Great Palace of Kesiman

Puri Agung Kesiman was formed based on the division of the territorial authority of I Gusti Ngurah Made Pemecutan (the King of Puri Denpasar I) to his two sons, I Gusti Ngurah Gede and I Gusti Gede Kesiman. Puri Agung Kesiman was established around the 19th century AD, founded by I Gusti Gede Kesiman, who ascended the throne in 1813 and ruled until November 20, 1865, as the chief of Kesiman. The total area of this puri site is approximately 12,192 m², divided into four mandalas: Ancak Saji, which is the outermost courtyard (front), Sumengen/Senetan, which is the place for conducting funeral ceremonies, Pemereman/Dunungan, which is the residential area for the puri family members, and Pemrajan Agung, which serves as the sacred place of the puri.

1. Gapura/paduraksa 

The gate in the halaman ancak saji serves as the entrance to the halaman saren facing west. It consists of three parts: the base is made of square-shaped brick arrangements, with seven steps in the middle. The body is very stout, constructed using bricks, with a wooden entrance door in the center. Each corner of the upper body is adorned with hanging reliefs, and the sides are decorated with subeng, kuping, and util. The roof of the gate is made of a single layer of stone slabs, with hanging decorations in the form of karang manuk and a standing antefik at each of the four corners, while the center is adorned with karang tapel.

The gate leading to the halaman Pemrajan Agung Puri Kesiman is made of stone slabs. Its architectural design resembles the gate at Pura Dalem Sakenan, featuring a stout shape. Each side of the body is decorated with leaf motifs that form wings, and the lintel above is adorned with a kala head with bulging eyes and a protruding tongue. The roof of the gate consists of three layers, each decorated with a kala head in the center, with antefik decorations on several sides, and the peak is adorned with bentala. 

2. Gapura Bentar 

The gapura bentar located in the halaman ancak saji faces different directions. One faces south and the other faces west. The candi bentar is a gate that appears to be split in two, resembling twin temples. This candi bentar is very stout but rises high, adorned with hanging decorations as well as sitting decorations, and each corner is also decorated with antefik. 

3. Candi Prasada

The candi prasada is made of brick and faces west in the halaman jeroan Pemrajan Agung Puri Kesiman. It has a slender shape like a tower, similar to the temple buildings in East Java (Majapahit period). The base is square with relief decorations of hanging ornaments. The body of the prasada in the middle serves as a garbha graha. The roof is tiered with 9 levels, decreasing in size as it rises, adorned with hanging ornaments and sitting decorations at each corner of the roof's tiers, and at the peak, it is decorated with a murdha/menur. 

4. Meru

The Meru faces west in the courtyard of the Jeroan Pemrajan Agung Puri Kesiman, vertically divided into three parts. The base is made of brick arrangements adorned with pepalihan. Above the base, there are eight statues known as Asta Bratha. The body of the Meru is made of brick but has been coated with white paint. In the middle of the body, there is a wooden door leading to the garbha graha of the Meru. The roof, consisting of 11 tiers, rises high and is made of wood and ijuk (sugar palm fibers). 

5. Kolam

The structure of the pond is located in the main courtyard (jeroan) of the Pemrajan Agung, following the wall of the penyengker of the pemrajan. This pond structure is very wide and deep, and it is estimated to date back to the same period as the prasada and the pelinggih meru, as archival photographs from the colonial era always depict this pond whenever the prasada and pelinggih meru are the subjects. It is believed to originate from the 14th to 15th centuries AD.

6. Arca Asta Brata

These eight statues are made of padas stone and are arranged in a row on the terrace of the Pelinggih Meru. All eight statues share the same style and decorative features. Four statues (on the north side) have their left legs bent backward, while their right legs are bent upward. The other four statues (on the south side) have their right legs bent backward, and their left legs bent upward, with both arms placed beside their waists. These asta bratha statues represent Indra, Candra, Kuwera, Bayu, Surya, Yama, Baruna, and Agni.

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