Tour of Bali's Fascinating
Eastern Tip
Once the seat of the powerful Karangasem court, the district capital
of Amlapura at the eastern end of Bali is now a sleepy market
and administrative town. Formerly known as Karangasem, the town
was given its present name after the eruption of Mt Agung in 1963
nearly wiped it out; black lava flows can still be seen from the
road on the way into town. There are several interesting palaces
here, and the surrounding countryside contains superb scenery
and some of the most interesting traditional villages in Bali.
The palaces of Karangasem
The main attraction of Amlapura is its traditional palaces or
puri. There is a western, a northern, a southern and an eastern
puri as well as several others - all still occupied by members
of the royal family. Of these, only the Puri Kangin (the eastern
palace) on the main road to the market is easily visited. This
is worth a look, as it gives a vivid impression of how local royals
used to live. The palace buildings themselves are in fact an eccentric
blend of Chinese and European details set in what is essentially
a traditional Balinese compound with several pavilions and room
surrounded by pools and connected by walk ways. The main hall
is called the "Bale London" and the furniture curiously
bears the crest of the British royal family. One can even rent
rooms here the perfect accommodation for the aspiring aristocrat.
The ruling family of Karangasem traces its ancestry back to the
14th century Hindu Javanese Empire of Majapahit, claiming to be
direct descendants of a certain Batan Jeruk who was Prime Minister
of Bali during the 16th century. There is also a tale concerning
the dynasty's divine origin.
A woman who lived near the palace was once overheard talking to
a stranger in her house. When asked who it was, she replied that
it was the god of Mt Agung. After some time, the woman became
pregnant and not long afterwards a miraculous fire descended from
the mountain to the woman's house. She soon gave birth to a son
atop a hill to the east of the town this son, the "god of
the eastern hill," is said to be the founder of the royal
Karangasem line.
Karangasem conquered Lombok in the 17th century and in turn became
a vassal of the neighboring island in the middle of 19th century.
As a result, there are today several Sasak settlements in and
around Amlapura, and these have had a significant influence on
the culture of the area. Family and trading relations with Lombok
still exit until the present day, and intermarriages are common.
When Lombok was occupied by the Dutch in 1894, Karangasem was
transfered to Dutch control as well. Nevertheless, the ruler of
Karangasem was kept on as "governor" of the region,
and his status a, confirmed in 1938 when the Balinese kingdoms
were granted partial self-rule. After independence in 1945, these
princely realms vanished and were replaced by the present-day,
kabupaten or regencies. Until 1979, however the regent or bupati
of Karangasem was a prince of the royal house, and was still considered
"raja" by most people in the area. Even today, members
of the royal family participate in rituals held in the nearby
villages. |
