:: East of Bali Island Travel Guides ::
KARANG
ASEM REGENCY EAST OF BALI
The beautiful eastern regency of Karangasem is truly
something
special distinguishing itself in so many ways from the
rest of the island. Physically it is dominated by the
towering presence of Mt Agung (3142 m), the island's
most sacred and highest volcano, whose dramatic
foothills and lava flows provide some of the most
spectacular landscapes found anywhere in Bali. High up
on Mt Agung's southern flanks perches the great "Mother
Temple" of Besakih, while to the south and east lie a
number of more or less isolated villages that have
played a key role in Balinese history.
Culturally, Karangasem is in fact a very conservative
area. Here, for example, the use of the various Balinese
speech levels is more strictly adhered to and a number
of archaic ritual, dance and musical forms have been
maintained right up until the present day. 'I lie
eastern and northern parts of the regency are quite
arid, and overall this is a less densely populated area
than southern Bali. In fact, it has many affinities with
the drier and more rugged islands of eastern Indonesia
more so than any other part of the island.
For several centuries after the decline of the great
Javanese empire of Majapahit, the king of Klungkung just
to the west of here was, at least in name, the paramount
ruler of Bali. The other Balinese rulers became more and
more independent over time, and by the 17th century,
Karangasem was able to successfully oppose Klungkung. It
subsequently emerged, during the 18th and 19th
centuries, as the most powerful kingdom on Bali. Its
rulers were particularly influential in northern Bali (Buleleng)
and Lombok, and frequently allied themselves with other
Balinese rajas in times of war and intrigue.
During the 17th century, Karangasem
forces
already occupied much of the neighboring island of
Lombok, fighting there against Macassarese from Sumbawa
and eventually colonizing the western rice-growing areas
of the island, with the result that today there are
large numbers of Balinese living there who regard
Karangasem as their homeland. After the middle of the
last century, the tables turned and Karangasem became a
vassal of the king of Lombok himself a Balinese prince
from Karangasem.
After Buleleng and Jembrana, which fell into Dutch hands
in the middle of the last century, this was the next
Balinese kingdom to be conquered by the Dutch when they
invaded and "freed" the indigenous Sasak population of
Lombok from Balinese rule in 1894.
Altogether
Karangasem
encompasses an area of 861 sq km, and according to the
1987 census the population numbers around 350,000 souls,
meaning that the average population density is about 400
per sq km. Most of the populace, however, lives in
central and southern Karangasem, especially around the
capital of Amlapura, and population densities here are
much higher than the average.
Many areas of Karangasem suffered great devastation as a
result of the eruption of Mt Agung in 1963. Traces of
this eruption can still be seen today, particularly in
the Kubu and Tianyar areas on the northeastern coast.
Already very dry, the northeast became all the more so
after the eruption. A government project to encourage
the planting of jeruk (a citrus species) here was not
much of a success, but nowadays grapes are very much in
vogue, as is cacao. South and southeast of Mt Agung lay
the traditional rice-growing areas, with their
spectacular terraced and irrigated rice fields. Higher
up coffee, cloves and other cash crops are grown on
steep mountain slopes. The coastal areas of Ujung and
Seraya to the south, and Amed, Kubu and Tianyar to the
north are the site of traditional fishery and
salt-panning communities.
CANDI DASA
A Get-Away Seaside Resort
Candi Dasa is a new
but
rapidly growing beach resort located on the black sand
coast of Karangasem Regency. It is the perfect base for
explorations of the area, as well as a quieter
alternative to the southern tourist centers.
Following the main road from 10ungkung, you cross the
border into Karangasem shortly after the village of
Kusamba and the well known temple of Goa Lawah. The road
continues eastward through coconut groves for several
kms before reaching a turn-off. To the right is a road
leading to Padangbai, a major harbor for ships to Lombok
and points east, as well as for smaller boats to Nusa
Penida. It is worth the 2 km detour to see the
picturesque, semi-circular hills surrounding a sparkling
blue bay.
