Tracing Historical Footsteps at Puri Pemecutan: A Legacy of Bali's Struggle Against Colonizers

Puri Agung Pemecutan merupakan salah satu puri atau keraton kerajaan Bali yang masih berdiri hingga sampai saat ini. Pemecutan berasal dari kata pecut/cambuk sehingga sering dikaitkan dengan pecut/cambuk. Dahulunya Puri Agung Pemecutan Kuno dilalap kobaran api pada tanggal 20 September 1906 atas perintah Raja Gusti Ngurah Pemecutan yang bergelar Ida Cokorda Pemecutan IX saat memimpin rakyat bali turun ke medan perang untuk memperjuangkan tanah airnya yang dikenal dengan Perang Puputan Badung. Walaupun dengan semangat yang membara, Raja bersama rakyatnya akhirnya gugur dalam perang dengan latar belakang puri terbakar di belakangnya. Untuk mengenang beliau telah dibuat monumen Ida Cokorda Pemecutan IX diperempatan jalan Puri Agung Pemecutan

Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X

Ida Meparab Anak Agung Sagung Adi

Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Lanang Pemecutan

Setelah Perang Puputan Badung, terjadi kekosongan pemerintahan terjadi di Puri Agung Pemecutan. Dikarenakan Ida Cokorda Pemecutan IX tidak memiliki keturunan laki-laki dan hanya memiliki seorang putri yaitu Ida Meparab Anak Agung Sagung Adi, kemudian atas prakarsa keluarga besar Puri Agung Pemecutan dan Warga Ageng Pemecutan dan untuk melestarikan budaya leluhur terdahulu, maka diangkatlah keponakannya I Gusti Ngurah Gde Pemecutan/ Kyahi Ngurah Gde Pemecutan untuk menjadi Raja Pemecutan yang kemudian bergelar Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X serta kakak beliau dari lain ibu yang Bernama Ida Anak Agung Gede Lanang Pemecutan sebagai wakilnya. Beliau sebagai kakak beradik menampakan kehidupan yang rukun dan selalu mengutamakan musyawarah mufakat dalam penyelesaian masalah sehingga masyarakat sangat segan kepada mereka.

Dikarenakan Puri Agung Pemecutan Kuno sudah hancur dan hanya menyisakan Bale Kulkul di sebelah selatan Puri Agung Pemecutan Kuno, maka Jero Kanginan yang berada tepat didepan Puri Agung Pemecutan Kuno direhab menjadi Puri Agung Pemecutan yang baru, beralamat di Jalan Thamrin Nomor 2 Denpasar. Sampai saat ini Puri Agung Pemecutan masih dijaga keaslian dan kesakralannya serta menjadi tempat tinggal bagi keturunan Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X dan Ida Anak Agung Gede Lanang Pemecutan. Sehingga menjadikan Puri Agung Pemecutan yang berada di Pusat Kota Denpasar sebagai salah satu cagar budaya yang patut untuk dilestarikan.

Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X

Di Puri Agung Pemecutan terdapat beberapa bangunan yang memiliki fungsi dan manfaat masing-masing. Puri Agung Pemecutan sendiri terdiri dari 3 bagian utama yaitu:

Utama Mandala, Madya Mandala dan Nista Mandala.

Nista Mandala

Nista Mandala adalah bagian terluar dari Puri disebut juga sebagai “jaba puri” terdapat bangunan sebagai pemisah antara Madya Mandala dan Nista Mandala yaitu Kori Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan. 

Merupakan gerbang utama yang terdiri dari 1 pintu utama yang terletak di tengah-tengah dan 2 “betel”. Pintu utama hanya dipergunakan saat diadakan upacara adat dan keagamaan, dan disakralkan oleh keluarga Puri Agung Pemecutan, sedangkan 2 “betel” dipergunakan untuk melakukan kegiatan sehari-hari.

Di pojokan barat daya jaba puri terdapat Bale Bengong, yang dipergunakan oleh keluarga Puri Agung Pemecutan untuk memantau kegiatan masyarakat disekitaran Puri Agung Pemecutan. Terdapat kulkul yang dahulunya dipergunakan sebagai sarana berkomunikasi dengan masyarakat.

Selain itu pada Barat laut terdapat Bale Kulkul Puri Agung Pemecutan yang baru. Bale kulkul ini dipergunakan sebagai sarana komunikasi pada masyarakat di sekitar Puri. Bale kulkul ini khusus dipergunakan untuk memberi tahu kepada masyarakat bahwa adanya pelaksanaan kegiatan di Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan.

