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Murni's Guide to Ubud
The Artists’ Village Pura Dalem Han Snel Gallery Museum Puri Lukisan Moneychanger Pura Taman Saraswati Tino's Supermarket Ary's Business Centre Ubud Tourist Office Pura Desa Puri Saren Palace Merajan Agung Pura Batur Sari Ubud Market Market Temple Gusti Lempad’s Gallery Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women Highway Internet Café Ganesha Bookshop Agung Rai Museum of Art Kunang-Kunang I Ubud Clinic Murni’s Warung Murni's Warung Shop Pura Gunung Lebah The Blanco Renaissance Museum Neka Art Museum The Artists’ Village Ubud was a famous source for medicine. Its name comes from the Balinese word for medicine. Until the late 19th century, Ubud was a small principality, which was subservient to the palaces of Peliatan and Gianyar. Dewa Agung Anom, who was a patron of the arts, established the court of Gianyar, which is 10 km south of Ubud, in the early 18th century. His descendants in Ubud, Peliatan and Singapadu established satellite courts. Ubud is therefore related to the Sukawati kingdom, and members of the family still have Sukawati in their title. Ubud made some good alliances in the 19th century when the rajas were warring and gained power and lands and influence. Towards the late 1800s Ubud assisted the Gianyar court and as a result Ubud became important. Ubud and the Dutch helped the Gianyar court to defeat rival courts at Nagara and Blahbatuh. Gianyar then acknowledged Dutch power, and so did Ubud, and they were both protected by the Dutch. Gianyar was one of only two kingdoms to remain intact after the Dutch takeover in 1908, and it became the island's centre for royal patronage of the arts, with Ubud, in particular, flourishing under the rule of Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati. Although a relatively minor court, the Ubud royal court is today very highly respected. The Cokorda of Ubud attracted artists, sculptors and architects, who fell foul of the rulers in other kingdoms. A good example is Lempad. This tradition was continued in the 20th century when Western artists began to arrive from the late 30s onwards. This strengthened Ubud’s reputation even more as an artistic centre. Walter Spies was Bali’s most influential visitor. He had come to live in Campuan at the invitation of the Cokorda of Ubud. Before he had been teaching at the Sultan of Jogjakarta’s palace. He attracted a great number of Western notables and academics. Under the impetus of Spies and Cokorda Agung Gede Sukawati, the artists’ co-operative, Pita Maha, was formed to maintain high standards of Balinese art. Ubud was the heart of this nucleus of painters and sculptors. Ubud is still the cultural heart of Ubud, where painters, carvers, dancers and musicians live and work. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of travellers stay in Ubud or nearby, using it as an excellent base from which to visit Bali’s important sights (such as Goa Gajah, Pejeng, Taro and Gunung Kawi). Nowhere is very far - the dramatic volcano Mount Batur and its crater lake are only 35 km (22 miles) north of Ubud, Tenganan in east Bali is only about a 2 hour drive. There are also spectacular walks and white water rafting. In addition, the shopping and restaurants are of the highest quality. At the Aqueduct If you walk into Ubud from the aqueduct at the Campuan end of the main road you will see Pura Dalem on your left. The main road is called Jalan Raya. We will mention notable places taking the aqueduct as our starting point. Pura Dalem Nearly every Balinese village has three temples. One is Pura Dalem, the death temple, where the spirits of the uncremated dead reside. The temple is dedicated to Siwa. The temple has recently been magnificently renovated. Every Friday night there is an electric Kecak Dance or monkey dance and a fire trance dance. On Wednesday evenings a vibrant bamboo orchestra from West Bali, called Jegog, is played by local Balinese men and on Tuesday evenings there is a Barong and Keris Dance. Han Snel Gallery A little further, on the same side of the road, is a turning into Jalan Kajeng, which is a pleasant side road off Jalan Raya, where there is a small gallery of Dutch artist Han Snel’s work. He used to live there. Siti, his widow, still runs the restaurant. During World War II, Han Snel was a conscript soldier, drafted into the force sent to recapture the Dutch East Indies from the Indonesian Resistance in 1946. He deserted and escaped to Bali, where he became an Indonesian citizen and lived ever since. He died and was cremated in July 2000 in Ubud. He painted in a number of styles, but the most notable was geometric figures of Balinese landscapes and people, slightly cubist. He painted mainly portraits of Balinese women, and that was how he met his wife, Siti, who modelled for him from the age of thirteen. They got married when she was sixteen. There are also examples of his paintings in the other galleries in Ubud. Museum Puri Lukisan On the main street is the Museum Puri Lukisan. The Dutch painter. Rudolf Bonnet, who worked closely with Walter Spies and Balinese artists in the Thirties, wanted to maintain the quality of the arts and had long been looking to build an art museum. Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati of the Ubud royal family donated the land, which is now in the centre of Ubud, and Bonnet designed the gardens. Museum Puri Lukisan opened in 1956 and has been very successful. You enter over a bridge that leads from the main road through nice gardens. There are three buildings housing a permanent collection of Balinese art. There are fine woodcarvings and often there is an exhibition. The Museum is open daily, 8am-4pm. Tel: 975136. Moneychanger There are many and the rates vary. One of the most competitive is Kuta Central, opposite Museum Puri Lukisan, set back from the main road. You will need your passport to change travellers cheques. You get a better rate for bank notes, but crumpled dollar bills are likely to be refused. Pura Taman Saraswati This temple is west of Pura Desa, which is the village temple. Pura Taman Saraswati, which is set back from the main road, has a lovely lotus pond in front of it. There is a small pavilion overlooking the pond. You enter by a door in the west. The temple is dedicated to Dewi Saraswati, the goddess of learning, wisdom and the arts. Sometimes the Ubud women's gamelan group play the gamelan orchestra in the pavillion facing the main road. The temple was commissioned in 1950s by the Cokorda of Ubud to celebrate his release from prison. He was locked up on a political charge. I Gusti Lempad directed the construction and personally sculpted the statue of Jerp Gede Mecaling, the demon lord of epidemics and pestilence. It is 10 feet high. In the northeast corner is a beautiful padmasana, a pyramid arising from the back of the cosmic turtle, through the many layers of the universe, to the seat of the high god. Tino's Supermarket Opposite is Tino's, a western-style supermarket. Ary's Business Centre A little further along, Ary's is a convenient place to buy stamps and send mail. You can also make international calls from here. Ubud Tourist Office A little further along still on the same side of the main road is the tourist office, which is mainly a commission based accommodation agency. There are often free magazines and advertisements lying around. It is open daily, 8am-8pm. Tel: 973285. Pura Desa Opposite is Pura Desa, which is the main village temple. Puri Saren Palace Continue a little further along the main road to the royal palace at the northeast corner of the cross-roads in Ubud. Nearly every evening one of the most respected dance groups of Bali performs in the outer courtyard against the Kori Agung, which is a grand gate, built by I Gusti Lempad, Ubud’s most famous painter, whose house is a little further on. The Kori Agung separates the outer courtyard from the inner palace, where the current cokorda lives. The Puri Saren Palace was demolished, as was much of Bali, by an earthquake in 1917. Most of the buildings in Ubud were built shortly thereafter. Merajan Agung Immediately to the north of the main palace is a towering gate above a steep flight of steps. It is one of the finest of its kind with a striking pyramid of Boma faces rising above the door. This is the main entrance to the private palace temple of the royal family. It houses some of the palace’s most treasured heirlooms. Pura Batur Sari About 300 feet further north, past the palaces of the Cokorda’s close relatives, stands the small but elaborate Pura Batur Sari. It is an unusual royal temple and is guarded by a number of demon statues and clowns in front. Fierce lions protect the kulkul drum tower. It is a penyawang temple, which dates back to the days when transport was difficult. Their function is to enable gods from remote temples to come to ones that are more convenient. In this case, the goddess is the Goddess of Lake Batur. She can be worshipped here without the worshippers having to go all the way to her mountain temple. For three days, during her annual festival, a dance stage is erected in the middle of the street, which is closed. In the inner courtyard, a shrine with very fine doors, carved with golden images of Rangda, the legendary queen of witches, houses one of Ubud’s most powerful barong masks and a number of sacred Rangda masks. Ubud Market Opposite the Royal Palace is Ubud’s large market. Traditionally market day in Bali is every third day, but Ubud market is always busy. The best time to go is early in the morning, when the locals go to buy meat, fruit and vegetables. After about 10 am it becomes a market for tourists and a lot of over-priced rough items are sold to unsuspecting folk. Market Temple Just east of the main buildings there is a small temple, where the stall-holders make daily offerings to a fat Ganesha, the elephant god, who is supportive of traders and merchants. Gusti Lempad’s Gallery Opposite the market, going further east up the main street is Lempad’s Gallery. It was his home for almost a century. It is still in the family’s ownership and paintings are for sale there, but not his. The best place to see them