Puser Saab, or more fully Kahyangan Jagat Pura Puser Saab, is one of the six Kahyangan Jagat in Nusa Penida. Pura Puser Saab was established during the reign of King Prabu Renggan, around 200 BC, coinciding with the establishment of Pura Puncak Mundi. Pura Saab has three subsidiary temples, namely:

1. Pura Batu Paras to the east. Previously, around this temple, there was a sacred spring and a large banyan tree. However, the local community could not maintain its sanctity, one of which was by using the sacred water for washing. Over time, the spring dried up, and the banyan tree died in the 1990s. Pura Batu Paras is also called Pura Beji because of the presence of the sacred spring. Until now, water from Pura Batu Paras is still requested for welfare, peace, and healing.
2. Pura Ratu Gede Dalem Selimpet to the south. This temple was formerly only named Slimpet, with only a sacred monument or stones. The area was once filled with large trees and shrubs, making it very difficult to pass through and often getting entangled. A shrine was then also established in this place, becoming Pura Dalem. Before the ceremony at Pura Puser Saab, offerings must be made at this place. The communities of Banjar Dehan and Banjar Tengaksa who wish to perform manusa yadnya, such as wedding ceremonies, must also make offerings to this temple. Every pujawali, offerings of banten and raw pig entrails must be presented. If the offerings are late, the ceremonial means such as pork and rice will be less and there will be an unpleasant smell. However, after the offerings are made, everything becomes whole and complete and no longer smells. Requests are usually directed for safety, inner and outer strength, protection, success, and tranquility.

3. Pura Puser Saab in the middle. This temple is named Pura Puser Saab because there is a large stone in the center of the main mandala of the temple that cannot be moved. When there is an earthquake, there is no vibration at all on that stone. There are prelingga (statues) around the temple whose number is never the same. During the sasih Kawulu, the number of statues is many, while during sasih Katiga, there are only a few. Until now, when ngias installs karawista on the statues, the number is always not exact. Requests are directed to ward off obstacles-disasters-black magic, to ask for blessings, success, tranquility for those who have problems, and safety. Also, during long dry seasons when there is a shortage of water, residents come to the temple to ask for tirta amerta (rain). Three days after the ceremony is held, it will surely rain. A source of life, a main blessing for farmers in Nusa Penida.

The Forest of Pura Puser Saab, also known as Pura Saab or Pura Pusering Saab, is an ecosystem forest that contains 3 temples where worship and traditional rituals are conducted, namely: Pura Batu Paras, Pura Dalem Selimpet, and Pura Puser Saab itself. The area of the Pura Saab Forest is the Kahyangan Jagad temple (main temple) in Nusa Penida. The native plants in the forest around the temple show a high level of diversity and depict ecological balance. There are four types of trees in the Pura Puser Saab forest that indicate that an ecosystem is still balanced, namely from the family arecaceae (palm family) such as aren/enau; poaceae (grass family) such as bamboo; moraceae (fig family) such as banyan; and dipterocarpaceae (tall trees) such as genitri.

Pura Puser Saab is the Tanah Pelaba Pura located in the Mujaning Tembeling Traditional Area. Where Tanah Pelaba Pura is land that was formerly owned by the village or Traditional Banjar specifically used for temple purposes. Some Tanah Pelaba Pura is specifically used for temple buildings only, while some land is used for financing routine ceremonies and costs for temple repairs. Currently, the Tanah Pelaba Pura is under the name of the temple, reinforced with a Pelaba Pura certificate. Along with the development of the times, and also the increasing number of pemedek or people who come to worship at Pura Puser Saab, the condition of the forest area has begun to change. Previously, around Pura Puser Saab, the land cover consisted of trees, but the wood was rather small. Currently, it has been used for expanding parking space, and in 2019, forest clearing was carried out for arrangement.

The rules that apply in the temple area include that there is no specific period for the utilization and management of Pura Puser Saab, but there is an exception for women who are menstruating, who are not allowed to enter the temple. Then, another rule is that it is prohibited to cut down trees and bring sharp objects (sickles, machetes, axes, etc.) into the temple area, as well as prohibited to take anything from the forest. If violated, a penalty of Rp. 500,000 will be imposed and the taken items must be returned twice.

According to tradition, the Pura Puser Saab Forest has a limited utilization function, namely as an area protected by tradition, so there should be no tree cutting and extraction of natural resources within it except for the needs of the temple and traditional ceremonies. The existence of three temples within it functions as places for worship conducted by the caretakers and places that are sanctified by tradition. The utilization of forest products in Pura Pusering Saab is not only intended for Pura Saab but also for the temples in each caretaker's area.