Tepat di depan Bale Kulkul, terdapat Kori Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan sebagai tempat masuk bagi masyarakat dari luar Keluarga Puri untuk melaksanakan persembahyangan di Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan yang terletak di areal Utama Mandala

Madya Mandala

Madya Mandala

Madya Mandala adalah bagian tengah dari Puri, areal ini merupakan areal dimana kegiatan sehari-hari biasa dilakukan oleh keluarga Puri Agung Pemecutan. Menjadi tempat tinggal keluarga Puri, madya mandala Puri Agung Pemecutan dibagi menjadi 2 bagian yaitu saren daje dan saren delod, yang dimana saren daje ditempati oleh keluarga Ida Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Lanang Pemecutan dan saren delod yang ditempati oleh keluarga Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan. Saren daje berarti kamar di sebelah utara dan saren delod berarti kamar di sebelah selatan.

Dibagian paling selatan areal madya mandala terdapat Bale Lantang yang berarti Bale yang Panjang, dipergunakan multifungsi seperti untuk menerima tamu, pelatihan tari dan gambelan, atau pelaksanaan kegiatan yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan kegiatan adat ataupun keagamaan. 

Pada Tahun 1970an hingga 1990an, atas tingginya antusiasme wisatawan pada saat itu agar bisa menginap di Puri Agung Pemecutan, maka Bale Lantang ini dimultifungsikan sebagai hotel, sehingga sebagaian bale ini sudah menjadi kamar hotel dan sebagian dipergunakan sebagai lobi hotel, namun seiiring berkembangnya jaman, hotel di Puri Agung Pemecutan kalah saing dengan kompetitor sehingga hotel pada saat ini tidak berfungsi.

Dibagian paling selatan areal madya mandala terdapat Bale Lantang yang berarti Bale yang Panjang, dipergunakan multifungsi seperti untuk menerima tamu, pelatihan tari dan gambelan, atau pelaksanaan kegiatan yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan kegiatan adat ataupun keagamaan. 

Pada Tahun 1970an hingga 1990an, atas tingginya antusiasme wisatawan pada saat itu agar bisa menginap di Puri Agung Pemecutan, maka Bale Lantang ini dimultifungsikan sebagai hotel, sehingga sebagaian bale ini sudah menjadi kamar hotel dan sebagian dipergunakan sebagai lobi hotel, namun seiiring berkembangnya jaman, hotel di Puri Agung Pemecutan kalah saing dengan kompetitor sehingga hotel pada saat ini tidak berfungsi.

Ditengah areal ini terdapat Gedong Agung, yaitu sebagai tempat tinggal Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X, setelah sepeninggalnya Ida Cokorda Ngurah Gde Pemecutan X, Bale ini dipergunakan oleh Keluarga Puri Agung Pemecutan untuk melaksanakan rapat dalam rangka persiapan kegiatan-kegiatan yang akan dilaksanakan di Puri Agung Pemecutan.

Sebelah barat Gedong Agung terdapat bale yang dipergunakan oleh keluarga Ida Anak Agung Gede Lanang Pemecutan tinggal, bale tersebut disambung dengan bangunan besar yang sekarang menjadi tempat tinggal anak cucu beliau.

Bagian paling utara di areal Madya Mandala adalah Bale Daje/Bale Bandung, seperti namanya “daje” berarti utara. Bale ini diperuntukan untuk anak gadis ataupun kepala keluarga. Di Puri Agung Pemecutan, bale ini ditempati oleh Parab Ida Anak Agung Sagung Adi. Ibu semasa hidupnya sebagai bentuk penghormatan kepada beliau. Sekarang sering dipergunakan untuk upacara “ngekeb”, yaitu upacara mengisolir anak gadis yang hendak menikah, “ngerajaswala” atau “mepandes”

Sebelah timur bale daje/bale bandung terdapat bale “dangin” yang berarti timur, bale ini difungsinkan sebagai tempat melanaksanakan upacara adat dan keagamaan yang berhubungan dengan manusa yadnya seperti pernikahan, “mepandes”, “otonan”, “ngerajaswala” dan lain – lain.

Disebelah selatan terdapat Bale murda/Bale Delod, yaitu bale yang dipergunakan untuk peletakan jenazah sambil menunggu hari baik untuk melaksanakan upacara “Ngaben” apabila ada keluarga dari Puri Agung Pemecutan meninggal dunia.