The village itself has several small hotels and
restaurants. A famous temple, Pura Silayukti, where the
Buddhist sage Mpu Kuturan is said to have lived in the
11th century, is also located here. The temple's
anniversary is on Wednesday-Tliwon of the week Pahang
(consult a Balinese calendar)
Back
on
the main road, one arrives at the village of Manggis a
few kins to the east. There is a lovely path from here
leading up to nearby Putung in the hills overlooking the
coast. The path runs through woods and gardens and
reaches Putung after a distance of some 5 kms, where one
has a splendid view across the sea to the nearby
islands.
Another possible side trip is from Manggis east along a
small road through the isolated villages of Ngis and
Selumbung. The road finally rejoins the main road in
Sengkidu shortly before Candi Dasa. It is also possible
to continue from Ngis on to Tenganan.
Candi Dasa town
Continuing east another 7 km, past the villages of
Ulakan and Sengkidu, the main road enters Candi Dasa
just after the Tengenan turn-off. The name Candi Dasa
was originally applied just to two small temples, one
for Siwa and the other for Hariti, that overlook a
beautiful palm-fringed lagoon by the beach. Hariti is
mainly worshipped by childless parents who pray for
children.
Toward the end of the 1970s the first bungalows appeared
by the beach here. From 1982 onwards a building frenzy
set in, and is still continuing so that new hotels,
shops and restaurants seem to open almost weekly. As a
result, Candidasa is now encroaching on the l3uitan area
to the west - site of several luxurious bungalow-hotels,
which specialize in snorkeling and diving trips.
Candidasa today is a bustling seaside resort with the
full range of hotels, home stays, disco-bars,
moneychangers, shops and restaurants. How long the
development will continue is an open question, as the
beach is eroding quickly and the once-spectacular view
across the sacred lagoon to the beach is now blocked by
two-story bungalows.
Dance and music performances for visitors are being
developed, but these do not seem to be of high quality.
The main attraction of the area is as a base from which
to visit the neighboring village of Tenganan, some 5 kms
away. Swimming is only more or less possible at high
tide. Despite these disadvantages, Candidasa enjoys cool
breezes and is a good resting point for trips to the
east and north.
Bugbug and environs
Four kms t
o
the northeast of Candidasa lays Bugbug, a sizeable
rice-growing and fishing village that is the
administrative center for the sub-district. Along the
way, the road climbs the unexpectedly steep Gumang Hill.
'Mere is a beautiful panorama from the top of the sea,
the Buhu River, rice fields and Bugbug, with the
mountains of Lempuyang and Seraya in the distance. On a
very clear day one can see Mt Rinjani on Lombok from
here.
Bugbug and the surrounding villages are quite
old-fashioned. Apart from the official village head,
there is a council of elders responsible for all
religious affairs. The elders are not elected, but enter
the council on the basis of seniority. Another atypical
feature of these villages is communal land tenure, and
the presence of associations for unmarried boys and
girls which have to fulfill duties in the context of
village rituals.
Two rituals are especially important. The first takes
place around the full moon of the first Balinese month
(between mid-June and Mid-July). This ritual worship of
the village gods is carried out in the central temple (Pura
desa), and lasts for several days. Most spectacular are
the dances by unmarried boys (abuang taruna) clad in
costumes of White and gold-threaded cloth, with headdr
esses
and keris, the traditional weapon.
After the dance there follows the so-called daratan in
which older men in trance carrying keris approach the
main shrine of the temple, to the accompaniment of
special music. Three orchestras play simultaneously: the
sacred selunding (iron met allophones), the gong desa
with drums and cymbals, and a gambang ensemble which has
bamboo xylophones and bronze met allophones.
During the same full moon period there are similar
rituals in other nearby villages like Asak and Perasi.
Perasi lies just northeast of Bugbug on the main road,
and from its eastern end there is a nice walk through
the hills to the beach. Swimming here is hazardous,
since the beach is not protected by a reef.
A second major ritual occurs in Bugbug every two years
on the full moon of the fourth month (around October).
Four
villages
(Bugbug, Jasi, Bebandem and Ngis) participate in a
ritual "war of the gods," which is in fact the enactment
of an old legend:
The god of Bugbug had three daughters and one son. One
of the daughters was to marry the god of Bebandem. But
she eloped with the god of Jasi. To appease the former,
the god of Bugbug gave his second daughter and son to
him, and the third daughter was married off to the god
of Ngis. The war is to resolve the dispute, and the
ritual battle takes place near the temple on top of
Gumang
TENGANAN
Exclusive Community of God's Chosen
Time is r
eckoned
differently in Tenganan Pegringsingan. Here, each new
day begins with 21 deep, throbbing drumbeats and lasts
until the same pulsating tones are struck the next
morning. Tourists arrive when the sun is at its zenith
and the valley is glowing with light. They leave towards
evening, when the all-important religious ceremonies
commence. A month in Tenganan lasts exactly 30 days.
