|
Klungkung
The district of Klungkung has
played a most important role in Bali’s history. It was
the seat of rule of Bali’s history. It was the seat of
rule of Bali’s most powerful dynasty of rajas, the
Dewa Agung, under whom the island was united during a
glorious period of rich cultural influence.
Gajah Mada,
head of Majapahit, pacified and united Bali
towards the end of the 13th century,
incorporating the island into the Majapahit Empire. He
set king Kepakisan, the first Dewa Agung "Great
Deity".
To rule over the island from his court at
Samprangan, near the present town of Klungkung. Several
generations later this seat of power was removed to
nearby Gelgel, where it established much authority and
prestige under the fourth succeeding Dewa Agung.
With the collapse of the Majapahit
Empire in 1515, many thousands of Javanese Hindus,
priests, nobles and entire followings of soldiers,
artists and artisans fled the onslaught of Islam in
Java. Pledging their services to the current Dewa Agung
they settled in Bali, bringing fresh impetus to the
already strongly Hinduism culture.
The 16th century was a
golden age for Bali. Under the wise rule of Dalem
Waturenggong from his court at Gelgel the island became
a strongly unified kingdom, so powerful it was able to
conquer and colonize both Lombok and Sumbawa. Under the
auspices of the royal court the transplanted Javanese
traditions of language and literature, music, dance and
sculpture, took firm root. The philosophy fitted
perfectly over the beliefs and practices of the people.
Gelgel’s period of peace and
prosperity was not fated to last, however. Under the
rule of Waturenggong's grandson, Di Made, who misused
his power to an extreme, the outlying colonies were
lost, as well as much of the allegiance of the other
Balinese princes. He flirted with the Dutch, and made
himself so unpopular in his lifetime that his successor
decided the place of Gelgel must be under a curse, and
moved his entire court to a new site in Klungkung in
1686.
Although the Raja of Klungkung was
still considered by the regional king’s the supreme
ruler of Bali, he had little political power, and the
structure of the many little kingdoms was more like a
confederation at this stage. However, the Klungkung
court continued to play a major role in government,
diplomacy and the arts.
Most of Bali’s nobility are
descendants of this royal lineage. Along with the other
kingdoms, the Dewa Agung fought the Dutch to the bitter
end, leading a ceremonial "puputan" in 1908
after heavy bombardment of both Klungkung and Gelgel by
the Dutch artillery. This was the final conquest for the
Dutch, giving them control over all of Bali.
A
Region of Contrasts
East Bali is very different to the
lush plains and bustling towns of the south. A narrow
coastal strip of coconut and banana plantations
alternates with pockets of fertile rice fields, behind
which sharp peaks tower, the foothills that lead back to
the colossal peak of Mount Agung. Palms-fringed beaches
look across a narrow strait to the island of Nusa Penida,
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan once a penal colony and
still a major part of the district of Klungkung.
The town of Klungkung is bordered
by the stony Unda River, with its great expanse of weirs
that protect the surrounding villages at flood times.
Further east the landscape is still scarred by the black
lava streams of 1963’s eruption, which entirely cut
the area of from the rest of Bali for quite some time.
The pace of life is quite, and in the little coastal
fishing villages and hillside communities barely
accessible by road, life is little disturbed by the pace
of the 20th century.
Places
of Interest
 Kertha Gosa and Taman Gili, the
Royal Courts of Justice of Klungkung, are a reminder of
the power and glory of this former kingdom These two
stately pavilions in their lotus pond gardens at the
centre of the town of Klungkung, were built in the 18th
century, at which time they acted as the island’s
highest court of law.
Their fantastic ceiling murals in
the traditional "Wayang" style of painting
depict the punishments in hell for wrong-doers, as well
as the rewards heaven for those who are good and honest
in their lifetime, a highly evocative view of the
Balinese belief in "Kamapala" every action
bears fruit, be it good or bad. Judgments were made
according to traditional law by three Brahmana high
priests.
During Dutch colonial rule the courts were
still held here, pronouncing judgments on cases
concerning custom and traditional law which could not be
settled at the village level. Meetings were also held
during the full moon of every fourth month of the
Balinese calendar, attended by the regional king’s
throughout Bali, wherein the high king of Klungkung gave
his directives and decisions concerning the problems of
the greater Kingdom of Bali. The hall of Kertha Gosa was
also often used for audiences granted to guests and
foreigners by the king.
A tall gateway behind Kerta Gosa
once led into Bali’s most splendid palace, which was
destroyed in the Dutch bombardments of 1908 that
resulted in the conquest of the island. A memorial to
this terrible this terrible Puputan battle that ended
600 years of glorious rule in Bali by the descendants of
Majapahit, has been erected on the eastern side of
regent’s office , across the road from Kertha Gosa.
At the western side of the Kertha
Gosa pavilions is Taman Gili which was previously the
headquarters of the king’s guard. Restored during
Dutch times, this pavilions is decorated in more recent
"Wayang" paintings, by the best o the Kamasan
school of Artists. The ceiling of this moated pavilion
describes the Balinese horoscopes, as well as
illustrating a number of folk tales from old literary
classics.
Kamasan
 A few kilometers to the south of
Klungkung, past the town of Gelgel, lies the village of
Kamasan, the centre of traditional "Wayang"
painting. This village is also famous for its gold and
silver smiths who make hand beaten bowls and trays used
in religious ceremony all over the island.
Goa
Lawah
 The road past Klungkung runs
parallel to magnificent seascapes black sand beaches
pounded by turbulent swirling waters. Just 6 kilometers
east of the town is the temple and cave Goa Lawah,
"The Bat Cave", where shrines cluster around
the entrance to a cave which is said to extend all the
way under ground to a small temple Pura Goa, in the
Besakih complex, right on the slopes of mount Agung.
This cave is said to be the dwelling of the mythological
naga serpent, Basuki, who is honored by a small shrine
within the temple.
A round the mount of the cave
cluster thousands of bats, their high-pitched squeaks
filling the air , tiny quivering bodies packed together
in an undulating mass. As with many strange natural
phenomena, this cave and its temple are considered very
holy by all Balinese, and groups of devotees come with
offerings to complete their post-cremation "Segara
Gunung" ceremonies for the soul of their deceased.
Nusa
Penida, Lembongan & Ceningan
 Two thirds of the land in the
Klungkung district is on the island of Nusa Penida, Nusa
Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The largest of these, Nusa
Penida once a penal colony, has been stripped of its
original teak forests and jungle, resulting in a barren,
dry hilly terrain.
Recent government agricultural
projects have started a "greening" programs,
providing "lontoro", cashew and
"gamal" trees to plaint. The people of Nusa
are great cow breeders, and there are more than two cows
for every family on the island. These sleek, well-fed
animals, closely resembling dear, are packed onto large
outrigger canoes and shipped over to Sanur where they
are sold for local beef consumption and export.
The islands of Nusa Penida and
Lembongan were "discovered" by a group of traveling
surfers nearly a decade ago, and the beach of Jungut
Batu has now become well known in surfing circles all
over the world. Conditions here are also perfect for
skin diving.
|
NineBC Design