Sebelah barat terdapat bale “dauh”, dauh sendiri berarti barat. Bale ini dahulu dipergunakan sebagai tempat tidur untuk anak laki – laki, namun sekarang dipergunakan untuk menerima tamu pada saat upacara adat dan agama dilaksanakan.

Utama Mandala

Utama Mandala

Utama Mandala adalah bagian terdalam dari Puri disebut Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan, tempat keluarga puri melaksanakan persembahyangan dan berdoa kepada tuhan dan leluhurnya. Tempat ini merupakan tempat yang disucikan oleh keluarga Puri, bagi wanita yang sedang menstruasi tidak diperkenankan untuk memasuki areal ini.

Pemerajan Puri Agung Pemecutan memiliki beberapa “pelinggih”, pelinggih sendiri sebagai simbol pemujaan terhadap Dewa-Dewa tertentu, selain itu terdapat “pewaregan suci” atau dapur suci yang dipergunakan khusus untuk persiapan sarana upacara di Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan. Diatas Pewaregan terdapat “Jineng” sebagai tempat penyimpanan padi (lumbung)

Pada tembok Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan, terdapat ornamen ukiran kisah-kisah pewayangan yang menambahkan keunikan dari Pemerajan Puri Agung Pemecutan itu sendiri

Sempat mengalami kebakaran 11 pelinggih pada tanggal 11 Agustus 1995, Pemerajan Puri Agung Pemecutan sempat dipugar dan selesai pada tanggal 11 Agustus 1996 dan dilaksanakan Karya Memungkah Ngeteg Linggih pada Purnama Sasih Kelima Tanggal 26 November 1996. Kejadian ini dibuatkan Pracasti dan diletakan tepat di depan Kori Pemerajan Agung Puri Agung Pemecutan.

Big Garden Corner: A Photographer's Paradise and Instagrammable Spot in Sanur, Bali

For photography enthusiasts and Instagram lovers, this spot should be on your list when exploring Bali’s capital city. Opened in 2016, Big Garden Corner started as a simple gallery showcasing stone sculptures.

True to its name, Big Garden Corner is situated at the intersection of Jalan Waribang and Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai Padanggalak in Sanur. Spanning 2.5 hectares, this expansive garden offers numerous photo opportunities. Visitors can snap pictures against backdrops of megalithic stones, stone tables, large-scale statues, and colorful umbrella canopies.


One of the highlights is a 5-meter-high replica of the Borobudur temple. There’s also a small tree house, wooden pathways shaded by intertwining branches, and a butterfly garden home to over 100 species of butterflies.

The garden also features grassy areas, making it a perfect spot for families and couples to spend some quality time. There’s a restaurant and a children’s playground, making it an ideal destination for all ages. Located in the Sanur area, it’s a great stop on your way to explore East Bali.

Exploring Bali's History at the Bali Museum: The Oldest Cultural Collection in Denpasar

Museum Bali is a legendary museum that many people pass by every day without realizing it. It is located on Jalan Mayor Wisnu, just east of Puputan Badung Field and south of Pura Jagatnatha. The museum was inaugurated on December 8, 1932, under the name Bali Museum and is managed by the Bali Museum Foundation.

Covering an area of 2,600 square meters, this museum is the oldest in Bali and has inspired the establishment of other museums. Based on its collections, the Bali Museum is an ethnographic museum that houses and displays cultural artifacts from prehistoric times to the present, reflecting all aspects of Balinese culture. Its collections include archaeological, historical, fine art, and ethnographic items.

If you want to learn about the history of Balinese cultural heritage, this museum is the perfect place to visit. You can see collections such as traditional dance costumes, various types of masks, wayang (puppets), keris (daggers), and a range of prehistoric artifacts that help you understand Balinese culture.

Initially established as an ethnographic museum by W.F.J. Kroon, the assistant resident for South Bali, in 1910, the museum was created to protect and preserve cultural artifacts. This idea was based on a proposal by Th.A. Resink and received positive responses from scholars, artists, cultural figures, and all the kings in Bali. Kroon then commissioned Kurt Gundler, a German architect in Bali, to collaborate with traditional Balinese builders (undagi) like I Gusti Ketut Rai and I Gusti Ketut Gede Kandel to plan the museum’s construction.

