MY MASTERPIECE

UBUD

A Paradise from Gianyar

Ubud is a remarkable town in Gianyar. Although it is only a small town which is far from the city center, it shows the art of Gianyar. All kinds of art are here. From paintings, dances, traditional music, wood carvers, statues, clothes, until architectures. Every step of Ubud is full of art. A big statue of Arjuna from the epic of Bharata Yudha on the north makes this town becomes elegant. There are many art shops along the street which offer their own products of art. Some art shops may full of many traditional clothes, the others may full of statues, and the others may full of very beautiful paintings. The paintings are very decorative and attractive. Those products of art are sold with special prices. The visitors can buy them from the cheaper ones to the expensive ones. But the price is not the problem because the price shows the quality of the products. This town is also completed by traditional market in the center which sells vegetables, meats, rice, fruits, and many other daily needs. What are the other typical characteristics that make Ubud becomes a paradise from Gianyar?

Ubud is also characterized by its royal palaces named Puri which show its traditional architecture. The prince that titled Tjokorda lives in the royal palaces. There are many palaces in Ubud which has close relationship with the Tjokorda in the royal palaces. The gate of the palace is named Candi Bentar which is decorated with relief of tales on all of the walls. The door of Candi Bentar is also carved with relief of tale of god and his manifestation. The palace has some main buildings which are built traditionally with Balinese architecture and each of them has its own role in the palace. Not only the walls and the door of the buildings, but also the pillars of every building are decorated with traditional carved. The first building is called Merajan which has a role as a place where the family prays to god and offer some offerings in holy days. Merajan is the family’s temple. It is located on the northeastern part of the palace. Merajan is also a place where the family celebrate the traditional ceremony to God which known as Dewa Yadnya. The second building is called Gedong which placed on the northern part of the palace and has four pillars. Gedong has a role as a place where the king and the queen sleep. The third building is called Bale Gede or Bale Dangin which is located on the eastern and has twelve pillars. This building has a role where the traditional ceremony which known as Manusa Yadnya is held. The forth is Bale Dauh where the members of family do meeting to discuss any problem in the family. The fifth building is called Perantenan or kitchen where the family cooks foods and place of daily needs. And the last main building is Tugun Karang (a small temple) where the family offers some offerings to God and asks for the safety of the family. This small temple has a role to block the negative effects that come from outside. Those are the main building in the palace. The other buildings are Jineng and Bale Bengong. Jineng is a place where rice is kept, and Bale Bengong which has four pillars is a place where the members of family take a rest in the afternoon. All the buildings are well organized so that they are looked harmony and beautiful.

Most of the people of Ubud are Hindus. They live in traditional life style, but not traditional at all. They do not deny the modernization because as a tourism place, they get many effects from foreign cultures. But the traditional customs and arts are still well kept. It is because art is important to attract the foreigners to visit Ubud. The religious activities are both in devotional practice and the philosophical aspects of life. Ubud is noted as one of the more traditional town in terms of manifold observances of Agama Hindu Bali. The people celebrate the ceremonies in the holy days according to Balinese Calendar. They go to the temple where the ceremonies are held. Some temples in Ubud are Pura Desa Ubud as the main temple which is located in the center; Pura Puseh which is located on Jalan Suweta; Pura Dalem Ubud which is located on the northern of Jalan Raya Ubud before the road to Campuan village; Pura Pamerajan Sari Cokorda Agung which is the private family temple of the Ubud royal family located on the eastern of Jalan Suweta, near the palace; Pura Taman Saraswati which is part of Puri Saraswati, devoted to Dewi Saraswati the goddess of learning, literature and the arts; Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal which is located near the Monkey Forest; Pura Gunung Lebah which is located below the Campuan bridge; Pura Batur Sari which is located on the right side of Jalan Suweta, a few hundred meters north of Ubud's main cross-roads. Those temples are the place where the Hindus people in Ubud pray and celebrate the traditional ceremonies.

The other typical characteristic of Ubud is the sacred Monkey Forest named Wanara Wana forest. Monkey Forest is located in the southwestern part of Ubud, in Padangtegal village. Its location is very close to the center of Ubud. Ubud Monkey Forest is a small rain forest dwelt by some groups of monkeys and other tropical animals. There are more than 300 grey monkeys from the species of macaca in this forest. All the monkeys in this forest consisted of three groups, live certain area, use the certain place and certain time. When two groups of monkey meet in the same area and in the same time, they will fight. These monkeys are believed as Gods Guard of Dalem Agung Temple. There are three Holy Temples in this monkey forest which is built in the middle of 14 century, in the early governance of Gelgel dynasty. Dalem Agung Temple is located in northwestern part of the forest; Permandian Temple is located in the west side of this forest and Prajapati Temple which is located in southeastern as the place of Dewa Siwa. This place is run by a council called The Padantegal Wenara Wana foundation. Many tourists visit this place every day. The visitors should follow the long doorsteps which lead them to the sacred fishpond. The monkeys will be found along the doorsteps and the visitors can give the monkeys food like nuts and bananas, and of course take pictures with the monkeys.

The other tourism place which is also interesting in Ubud is Petulu village, where the visitors can find so many white heron birds called kokokan. Petulu village is located in the northern part of Ubud which is about four kilometers from the center of Ubud. The heron birds live on many trees in this village, cover the trees, so that the trees looked white from far away. Thousands of heron birds leave Petulu village every morning to feed and come back in the afternoon. Petulu became the habitat of heron birds since 1965, after this village had done a great traditional ceremony in Pura Desa of Petulu.

Ubud as a center of art which also has tourism places is visited by many foreign and domestic tourists provides the visitors with many resorts and spas. The resorts are from the comfortable and expensive to the moderate range. They are Kamandalu Resort and Spa, Pita Maha Resort, Hotel Tjampuhan, and many others. The Kamandalu Resort and Spa is located peacefully in the middle of rice paddy field and surrounded by the green mountain of Ubud. It is about ten minutes drive from the center of Ubud. The spectacular setting of this resort is above the Petanu River which gives sense of harmony. It also has strong similarities with Balinese village because it is designed with Balinese architecture. The spa offers nice body sense and gives relaxation for the body. This resort also has a meeting room called Bale Ketemu which is suitable for wedding party, seminar, and other event. The other resort is Pita Maha resort which is located beside Tjampuhan valley and has a beautiful view of Tjampuhan River. The architecture of this resort is designed by the royal family of Ubud Palace so that it looks so beautiful completed with relief on the Gate’s wall. This resort also has a unique garden pool that makes the visitors relax. On the other side of this town, there is Tjampuhan Hotel which is located near the Tjampuhan River. It is set in a tropical garden, river view, and the monkey forest. The location is also near the Puri Lukisan Museum, the palace, and the traditional market. The Hotel Tjampuhan is the starting point of Pita Maha resort. Those resorts give pleasure of Ubud life style to the visitors who want to take a rest in Ubud.

Those all typical characteristics make Ubud becomes a paradise from Gianyar. A small town in the middle of Pulau Bali which is far from the city center can keep their traditional customs and arts so that this town becomes interesting to be visited by the tourists from foreign countries and domestics. The products of art, traditional market, palaces, beautiful views, traditional customs, and the resorts make this town so beautiful and harmony.