Modifications to the calendar are needed to adjust to
the lunar-solar year; altogether 15 days are added every
three years.
The ancient, ritualistic Bali Aga ("original Balinese")
society of Tenganan has now opened up and become
accessible to non Tengananese - especially since its
festivals have been publicized, and since the village
itself has become known as a result of its proximity to
the new beach resort at Candidasa one are the days when
it was isolated and difficult of access.
It is said that all footprints of visitors to Tenganan
were once literally wiped out once they left. Now the
village faces new and different problems. It needs more
parking space for the cars, minibuses and limousines
tourism brings, and the art shops which distort the
community's divine plan now have to be placed outside
the village gates.
Microcosm of the universe
The desa adat Tenganan Pegringsingan is a
microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm an imago mundi.
According to this divine plan, it is arranged
systematically both in its delimitation from the outside
world, as well as in its separation into distinct
private and public areas within the village precincts
itself.
The village is laid out in a large rectangle measuring
some 500 m by 250 m, encircled by natural boundaries and
walls. Three pub corridors rise in terrace-like fashion,
running along a north-south axis from the sea toward the
sacred volcano Gunung Agung. There are six lengthwise
rows of compounds; the pairs located in the center and
to the west are striking because of their closed house
fronts, which resemble palm-leaf covered longhouses
The buildings and areas for public use are situated on
the central axes of the central western streets. There
are a number of walled temple areas, longhouses, smaller
pavilions rice granaries and shrines here, all of which
suggest a strong communal life with pronounced ritual
ties. This is where the 300 inhabitants of Tenganan
Pegringsingan live.
In the eastern compounds of the banjar pande live those
who have been banished from the village, together with
those whose customs are more like the majority of Hindu
Javanized Balinese. Labor in the surrounding gardens and
communal rice fields behind the hills is performed by
them, or by tenant farmers from neighboring villages who
receive half of the crop yield. With approximately 1000
hectares of arable land belonging to it, Tenganan is one
of the richest land-owning communities in all of Bali.
Divine origins
Unlike other Balinese villages, Tenganan traces its
origins and its social institutions back to a written
source - a holy book known as the Usana Bali (a
chronicle of Bali). According to this text, the
Tengananese have been chosen by their creator, Batara
Indra, to honor his royal descendants through communal
offerings and sacrifices. It states, furthermore, that
descendants of the original villagers have been chosen
to administer the surrounding lands, a consecrated place
of devotion and ritual, and to use all available means
to keep them pure.
The concept of territorial and bodily purity and
integrity plays an exceedingly important role in the
village culture. It is reflected not only in many
important rituals (purifications and exorcisms), but
also in the idea that only if a person is healthy,
physically as well as mentally, may he or she take part
in rituals. No one with a disability and no outsider can
be admitted to the adat organizations of the village.
As a result of this divinely ordained scheme, the
original layout and social organization of the village
may not be changed. Houses, compounds, gardens, village
council and youth groups are to be left as the gods have
created them. Should anything be changed or taken away,
the curse of the gods would fall upon the village and
its people would perish. Anyone guilty of not respecting
the inherited order is banned from participating in
village rites, and thus from sharing in communal
property. In the gravest of cases, they are even
banished from the village altogether. The desa adat is
itself regarded as divine and almighty as far as the
traditional social order is concerned.
Exclusive membership
It is not surprising that a community regarding itself
as divinely blessed would strictly define its own m
embers
and place restrictions on outsiders. This exclusivity is
expressed very clearly in the qualifications needed to
enter the all-village council or krama desa. Only men
and women without mental or physical defects who were
born and live in Tenganan, having duly passed all ritual
stages of initiation by the time they marry, are
eligible to join the council. The practice of village
endogamy (marrying within the village) also has a
restrictive effect. With respect to the krama desa,
endogamy is an absolute requirement. Men with second
wives or wives from outside the village may not become
members. The same is true for women who have violated
the marriage rules.