One of the unique features of this museum is its architecture, which adopts local culture based on the lontar (palm leaf manuscript) Asta Kosala-Kosali. The museum has three courtyards: the outer courtyard (jaba), the middle courtyard (jaba tengah), and the inner courtyard (jeroan), each separated by walls and gates (candi bentar and candi kurung) as entrances. There is also a Balai Kulkul (bell tower) in the southern part of the middle courtyard.

In the northwest corner stands a Balai Bengong, which was used during the royal era as a resting place for the royal family to observe the surroundings. In front of the Tabanan building, there is a Beji (bathing place for the royal family). The roofs are made of ijuk (coconut fiber), a material traditionally used only for temples in Bali. The inner courtyard features three main buildings to exhibit the museum's collections:

  1. Gedung Karangasem: with traditional East Bali architecture, showcasing Panca Yadnya collections.
  2. Gedung Tabanan: for displaying prehistoric, historical, and fine art collections.
  3. Gedung Buleleng: featuring North Bali architectural style, dedicated to traditional textile collections.
Come and discover the history of Bali by visiting the Bali Museum!

Great Temple Jagatnatha: A Starting Point for Exploring Denpasar, Rich in Spiritual and Historical Value

If you’re looking to explore Denpasar’s city tour program, Pura Agung Jagatnatha is a perfect starting point to begin your journey around Bali's capital. More than just a place of worship, this grand temple attracts tourists with its stunning beauty and unique features.

Located on a popular tourist route, the temple is always bustling with visitors—both those coming to pray and those who simply want to admire its magnificence. It’s conveniently situated on Mayor Wisnu Street, right next to Puputan Badung Field and adjacent to the Bali Museum.

This great temple is open 24 hours to anyone who wishes to worship, including tourists. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. Visitors must always show respect and refrain from disturbing Hindu devotees as they carry out their prayers and rituals within the temple.

This temple is the largest in Denpasar City. It was built facing west, toward Mount Agung, which is believed to be the home of the gods. Pura Agung Jagatnatha was constructed as a place of worship for Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Almighty God.

In March 2023, Pura Agung Jagatnatha underwent a renovation. The restoration included enhancements to various structures like the boundary walls, the main shrines, and several pavilions, using premium red stone from Tulikup, Gianyar. This has given the temple a dominant red hue, symbolizing Bhatara Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.

The renovation was undertaken to restore the temple’s architecture to the traditional Bebadungan style, which is distinctive to Denpasar. However, the Padmasana structure, with its historical significance, was preserved in its original form. With this restoration, the Denpasar City Government aims to ensure that Pura Agung Jagatnatha remains a strong and enduring symbol of Balinese spirituality for the next 100 years.

 

The Uniqueness of the Sidik Jari Museum in Denpasar: Exploring Finger Painting Art

Here’s one of the unique museums in Denpasar that you won’t want to miss. As the name suggests, it might sound strange at first, but when you visit, you'll be amazed by the collections at this museum located at Jalan Hayam Wuruk No. 175, Tanjung Bungkak.

The Fingerprint Museum showcases artistic works painted using a unique technique that involves creativity and imagination through fingertip dots of primary colors on canvas, resulting in stunning and spectacular artworks. The owner, Gede Ngurah Rai Pemecutan, is also the artist and the grandson of the National Hero from Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Rai.

This fingerprint painting technique was discovered accidentally while he was painting a Baris dance theme on July 9, 1967. However, the painting was never completed as he had hoped, which frustrated him. In an attempt to ruin the unfinished painting, he pressed his paint-covered fingers onto the canvas, sparking the idea to create paintings solely with his fingertips instead of using brushes.

The painting method developed by Gede Ngurah Rai Pemecutan earned him recognition from the Museum of Indonesian Records (MURI) as the pioneer of fingertip painting techniques and for having the largest collection of fingerprint paintings. The museum now houses 640 paintings created by him. His goal in establishing the Fingerprint Museum in Denpasar was to showcase a variety of his art collections and display his poetry written on stone.

At the Fingerprint Museum in Denpasar, visitors can not only view paintings and poetry but also delve into Balinese culture, particularly Balinese dance. The museum offers courses in Balinese dance, painting, and Balinese music taught by professional instructors. Isn’t it exciting to learn about the origins of the Fingerprint Museum? So, what are you waiting for? Visit this museum soon!