is in Museum Puri Lukisan and Neka Art Museum. I Gusti Nyoman Lempad was the most remarkable painter that Bali has yet produced. His father was also an excellent painter as well as being talented in many other fields. In 1875, he offended his patron and fled to Peliatan and the protection of the court in Ubud. Lempad was 13 at this time. He lived and died in Ubud, in 1978, the remarkable age of 116. He was multi-talented, like his father. He originally painted in the Wayang style, but moved to a more expressive, freer style, painting and drawing in black Chinese ink on paper. The paintings are full of energy, yet tremendously elegant. He painted scenes of everyday life as well as religious themes. He was also an architect and talented wood carver. His paintings can be seen in Puri Lukisan and the Neka Art Museum. It is well authenticated that he waited for many months for the most appropriate day to die. When it arrived, he called his numerous scattered descendants together and asked them to bathe him and dress him in white. He told them that their inheritance was to complete the tasks that he had left unfulfilled in his short life, bade them farewell and died. Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women On the opposite side of the road British-born artist Mary Northmore, wife of deceased artist Abdul Aziz, set up the Association of Women Artists in Bali and then The Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women at 2B Jalan Sriwedari, off Jalan Raya. It promotes, displays and sells work by women artists. The Seniwati Association currently represents about 40 local and expatriate women, many of whom have pictures in the Gallery's permanent collection. There are regular art classes for young girls in the studio across the road from the Gallery. Seniwati Gallery's small permanent collection covers the complete range of mainstream Balinese art styles. There are information sheets on each of the artists. Note the classical Kamasan style Vindication of Sita by Ni Made Suciarmi, who helped the 1930s renovations on the Kerta Gosa painted ceilings in Klungkung. Batuan born Ni Wayan Warti paints in the traditional style of Batuan village, producing dark and highly detailed scenes. I Gusti Agung Galuh paints mainly in Ubud style. Pengosekan resident Gusti Ayu Suartini paints in her village style, concentrating on pastel birds and flowers. This is typical of the Pengosekan Community of Artists. Tjok Istri Mas Astiti paints scenes of the daily lives of local women, not ignoring aging legong dancers and poverty. Working in a more abstract vein, Sumatran-born Januar Ernawati has an abstract, expressionist style. Gusti Ayu Kadé Murni uses inspiration from her very personal dreams and supernatural images. The Gallery is open daily, 10am-5pm. Tel: 975485. Highway Internet Café Further down the main road is Highway, probably the fastest internet café in Ubud as it's connected to a satellite. Martial, the entertaining French owner, serves mango lassies.It i It is open 24 hours a day. Ganesha Bookshop Across the road is Ganesha, the best bookshop in Ubud. Tel: 976339. Agung Rai Museum of Art You reach this museum by going to Peliatan, which is a suburb of Ubud, by walking down Jalan Hanoman. This street runs off the main road, opposite Gusti Lempad's Gallery. Turn left into JalanPengosekan. It is one of the finest galleries in Bali. It is a huge art complex of traditional-style pavilions, each housing a different school of Balinese art. Schoolchildren regularly visit to practice drawing and copy paintings under the guidance of a senior artist. In the afternoons local children often learn Balinese dance. Agung Rai, an aristocrat, established the gallery in 1978; he used to sell his paintings to tourists on Kuta Beach in the early 1970s. There are also works of noted pre-war Dutch, German, and Austrian artists who lived and worked in Bali, exerting a major influence on local painting styles. Agung Rai has the only original Walter Spies painting in Bali, depicting the Calon Arang dance drama. There is also an extraordinary Covarrubias drawing of Balinese dancers putting on makeup. This cultural centre includes a performing stage, large galleries, a restaurant, café, nightclub, conference centre and good bookshop. The Museum is open daily, 9am-6pm. Tel: 976659. At the aqueduct again If you walk from the aqueduct in the other direction, as the main road curves left under the trees, you will be walking in the direction of Campuan. Pura Dalem and Kunang-Kunang II will be on your right. As before, we will mention notable places taking the aqueduct as our starting point. You will reach Campuan in a couple of minutes. It is a small hamlet adjoining Ubud. The word campuan actually means the place where two rivers meet, a corruption of campuran (as in nasi campur). In the 1970s a new road bridge was built over the river, but the old Dutch suspension bridge still stands and is used by pedestrians. Below the bridge flows the River Wos, which is a holy bathing site. Down on the right side, two branches of the river meet, which makes it a spiritual