KERTA GOSA

Kerta Gosa used to be a place to solve problems concerning the security, prosperity and fertility of the region. It is said that this place was built in around 1700 AD, when I Dewa Agung Jambe governed the Klungkung Kingdom. During his time, every full moon, a meeting was conducted by the King of Klungkung as chief of the meeting and attended by the other Kings throughout Bali.

In 1908 the Dutch soldiers came to Klungkung to conquer the Kingdom, but the King and his people were against the action so that the blood-shed couldn’t be avoided. At last the King lost the battle and the Kingdom was taken over by Dutch. Since that time this place had functioned as a Court of Justice to interrogate the people who broke the Dutch law.

The Court of Justice is equipped with six chairs and one table. The chair with the symbol of lion was for the King as chief of Court of Justice, the chairs with the symbol of dragons were for priests as lawyers who accompanied the King in making decision, and the chairs with the symbol of cows were for the secretaries. The ceiling is decorated with a lot of paintings that describe about the afterlife punishments. The Bale Kambang “ Floating pavilion “ was for receiving the guests who wished to meet the King. The Museum collects a lot of remains of Klungkung Kingdom.

BAT CAVE TEMPLE

Goa Lawah ( Bat cave temple ). The Cave in the cliff face is jam-packed with bats. In Bali there are many Lontar scrolls that are properly collected in some cultural and tourism department offices. The major temples in Bali were mostly built by Mpu Kuturan. In the 10th century Mpu Kuturan came to Bali at which time Bali was under the rule of Anak Wungsu. When he arrived, he found many beliefs in Bali. Then he developed the Tri Murti concept to unite all the beliefs. The arrival of Mpu Kuturan brought some changes in Bali. He particularly taught the people “ how to make the ceremony to God “. Besides it, he reconstructed the “ Kayangan Tiga “ ( three major temples ) at the villages throughout Bali, and also strengthened the existence of Kahayangan Jagat ( public temple ) including the Goa Lawah temple.

The History :
In 1460-1550, Danghyang Nirarta came to Bali during the time of Raja Dalem Waturenggong. Nirarta came to Bali with a purpose of conducting “ Tirtayatra “. On his pilgrimage to the east, he stopped at Goa Lawah temple. In this temple he saw the beauty of a mountain range and the beautiful flowers that decorated the cave. He walked into the cave which was inhabited by a thousand of bats and the single shrine of Padmasana that was also built by Danghyang Nirarta.

The temple used to be guarded by Gusti Batan Waringin. It has a strong connection to the Besakih temple because the Goa Lawah temple is the way out of Ida Bhatara Hyang Basukih from Agung Mountain at Goa Raja temple. The inscription of Sidhimantra tatwa says that there was a meeting story of sanghyang Basukih and Danghyang Sidhimantra. It is said that this cave has a channel that goes up to Goa Raja temple at Gunung Agung.

SIDEMEN

Sidemen was a base for Swiss ethnologist Urs Ramseyer, and is also a centre for traditional culture and arts, particularly songket, a cloth woven with threads of silver and gold.

It has a marvelous scenery and an attractive rural character.

KEHEN TEMPLE

Pura Kehen is a state temple of the Bangli Kingdom. It is one of the finest temples in east Bali, a little like a miniature version of Pura Besakih. It is terraced up the hillside, with a great flight of steps leading to the beautifully decorated entrance. The first courtyard has a huge Banyan tree with a kul-kul entwined in its branches. The inner courtyard has an 11 roofed meru ( multi-roofed shrine ), and a shrine with thrones for the three figures of the Hindu trinity-Brahma, shiva and Vishnu. The carvings are particularly intricate.

In this Penyimpenan temple there are three inscriptions :
Date back to the 9th century and mentions Lord of fire, Lord of Karimana, Lord of Tanda and Manks, It’s in Sanskrit script.
Date back to the 11th century in ancient Javanese word mentioning Prime Minister Mpu Kuturan who lived in that century.