The Pura Puser Saab Forest area is managed by the caretakers (community) of Pura Saab in general and specifically managed by Prajuru—who already have awig-awig (customary regulations) both written and unwritten. The caretakers of Pura Saab include Banjar Adat Dehan and Banjar Adat Pakung Anyar from the Mujaning Tembeling Traditional Village, Banjar Adat Pakung Gede from the Tribuana Sekar Sari Traditional Village, Banjar Adat Tengakse and Banjar Adat Pengalusan from the Panca Mekarsar Traditional Village, Banjar Adat Batu Gulig and Banjar Adat Tulad from the Triwahana Dharma Traditional Village—with a total of 7 Traditional Banjars originating from 4 Traditional Villages. The following is the structure of the Prajuru Adat of the Pura Puser Saab Forest:

1. Kelian (Chairperson of the management institution), responsible for leading the management of the Pura Puser Saab Forest.
2. Petajuh (Vice Chairperson of the management institution), responsible for representing the chairperson in case of absence or assisting and providing advice to the Kelian.
3. Juru Penyarikan (Secretary), responsible for recording the needs of the institution and matters related to the management of the Pura Puser Saab Forest.
4. Juru Raksa (Treasurer), responsible for managing the finances of the institution and matters related to the funding needs of the Pura Puser Saab Forest management.

Additionally, there are also bage-bege (fields) created in the management of the temple, namely:

1. Kesinoman (Public Relations), responsible for conveying information related to the activities or management of the Pura Puser Saab Forest.
2. Upakara (Ceremony), responsible for organizing ceremonial/traditional ritual affairs.
3. Development, responsible for organizing infrastructure and public facilities development in the Pura Puser Saab Forest.
4. Art, responsible for organizing artistic affairs in ceremonies or traditional rituals.
5. Cleanliness, responsible for managing space and cleanliness.
6. Lighting, responsible for ensuring electricity supply.
7. Pesayahan (Consumption), responsible for managing consumption needs for activities or ceremonies conducted in the Pura Puser Saab Forest.
8. Pecalang, responsible for ensuring the security of the Pura Puser Saab Forest area.
9. Equipment, responsible for organizing the provision of necessary tools.

The process or mechanism for decision-making related to the management of the Pura Puser Saab Forest is as follows:

1. Planning by the prajuru pura
2. Informal socialization to the caretakers by the prajuru pura
3. Prajuru meetings based on input and results of socialization
4. Prajuru decisions
5. Socialization to the caretakers, also to the community if it is of a general nature. Consensus discussions are called Paruman. Paruman itself has several levels such as: paruman at the Prajuru level (sangkepan) and Paruman at the Caretaker level. Sangkepan is usually held monthly and the results are not final, limited only to the prajuru, while paruman is held every three months.

The management and protection of the Pura Puser Saab Forest contribute to the existence/identity of the culture of the community or caretakers of Pura Puser Saab itself. The Pura Puser Saab Forest serves as a place of worship for various indigenous communities scattered throughout, and within it, there are several temples as places of worship. This indicates that the existence of the Pura Puser Saab Forest has become the core of various religious ritual activities of the community related to cultural practices and spirituality. In addition, the protection of the Pura Puser Saab Forest also contributes to the preservation of the forest ecosystem—the community also has knowledge that the plants growing in the temple function for ecological balance, namely as water reserve absorbers. The Pura Puser Saab Forest stores high-value flora, which is also very much related to the equipment for traditional ceremonies. Some of the flora present include: Dempet trees, tingkih/kemiri, sumba-sumba, bila, bengkel, pule, pinang, dau, majegau, klampuak, bayur, genitri, angih. Then, fauna such as: Ulat tikel, burung angas/cendet, selaha/elang, jalak nusa, goak, atat, cete, culik-culik, tutuwu. This condition shows that indigenous communities and forests have a strong relationship—and certainly, their attachment contributes to the balance of the ecosystem. When they take care of nature, indirectly, they also contribute to forest protection. Thus, the aspects of spirituality, culture, and sustainable natural resource management practices can go hand in hand.

The caretakers of Pura Puser Saab are part of the Traditional Village unit that has been regulated through the Bali Provincial Regulation Number 4 of 2019 concerning Traditional Villages of Bali—where Traditional Villages are also created to accommodate the recognition and respect for the position of indigenous peoples. However, there is no specific regulation that governs the recognition and protection of the rights of the caretakers of Pura Puser Saab as subjects of Customary Law Communities or the recognition and protection regarding the protected management area.