Newly-weds takes their place at the lowest end of a
hierarchical seating in the huge bale agung - the forum
and sacred meeting pavilion of the village council. With
the entrance of a new couple, the parents retire and
everyone moves up a step, receiving new ritual
responsibilities. The layout of the 50-meterlong hall is
eminently suited to the numerous rites that bring
together the gods, ancestors and villagers. Here,
members of the krama desa meet, dressed in ritual
clothing, for communal meals with deities and ancestors,
whom they worship with prayers, offerings, dances and
music. In many cases, youths will take part in the
performance of these rituals, either because the girls
have been formally invited by the married women to dance
before the bale agung, or because the village council
requires one of the sacred iron gamelan orchestras (selunding)
maintained by the boys' organizations to be struck.
For such a society to work, a long initiation period is
needed, allowing its members to prepare for their
complex ritual duties and activities within the village
council. When children enter a youth club, between the
ages of 6 and 8, they go through a "school of life" in
which the behavior required for participation in the
krama desa is learned, and where the manual skills and
esoteric formulas n ed for rituals can be practiced.
The three boys' associations of the village are named
after the location of their as assembly houses, located
on three consecutive terraces along the western street.
There are also three girls' clubs, with a strict and
formal relationship concerning mutual help exchange of
gifts, offerings, meals and entire rituals existing
between them. A girl must be at least 7 years of age to
join a sekaha daha or girls club, whose meetings are
held in the compounds of retired village elders.
Some years ago, the girls would still bring their looms
to the meeting houses so they could practice weaving. In
the 11t month of the Tenganan year, they had to bring
yarn and beast along to their clubhouses to un 10 dergo
instruction in the exceedingly complex art of double
ikat. Unfortunately, this custom so vital to the
preservation of the local textile craft has been
abandoned for several years.
The sacred geringsing cloths
Ritual
clothing is an indispensable part of the sacred order of
Tenganan Pegringsing. The double ikat cloths known as
geringsing produced here rank among the masterwork of
traditional textile art, providing a further sign of the
divinely-ordained exclusivity of the society. The cloths
are said to have directly inspired by Batara Indra, the
Creator who was once sitting in a tree enjoying the
beauty of the moon and stars. While contemplating the
heavens, he decided to teach the women of Tenganan the
art of ikat patterning. Since then, the community has
obeyed a divine commandment to wear kamben geringsing or
double ikat cloths. In this way, the villagers evince
purity and the ability to perform rituals qualities,
which these clothes protect from harmful outside
influences.
Festival of the swings
Among
the
most important religious duties of the villagers of
Tenganan is the festive reception of gods and ancestors,
who from time to time descend to their megalithic
thrones and altars in and around the inner village
precincts. The presence of deities and ancestors is of
great significance, above all during the fifth month of
the Tenganan year, Sasih Sambah, for it is then that the
universe, the village and the religious community are
renewed and given strength through the performance of
extensive, solemn rites.
The ceremonies that take place then are reminiscent of
old Vedic swinging rites performed during the mahavrata
winter solstice celebration, which focuses on Indra. The
swinging unites sun and earth, and together with textile
techniques and recent genetic research, suggests that
Tenganan may be connected with immigration from east or
southeast India during Vedic times.
In
a
legendary account, the people of Tenganan are said to
have arrived here while searching for the favorite horse
of the king of Bedahulu. Although it was dead when
found, the king showed his gratitude by promising to
give the searchers all land in the area where the
horse's decomposed body could be smelt. So a
representative of the court, accompanied by the village
head, walked around the huge area which today forms
Tenganan, finding that in a fact the horses flesh could
still be smelled for quite a distance. After the court
officer had departed, the cunning village chief pulled a
piece of bad smelling horsemeat from under his
waistband. The remnants of the horse are believed to be
scattered around the village as megalithic monuments.
There
are other indications, too, that the people of Tenganan
have not always lived here. A copper inscription dated
A.D. 1040 speaks of a relationship between the powerful
governor from Java, a certain Buddhist reformer Mpu
Kuturan in Silayukti (near Padangbai), and a nearby
village named "Tranganan" that was then on the coast at
Candidasa and later moved to the interior.
