Cave Temples and Rock-cut Sanctuaries in Bali

The practice of carving temple out of solid rock has an ancient history in India dating back to the time of the great Mauryan emperor Ashoka (c.270-232 BC). Some of the earliest surviving sanctuaries in Bali have also been hewn from a rock café, the best known of these being Gunung Kawi and Goa Gajah. They are both to be found in the vicinity of Gianyar, in the narrow strip of land lying between the Petanu and Pakrisan rivers, a region which is extraordinarily rich in ancient temple sites and sanctuaries. Gunung Kawi Gunung Kawi, which literally means `Mountain of the Poet (s)`, consists of a series of temple-like `structures`, standing in two rows of niches, excavated directly from the rock face. Though no more than deeply cut reliefs, in form they resemble Classical Javanese temples, or candi, with their stepped pyramidal roofs and serried ranks of antefixes, but the `doors` do not open and there are no internal spaces. Nevertheless they are commemorative structure, with inscriptions over the false doorways indicating to whom they are dedicated.

The latter are executed in a highly decorative script, sometimes known `Kadiri Quadrate` after the East Javanese kingdom of Kadiri where it is also found in the late 10th and 11th centuries. Unfortunately, these inscriptions are badly worn and are virtually illegible expect in the case of one associated with the central candi which reads `` haji lumah ing Jalu`` (literally, ``the king who was monumentalized` at Jalu``). The King referred to here is generally thought to be the 11th century Balinese ruler, Anak Wungsu. Known chiefly from royal proclamations carved is stone, Anak Wungsu probably ruled from about 1050 until at least 1078 (the date of his last inscription). Sacred Serpents and Fecundity There is a conduit on the hillside above the group of five rock-cut candi which carries water to a lower channel that passes right in front of the candi themselves. There are spouts in front of each of the candi and water issues forth from these into another conduit which empties into a bathing place. The spout in front of the central candi, commemorating the deceased king, is carved in the shape of a naga serpent (the other spouts are plain). Naga are traditionally associated with water and fertility throughout Southeast Asia and it seems likely that in the past it was believed that immersion in water which had come into contact with the memorial to the late ruler would enhance fecundity or cure barrenness and other ills.