spot for Hindus. Kunang-Kunang I On the left is Kunang-Kuanang l, another shop in the Murni tradition, now managed by her daughter and son-in-law, Murtini and Nyoman. Kunang-Kunang I is open daily, 9am-7pm. Tel: 975714. Ubud Clinic Opposite is Ubud Clinic, which is probably the best in Ubud. It has an ambulance, pharmacy and a doctor on call. There is also a dentist . The clinic is open daily, 24 hours. Tel: 974911. Murni’s Warung and Murni's Warung Shop Murni’s Warung, the first real restaurant in Ubud, is right beside the old Dutch suspension bridge. It is one f the earliest established and most romantic restaurants in Bali. Founded by the current owner, Murni, in 1974, this has been a favorite restaurant, where old Asian hands have been meeting for years. It has always attracted famous people. You can often see Murni, a legend in the Far East, in the restaurant. It is a definite must for all travellers in the region. Set on four levels, it has stunning riverside views, definitely the best location in the area, and beautifully furnished with Murni's private collection of Indonesian furniture nd antiques. There is also an elegant cocktail lounge with comfortable sofas: a popular meeting place. Exotic drinks are served all day. The restaurant is open daily, 8am until the last customer leaves. Tel:
975233 Murni's Warung Shop Murni's Warung Shop, which forms part of Murni's Warung, is probably the best shop in Ubud. Murni, the legendary owner, is a well known personality in Ubud, and has spent over 25 years compiling an exquisite personal collection of jewelry, textiles, antiques, masks, puppets, baskets, carvings and other treasures from Bali, other parts of Indonesia and Asia. She has chosen her items for their quality, authenticity and value and some of them for sale. Murni's shops enjoy excellent reviews. Tel:
972146 Pura Gunung Lebah In the gorge opposite Murni’s Warung lies a beautiful, newly renovated temple, Pura Gunung Lebah. It is an agricultural and fertility temple and is one of the most dramatically situated temples in Bali. It is perched on rocks and is believed to have powerful earth energies as well as unusual psychic dangers. Legend has it that a wandering Hindu priest named Rsi Markandya founded the temple in the 8th century. It was considerably extended in the 16th century by the great Hindu priest, Nirartha. Near this spot in 1906, Nieuwenkamp discovered a nine-by-one-by-two-meter hewn-rock cave supported by two columns. Characters were written on the roof, which caved in during the 1917 earthquake. It is a place to collect holy water. There are frequent processions from nearby villages to collect it for temple ceremonies. There are also processions initiating temple ceremonies, whereby gods are taken to the river for a bath. The river also carries the ashes of cremated corpses to the sea. The cliffs of the gorge are honeycombed with sacred springs, hermits’ meditation niches and caves. In October 1991 the Penyegjeg Bhumi, the "Great Ceremony to Straighten the World" took place at the temple, a ceremony held only once a century. The Blanco Renaissance Museum Antonio Blanco, who died in December 1999, was an eccentric Catalonian artist and one of the great characters of Ubud. His home and gallery and lately museum are open to the public. They overlook Murni’s Warung and are reached by going past Murni’s Warung and up the driveway on the left just beyond the Campuan Bridge. The gardens are delightful, with exotic birds. The views over Ubud from the museum roof are stupendous. Blanco called his style renaissance and compared himself to Salvador Dali; many of his paintings are bawdy and erotic, yet possess grace and rhythm, attractive colors, and many hidden meanings. The frames are part of the art experience. He used to paint in a pit below floor level so he could view his subjects at eye level. There is a special area for the over 18s where hang the most erotic paintings. He was also a great marketeer: in the lobby are many photographs of himself, including several with Michael Jackson. He came to Bali in the 1950s, inspired by Miguel Covarrubias’ book “Island of Bali”, and married a local Balinese dancer, Ni Ronji. She is Murni's father's cousin. He painted her and his family often. His son Mario, also a painter, is carrying on the tradition from the house. Some of his father's works are also in the Neka Art Museum and Agung Rai Museum of Art. The Museum is open daily, 9am-5pm. Tel: 975551. Neka Art Museum 1 km north of Campuan is the Neka Art Museum. It is about a 20-minute walk uphill. This well laid-out museum, the largest privately owned one in Indonesia, is in a traditionally designed compound of four galleries containing works of art, which trace the history of Balinese painting. There is the museum, where works are not for sale, in one part of the complex; an exhibition where art is for sale and a bookshop. Suteja Neka, a local man, who has been collecting since 1966, founded the Museum. He has nurtured various painters and has been the subject of many portraits.
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