Proof that the villagers of Tenganan moved from the
seaside to their present location is provided in the
design and placement of the original altars (sanggah
kamulan) in the house compounds. In other parts of Bali
this altar is always built in the corner facing east and
toward the mountains. In Tenganan it is placed towards
the sea.
When a member of the community of Tenganan dies, his or
her body is not cremated. Once the sun is past the
zenith, the corpse is carried from the compound to the
cemetery. At the grave the body is' undressed, then it
is returned to Mother Earth (Pertiwi), head seaward and
face down.
AMLAPURA AREA
Tour of Bali's Fascinating Eastern Tip
Once
the seats of the powerful Karangasem court, the district
capital of Amlapura at the eastern end of Bali, it is
now a sleepy market and administrative town. Formerly
known as Karangasem, the town was given its present name
after the eruption of Mt Agung in 1963 nearly wiped it
out; black lava flows can still be seen from the road on
the way into town. There are several interesting palaces
here, and the surrounding countryside contains superb
scenery and some of the most interesting traditional
villages in Bali.
The palaces of Karangasem
The main attraction of Amlapura is its traditional
palaces or puri. There is a western, a northern, a
southern
and
an eastern puri as well as several others - all still
occupied by members of the royal family. Of these, only
the Puri Kangin (the eastern palace) on the main road to
the market is easily visited. This is worth a look, as
it gives a vivid impression of how local royals used to
live. The palace buildings themselves are in fact an
eccentric blend of Chinese and European details set in
what is essentially a traditional Balinese compound with
several pavilions and room surrounded by pools and
connected by walk ways. The main hall is called the
"Bale London" and the furniture curiously bears the
crest of the British royal family. One can even rent
rooms here the perfect accommodation for the aspiring
aristocrat.
The ruling family of Karangasem traces its ancestry back
to the 14th century Hindu Javanese Empire of Majapahit,
claiming to be direct descendants of a certain Batan
Jeruk who was Prime Minister of Bali during the 16th
century. There is also a tale concerning the dynasty's
divine origin.
A
woman
who lived near the palace was once overheard talking to
a stranger in her house. When asked who it was, she
replied that it was the god of Mt Agung. After some
time, the woman became pregnant and not long afterwards
a miraculous fire descended from the mountain to the
woman's house. She soon gave birth to a son atop a hill
to the east of the town this son, the "god of the
eastern hill," is said to be the founder of the royal
Karangasem line.
Karangasem conquered Lombok in the 17th century and in
turn became a vassal of the neighboring island in the
middle of 19th century. As a result, there are today
several Sasak settlements in and around Amlapura, and
these have had a significant influence on the culture of
the area. Family and trading relations with Lombok still
exit until the present day, and intermarriages are
common.
When
Lombok was occupied by the Dutch in 1894, Karangasem was
transfered to Dutch control as well. Nevertheless, the
ruler of Karangasem was kept on as "governor" of the
region, and his status a, confirmed in 1938 when the
Balinese kingdoms were granted partial self-rule. After
independence in 1945, these princely realms vanished and
were replaced by the present-day, kabupaten or
regencies. Until 1979, however the regent or bupati of
Karangasem was a prince of the royal house, and was
still considered "raja" by most people in the area. Even
today, members of the royal family participate in
rituals held in the nearby villages.
Ujung and Mt Seraya
Apart
from
being a man well-versed in letters, tile last king of
Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut, was also an
assiduous builder of opulent pleasure palaces for his
frequent excursions to the countryside with his wives
and children. In fact, during his lifetime he built no
less than three different "water palaces" at Ujung,
Tirtagangga and Jungtitan respectively.
Ujung, 8 km to the south of Amlapura, is a small fishing
village with distinct Islamic arid Hindu-Balinese
quarters. The lavish palace complex here - a vast pool
bordered by small pavilions with a massive stained glass
and stucco bungalow in the center was completely
destroyed by the eruption of Mt Agung and subsequent
earthquakes. Little else but a few sculptures and
portals remain, though there are plans afoot to restore
the palace to its original condition as it tourist
attractions.
Jus
t
before Ujung there is road to the left leading toward
Bukit Kangin ("eastern hill") where there is a panoramic
view of the area and a temple dedicated to the founder
of the royal dynasty. On the full moon of the fifth
month (usually in November) several villages with close
ties to the ruling dynasty participate in a festival at
this temple.
