The Ancient Beauty of Gunung Kawi:Tampaksaring, Bali

I had been to Gunung Kawi several times and knew about the beauty of this ancient and sacred place.

The people with me knew little of it nor about the 'journey' - as I call it! - down into the valley and back up again. The tombs located in the valley are, without a doubt, the highlight of any visit to the Holy Land in Central Bali.

A few hundred metres to the north of Tirta Empul you will see a sign pointing to Gunung Kawi on the east side of the road. There is a reasonably large carpark further down and, around its perimeter, the usual array of warungs and stalls selling sarongs, statues and T-Shirts. Actually, some of the batik fabric was of impressive quality and several designs I recognised as distinctly Javanese.

Within the carpark there is also a Tourist Police Post - although small - and I found the uniformed fellows quite amiable. Not one for missing out on a photo opportunity, I snapped a couple of images of a jovial chap who was obviously in charge.

From the carpark I walked down the narrow road leading to the entrance to Gunung Kawi. Again, this 100 metre stretch of asphalt is lined either side with small shops selling batik and the ilk. I particularly noticed there were several houses whose occupants were obviously experts in their trade going by the signs proudly displayed out front. Most of them were carvers of all manner of material as the area is renowned for this.

For anyone in the market for carved products, then it would certainly be advantageous visiting these small, out-of-the-way places for a top quality buy. It's much better quality than the inferior products you buy in the bigger markets in Bali.

Also along this narrow road are plenty of vendors selling all manner of liquid refreshment. So many in a small area, I was asked. My simple reply - "You'll find out why!"

Once you pass through the stone gateway at the end of the road, you pay the obligatory Rp6,000 entrance fee at the office. This price also includes the hire of a sarong and sash should you not have one. Surprisingly it also covers your insurance!.

I have always found something eerie about looking down a path that seems to end in mid-air!. But that is exactly what you see, and, it's only the beginning.

There are 325 steps hewn into the rock hillside on the very steep descent into the valley. The first steep 50 steps are only a primer of what's to come. Fortunately, the sets of steps consist of roughly ten steps each with a flat surface in between each set. It's on these flat and short levels you will find vendors selling drinks, handicrafts and fabrics.

The next set of 70 steps you get your first glimpse into the deep valley below and, sections of Gunung Kawi through the palms, bamboo and undergrowth. With each set of steps descended, the magnitude of Gunung Kawi looms larger.

All the way down, one has spectacular views of rice terraces and farmers, Petani, wearing conical hats as they toil in the padi fields. Eventually, at the bottom of the valley, you arrive at a hewn open-air stone corridor (be careful, it can be slippy here and especially in the rainy season).

At the end of the corridor is a massive stone archway. As you pass through, you leave the 21st century behind and enter the ancient beauty of the 11th century kingdom of Anak Wungsu.
I walked through the stone archway, and before me, a stone bridge over the Pakrisan River, and in the hillside, the Gunung Kawi temple complex. Stunning as this view was, I knew the best was yet to come.

Gunung Kawi is a series of tombs, or Candi's, and here they have been erected as memorials to King Anak Wungsu and his Queen, although, this theory is contentious amongst archaeologists. Interestingly there were no bones or ashes found at the Candi's. However, above the fake doors of the tombs are illegible inscriptions and there are theories these could be titles of the deceased or possibly the names.

Turning directly left of the stone archway and past a few cells hewn into the rock, I stood in awe, as I always have when I've come to Gunung Kawi, at the massive Queen's Tombs. These huge square-tiered reliefs literally chiselled from the cliff face of the river are, in resemblance, like the facades of a temple. At one time, these magnificent structures would have been ornately carved and painted. Prevailing weather conditions have eroded these and all that is left is the single false doors on each of them.

I have seen many similar structures (Candi's) in Java, but the Balinese version is of a slightly different shape reflecting a hell-earth-heaven cosmology. At the foot of each Candi you will see a stone-lidded hollow dug.

The melodic sounds of water rushing over large boulders caught my attention and I made my way down to the stone bridge and over the Pakrisan River, and beyond, the Gunung Kawi temple complex.

Nestled there, the complex was a hewn from the ravine rock wall. Around the wall, cells and rooms hewn into the rock are believed to be the quarters for the holy men, the once caretakers of the Candi's. These caretakers tended to the tombs and carried out the necessary religious rituals needed.

I walked through the inner Candi Bentar of the temple complex and into the Jeroan where there were several Bale's and guardian statues. An elderly woman dressed traditionally told me her late husband was a Pedanda, or high priest at Gunung Kawi. She returned here everyday to tend the temple grounds.
Walking to the back of the temple complex I came upon the five Royal Tombs. With these tombs I could distinctly make out the false doors and facades very clearly.

One interesting point with these Candi's is that the one on the far left is higher than the others. Archaeologists believe this to be the tomb of Anak Wungsu.

There is a tenth tomb located at the end of a track through the padi fields. However, it is quite eroded and is thought to be a tomb for one of the Royal household - perhaps a high ranking Minister.

The afternoon sun was fierce and I knew the ascent I had ahead of me, and so I gathered my last images of Gunung Kawi before walking back across the bridge and through the massive stone archway and into the 21st century.

If you are contemplating visiting this surreal and magnificent complex, then I suggest you visit in the relative cool of the early morning. Climbing the 325 steps in the heat of the day can zap your energy. I suppose that is why, every set of ten steps, you have a smiling vendor eager to sell you refreshments!.