The Charm of Badung Traditional Market Murals: Transforming the Traditional Market with Modern Art Touches

For art enthusiasts and social media aficionados, this spot is a must-visit: the Mural Market at Pasar Badung. Don’t think of it as just a place for buyers and sellers. Pasar Badung, the largest market in Bali, is adorned with vibrant murals scattered across its walls. These murals were created back in 2019, following a renovation due to a fire. You can find them everywhere—from the entrance gates, elevators, and kiosks, to waiting areas, and even in the bathrooms. 

If you’re not satisfied with the smaller artworks, head over to the east side of the market. Here, you'll find a colossal mural painted on a 308-square-meter wall canvas. The visuals are not only captivating but also carry messages encouraging people to take pride in shopping and trading at traditional markets, reimagined in a modern setting like Pasar Badung.

These creative embellishments aim to position Pasar Badung as an inspiration for traditional markets across Bali and even Indonesia. The murals were crafted by 30 young artists from the Bali School of Design (STD), in an effort to change the perception that traditional markets are just a place for transactions. At Pasar Badung, tourists are welcomed as well.

By the way, you can visit and capture the murals at any time, as the market is open 24 hours a day, except on the holy day of Nyepi. Being the largest market in Bali, Pasar Badung serves as the starting point for various goods distributed throughout the island. So, whether you're an early bird or a night owl, Pasar Badung's art awaits!

Pura Dalem Kedewatan

Pura Dalem Kadewatan located at Sanur Village was one of the cultural heritage of Denpasar in Sanur. This Pura was built in XV-XX Masehi and before moved to Sanur, this Pura was located in Tangtu, at the edge of Ayung River.

When Tangtu was heavily flooded by the river, all the ceremony was postponed. That’s the moment when the locals decided to moved this Pura to the south, to Tegal Asah, where the land countour has stages and they found a higher place and shine. The place inspired the name Sanur, it came from the word Sa = means one single and Nur = means holy light.

The rituals held in this Pura is using the spiritual timing on Tilem day to triwara kajeng, often named as Tilem Kajeng. Tilem was a prabhawa from Sang Hyang Siva that also had a form as Sang Hyang Yamadipati (The God of the dead) who had the vanishing power.

The dances of Sang Hyang will be performed on the piodalan day.  One of the dance is Sang Hyang Jaran. This dance is very sacred and stopped performed in 1938 and then finally resume on 2016.

 

This dance showed a horse played and showered with fire with two Pratima in red and white. This sacred dance will feel scary when the dancer as Sang Hyang Jaran playing with a real fire in the middle of the pura and all the songs played in sacred way.

 

One day after piodalan Tilem Kajeng, the people will do the gebogan offerings along the village. This gebogan will be carried by the womens wearing white and yellow kebaya to praise God for all the blessings. This ceremony called Mepeed.

Pura Dalem Penataran

Pura Dalem Penataran located close to Pura Siwa Dampati. This Pura was built around XVIII-XIX. In Its Gedong Dalem there are sculpture mentioned the year 1793 or 1871 Masehi. Most part of this building which is Gedong Dalem, Palinggih Sumur Suci, Palinggih Hyang Api (Lebuh Geni), Paduraksa Candi Kurung (Kori Agung) and other statues was made from red bricks and rockstone.

Dampati Shiva Temple

Experts predicted that Pura Siwa Dampati was made within XVIII-XIX century. This pura still in good shape with red bricks and related to Pura Dalem Penataran.

Dampati means The Meeting. In Regweda writings, Dampati also refer to a unity between a man and a woman that cannot be separated. This meanings was believed as a manifests of the unity of Siwa and Sakti, the Durga Goddes in Pura Dalem Penataran.

This complex consists of

Gedong Siwa Dampati, Paduraksa Candi Kurung (Kori Agung), dwarapala statue, and a priest statue (Brahmana).

Segara Temple

Experts predicted that Pura Siwa Dampati was made within XVIII-XIX century. This pura still in good shape with red bricks and related to Pura Dalem Penataran.

Dampati means The Meeting. In Regweda writings, Dampati also refer to a unity between a man and a woman that cannot be separated. This meanings was believed as a manifests of the unity of Siwa and Sakti, the Durga Goddes in Pura Dalem Penataran.

This complex consists of

Gedong Siwa Dampati, Paduraksa Candi Kurung (Kori Agung), dwarapala statue, and a priest statue (Brahmana).