From the beach at Ujung, a new road climbs up to the
village of Seraya, perched on the southern flanks of Mt
Seraya Bali's easternmost peak (1175 in). This is one of
the most and areas in Bali, and the road here hugs the
hills high above the coast, offering splendid panoramas
of the surrounding terrain and across the sea to distant
Lombok. From Seraya, the road continues around the
mountain and descends gradually on the northern side to
the fishing and salt-making village of Amed. Though a
distance of only about 30 km, the entire drive take
several hours as the road is quite steep and winding.
From
Amed
one can return to Amlapura or continue along the
northern coastal route through the villages of Kubu and
Tianyar toward Singaraja. The north coastal region
suffered greatly from the eruption of Mt Agung, and was
transformed into an arid wasteland with dramatic, black
lava flows reaching right down to the sea. Until well
into the 1980s the road was not very serviceable, but it
is now in very good condition and offers beautiful views
of the rugged northern slopes of Mt Agung. There is also
excellent diving in the coastal reefs off Tianyar, where
the sunken wreck of a WW 11 ship provides a home for a
host of colorful marine life.
Refreshing pools at Tirtagangga
The
cool, spring-fed pools at Tirtagangga which literally
means "Ganges Water" and refers to the sacred river of
the Hindus - are located some 15 km northwest of
Amlapura along the main road toward Singaraja. A dip in
the pools is deliciously refreshing after a long drive,
and they are surrounded by a captivating landscape of
terraced rice fields. The village itself is small and
quiet, and is a good place to pause and rest for several
hours or even several days - to take advantage of the
many delightful walks from here.
One can stay overnight inside the pool complex itself,
known officially as Tirta Ayu ("lovely waters"), where a
son of the last king of Karangasem operates a small home
stay. Another exciting possibility is to stay in a small
lodging on a nearby hill with a view over the famous
Tirtagangga rice terraces.
Trekking around Tirtagangga
From here there are a number of excellent treks
through the surrounding countryside. One of the most
spectacular
begins to the north in the village of Tanaharon, quite
high on the slopes of Mt Agung. One may reach it on foot
or by car. To get there, follow the main road north from
Tirtagangga in the direction of Singaraja for several
kilometers, then turn left at Abang and follow a small
climbing road up to the end. From here one may continue
on foot, enjoying the broad panoramas in all directions
and the thick, tree-fern vegetation. There is no
short-cut back to Tirtagangga, and it is best not to get
too far off the main path, as the ravines are quite
steep and dangerous.
Another, less taxing trek begins in Ababi, just 2 km
north of Tirtagangga on the main road. Turn left in this
village and follow the road through Tanah Lengis to
Budakling. On foot one can also reach this road by
climbing the low hill behind the Tirtagangga spring.
Ababi is
an old-fashioned village, and in the fourth Balinese
month (around October) a major ritual is held in the
village temple an agricultural ceremony marking the end
of the dry season. In Tanah Lengis, which closely linked
to Ababi, are several unusual music clubs. One is an
angk1ung orchestra and the other is a so-called cekepung
group.
Cekepung is a form of music known only in Karangasem and
on Lombok, from where it originates. It is performed by
a group of men. The leader begins by singing a text in
Sasak (the language of Lombok); this is then paraphrased
by another man in Balinese. After a while the other men
join in, and perform a very rhythmic, interlocking song
without words - imitating the interplay, rhythm and
punctuation of a gamelan orchestra with their voices.
Villagers drink palm-wine during and in between the
singing. Both groups perform commercially, and will
sometimes play for visitors in Tirtagangga.
One enters Budakling just after crossing a broad river,
which is almost completely dry during the dry season.
This village is well known for its Buddhist brahman
priests, of whom there are only a dozen or so left in
Bali (whereas their Sivaite colleagues number the
hundreds). It is also a famous center for gold and
silver smiting. Here are produced jewelry pieces of very
high quality, which are occasionally offered for sale in
Tirtagangga. It is possible to obtain or order pieces in
the village, and Budakling also has several ironsmiths
who produce household and agriculture tools.
