Blahbatuh

If you are walking around Gianyar but still have no idea about Blahbatuh, it feels incompletely at all. Blahbatuh is + 7 kilometers to west of Gianyar city, or 4 kilometers from Sakah, then turn to Ubud along main street of Denpasar-Gianyar. Blahbatuh known as place that has many springs that containing fresh fish.

Inside its city, you can visit the beautiful orchid park and Pura Gaduh, which has special own characteristic. To reach this Pura, we must through steep stairs and lush trees as well. This Pura had restoration after 1917 earthquake.

The story goes, Kebo Iwa who has known as giant supernatural Patih at Dalem Bedulu epoch, carved one big giant stone in this area by just using his nail. Kebo Iwa is Dalem Bedulu confidant and ultimately Mahapatih Gajah Mada defeated him at Majapahit invasion time (1343).

Predicted the statues around here already existed since 14 centuries and uniquely there nothing has identically with Hindu-Jawa cultural (Majapahit). This is purely statues art from Bali and have no influenced from others cultural. Then Blahbatuh became little kingdom that was reigned by Gusti Ngurah Jelantik, mighty Patih from Gelge. He had tough armies and made some military expedition to Jawa land at 17 centuries.

During his reign, lot of loots collected and brought back to Bali including 21 Majapahit personage masks painting. These masks painting that inspired masks that using in Bali’s Drama. These “Masks” is stored as long as 600 years in Pura Penataran Ropeng that its location near by Puri Blahbatuh. These valuable relics are just shown at odalan (party) Pura Penataran Topeng.

Blahbatuh is strategic city, you can walk to Kawi Mountain thgrough Kutri, then continue jour trip to Bangli that renown with its Batur Mountain. Blahbatuh is near to Rendang and Besakih as well. May be 1 kilometers to the west, there is pathway to the south entering Belangsiapa village that famed with Tegenungan waterfall or SrogSrogan which occupying at Tukad (river) Petanu area.

This area is trusted as recovery place. It is preferable for you to come here not in Sunday, but when full moon. Then you can continue to Belaga village, 1 kilometer to the west of borders of Blahbatuh and Bona which renown with its bamboos handicraft, those are furniture industries and bamboos ornament.

In course between Blahbatuh and Bona, you can pause for a moment at Kramas beach, which has beautiful India ocean scene. Estimate 500 meters to the south of Blahbatuh, you can visit Banjar Babakan and seeing Gong (Gamelan) handicraft Sidha Karya at Mr. I Made Gabeleran house. He is the only one gong craftsman, which still active until this days.

Five rooms used to make gong or gamelan. All kind of Bali’s gamelan instrument, like gangsa, terompong, gendang, etc is made here. Ornament and a carved object are inspired of Ramayana history. The material is from jackfruit trees, and the ornament material is from the mixture of tin and copper.

They made once selection every single week at Saturday and Sunday for apprenticeship program in order to give chance for students to learn about technique to make gamelan.