To go back
to Tirtagangga from here, turn left at the first
crossroads in Budakling and ask for Padangkerta, a few
km south on main Amlapura-Tirtagangga road. For a longer
trip, continue on to the important market village of
Bebandem. Entering from this direction, the traveler
encounters ironsmiths by the side of the road, which
usually work in the mornings on market day (every three
days), producing cheap knives Keris daggers and cock
fighting spurs. There is also an important cattle market
here and once back on the main road one has the choice
of going back toward Tirtagangga, south to Candi Dasa,
east to Amlapura or west to Besakih and Rendang.
A walk due east from Tirtagangga through the rice fields
brings you to Pura Lempuyang, one of the Sad Kahyangan
or six main temples of the whole of Bali, perched at the
summit of Mt Lempuyang (1058 in). Pass the villages of
Kuhum and Tihingtali and continue on to Basangalas. From
here, it is a strenuous climb up to the temple.
Basangalas can also be reached by car from a turn-off to
the north of Tirtagangga at Abang.
A
large
temple festival takes place at Lempuyang every 210 days
on Thursday of the week Dungulan. Ten days later, on
Sunday of the week Kuningan, there are festivals in the
temples of origin (pura puseh) in many villages around
Basangalas, including Lempuyang. These feature fine
rejang dances by the unmarried girls of the village
accompanied by various orchestras.
Traditional villages near Amlapura
The several neighboring villages of Subagan, Jasi,
Bungaya, Asak and Timbrah just to the west of Amlapura
are all very traditional resembling the archaic Bali Aga
village of Tenganan in many ways. Like Tenganan, Asak
for instance is a caste-less village. Bungaya, on the
other hand, has groups of brahmana but they do not take
part in village rituals.
These villages may be reached quite easily by car or on
foot. Coming from Candidasa and Bugbug in the west, turn
left at the village of Perasi onto a picturesque back
road leading to Bebandem via Timbrah, Asak a Bungaya.
Jasi and Subagan lie on the main road between Perasi and
Amlapura. There is also a lovely back road connecting
Subagan with the Asak and Bungaya road.
The village of Jasi, close to the beach, is well known
for its earthenware casks, bowls and pots. They may be
purchased locally as well as at the Amlapura and
Klungkung markets. Subagan has an Islamic quarter that
was completely leveled in 1963 when Mt Agung erupted.
Timbrah, Asak and Bungaya are village with several
fascinating festivals. The biggest and best known is
called usaba sumbu held once a year with certain
variations in all three villages (as well as in Perasi,
Bugbug and Bebandem). This is an agricultural rite in
honor of the rice goddess, Batari Sri, and the god of
material wealth, Batara Rambut Sedana as well as the
deified ancestors and other village deities. It is held
in Bungaya around the full moon of the 12th Balinese
month (May or June), in Timbrah during the waning moon
of the second month (July or August), and in Asak around
the full moon of the first moon (check a Balinese
calendar).
Several exquisite dances are performed during the
daytime. A rejang is performed by unmarried girls, an
abuang by unmarried boys, and several different groups
take part in mock-fight dances called gebug. The dancers
are beautifully dressed in costly ritual costumes, and
the gold headdresses of the girls in Asak and Bungaya
are justifiably famous.
The dances are accompanied by some very rare and unusual
music. Especially noteworthy is the sacred selunding
orchestra consisting of iron-met allophones that are
rarely played, and then only for specific ceremonies. A
particular selunding in Bungaya, for instance, is only
struck once every ten years during a huge temple
festival.
In Asak, Timbrah and Bugbug, the selunding is played
once every year during the usaba sumbu. Other
interesting festivals are held on Galungan in Timbrah,
on Kuningan in Asak and Bungaya, and during the seventh
and eighth lunar months (January or February) in Asak
and Subagan. New years' festivals (March or April) are
worth attending in any of these villages.
Spectacular back road to Besakih
The back road leading from Amlapura up to Rendang
and thence to Besakih is one of the most sce
nic
in Bali. From Amlapura the first villages passed are
Subagan and Bebandem (see above). Shortly after Bebandem
there is an intersection, and a turn to the right takes
you to the small village of Jungutan, site of the third
famous Karangasem water palace.
Jungutan is not so much a palace, actually, as a small
complex of ponds situated in a quiet and relaxing
setting - a nice spot to stop and walk around. Back at
the intersection, the road continues west through
Sibetan, well known throughout Indonesia for its
delicious salak - a crisp, tart fruit encased in a rind
that has the look and feel of snakeskin. The winding
road through Sibetan is lined by densely-planted salak
palms and trucks may be seen loading them for market.
These fruits are better here than anywhere else in
Indonesia - peel the scaly skin and enjoy the
thirst-quenching pulp.
Soon after the salak plantations, a road to the left
leads a short distance to Putung, where there is a small
bungalow hotel and restaurant with a view of the coast.
The main road continues on from here to Duda, at the
foot of Mt Agung. This village holds a large festival in
the temple of origin on the full moon of the fourth
month (around October). After Duda there is another
intersection. The road to the left from here goes
through Sidemen to Klungkung. The road straight ahead
leads to Rendang and the turn to Besakih.
Sidemen, southwest off the road between Duda and Selat,
is well worth a visit. The scenery is gorgeous, and
traditional varieties of Balinese rice are grown. There
is a good home stay with a magnificent view down across
a valley of rice terraces to the sea and south Bali.
Closeby is a weaving factory where high quality
traditional textiles (endek) are produced. In Sidemen
there are also several places where the costly kain
songket is woven from silk, with gold and silver threads
added to create the patterns.
BESAKIH
Bali's Lofty 'Mother Temple'
Driving
up
to Besakih from Menanga the silver-grey cone of Mt Agung
looms above, its summit still bare from the ravages of
the 1963 eruption. At 3142 meters, this is the highest
peak on Bali, and a major locus of divine power in the
Balinese cosmos. The huge temple located here, Pura
Besakih, is the greatest of all Balinese sanctuaries -
the most sacred and powerful of the island's innumerable
temples. For this reason, it has always been associated
also with state power. It lies at an altitude of 900
meters on the southwestern slope of the mountain,
offering spectacular views over the whole of southern
Bali.
Pura Besakih is not a single temple but a sprawling
complex consisting of many separate shrines and
compounds, united through ritual and history into a
single sanctuary. 'Mere are 22 temples in all, spread
along parallel ridges over a distance of more than a
kilometer. The highest of these, Pura Pengubengan, lies
amidst beautiful groves in a state pine forest. Most of
the temples, however, cluster around the main enclosure,
Pura Penataran Agung.
In this same area there are many ancestral temples (pura
padharman) supported by particular clan group. Four
public temples also form a distinct sub-group (catur
lawa or catur warga) and are associated with certainkin
groups. Local kin groups of Besakih village lagers also
have temples here.
It is busy almost every day at Besakih. Balinese often
come in order to obtain holy water for ceremonies back
in their home villages as a symbol of the god's
presence. For most major rituals, the witness of the god
of Gunung Agung/Pura Besakih is required. Balinese come
to Besakih also at the end of the long series of funeral
rites, after the post cremation purification of the soul
has taken place, to ready the soul for enshrinement in
the family house temple. In all cases, the worshipper is
sure to pay reverence at the triple lotus shrine of the
Pura Penataran Agung.
The symbolic center
Pura
Penataran Agung, the "Great of State" is the
symbolic center of the Besakih complex. Originating
probably as a single prehistoric shrine, its six
terraces suggest a history of successive enlargements,
the lates being in 1962. In all, there are 57 structures
in the temple, about half of which are devoted to
various deities. A study of these provides glimpse of
important developments in the history of the temple.
The meru or pagodas were probably introduced no earlier
than the 14th century, whereas the lotus throne (padmasaanna)
dates from about the 17th or even 18th century. With the
introduction of the padmasana, ritual focus of the
temple seems to have shifted from the upper terraces to
the second, lower terrace. The padmasana is now the
ritual center of Pura Penataran Agung and of the Besakih
complex as a whole.
The three seats in the lotus throne are dedicated to the
godhead in his tripartite form as Siwa, Sadasiwa and
Paramasiwa or, more commonly in the popular tradition,
to Brahma (right), Siwa (center), Wisnu (left). These
deities are associated with the colors red, white and
black respectively. Behind the padmasana lies the Bale
Pasamuhan Agung where the gods of the Besakih temples
take residence during major rituals.
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