Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

Tourist attraction located in the village of Goa Gajah Bedulu, Blahbatuh district, Gianyar regency. From the capital city of Denpasar, just take more time than less 45 minutes or within about 30 km towards the northeast, was in lane highway between Ubud to Kintamani.

Goa Gajah is a historic tourist attraction in the form of a cave where a monastery and Buddhist religious activities and religious Shiva (Hindu). In addition there are historical artifacts, these places have beautiful scenery surrounded by rice fields and rivers because of small (pakung). Goa Gajah is built on the edge of a small river meeting the water then flows into the river Petanu. Because the flow of the meeting of two rivers called "Campuhan" considered to have magical value, then the hermitage was built. Places and activities Buddhist hermitage located across the south of the river while in the north side of the river is a hermitage and religious activities of Shiva. The origin of Goa Gajah not be known with certainty. According to ancient Javanese book, written by mpu Negarakertagama Prapanca in 1365 AD, the name Goa Gajah derived from the word "LWA Gajah", LWA from lwah or loh which means water or river and the elephant is the name of the river is now called the river Petanu. Others say the name Goa Gajah derived from the statue of Ganesha in a cave on the northwest corner where the statue of Ganesha's trunk like an elephant head wear. In the year 975 Saka inscriptions Dawan Pandak Bandung and inscriptions mentioning the name of the hermitage "Antakunjarapada". When viewed from the meaning of the word 'kunjara' which means elephant, and the 'anta' means end or limit, while 'on' means a place or region. Thus Antakunjarapada means hermitage located in the border region Elephant Water, which is now called the Elephant Cave. Hermitage of Goa Gajah which in Sanskrit is called Antakunjarapada can be connected with Kunjarakunja hermitage in southern India on the slopes of Mount Kunjara, residence now called Agastya Rsi Agastya-panicle. The surroundings Kunjarakunja hermitage in the mountains on the banks of the river Tamraparni expected to be the concept of naming the hermitage of Goa Gajah. Buddhist statues and reliefs at the Buddhist monastery located on the south side of the river has a shape similar to the one in the Borobudur Temple. Based on this evidence, it can be said that in the 8th century AD, Goa Gajah was a Buddhist religious activities, religious relics older than Shiva contained within the cave itself. Relics in the cave as a statue of Ganesha, Trilingga in a square pedestal and Kadiri writing on the wall east of the entrance that reads "Kumon sahy (w) angsa" is writing a quadrangular. A similar article was found in the Gunung Kawi Temple Rock, which reads "haji lumahing jalu" and in the temple next to it contained the words "rwa ta (a) nak ira". Based on the type of writing is thought to originate from the 11th century AD. On the basis of evidence that can be said that the Goa Gajah in the 11th century AD was a place of religious activity of Shiva. Reliefs carved on the wall face of Goa Gajah is a sculpture that resembles the wild mountains with various trees and animals signify the monastery in the mountains with dense forest with various animals, the same as in Kunjarakunja monastery in southern India. Above the hole cave sculptures decorated stage that serves to maintain the sanctity and protect the hermitage. In 1923 a new Goa Gajah known to exist where previously covered by shrubs. Inside there are 13 niches Goa Gajah, 4 niche is in the hallway and the rest are in the cave, which serves to put the statue cult with the tools of ritual. Ganesha statue is located on the west niche and statue niches Trilingga located in the east. God Ganesha is a son of Lord Shiva, the god of repellent danger so-called gods Wighnapati. It is also called the god of wisdom and the god of wisdom and at the time called Winayaka. Ekadanta god is the god of the fanged one because of a broken fangs when it used the weapon when fighting giants Nilarudraka. Lord Ganesha seated attitudes that unite the toes called Wirasana symbolizes keprawiraan, genitri or beads that are the fabric of science items. Canine fracture in his right hand is a symbol of breaking keraksasaan and a bowl of water on the left hand which is inhaled with its trunk, symbolizing that science should be studied and searched. While parasu or ax is to avert danger. While Trilingga in a pedestal surrounded by 8 small phallus is central to worship the god Shiva in a vertical aspect, that of Lord Shiva, Sada Shiva, and Parama Shiva. Eight small phallus surrounding Astadewata interpreted as a symbol of the eight aspects of Shiva as the god Iswara, Brahma, the god Mahadeva, the god Vishnu, the god Mahesora, the god Rudra, Sangkara gods, and gods Sambu. And when added to one of the god Shiva in the midst of the Gods will be Nawa Sanga. On the outside of the cave there is a pond with a fountain which is the place to take the holy water for ritual purposes. Pond which was originally buried, only discovered in 1954 by Krijgsman of the Archaeological Department at that time. And statues found in your shower is a statue maidens who may number in fact there are 7 pieces but found only 5 pieces. Statues were divided into 2 groups, each of which there are 3 showers lined and one in the middle of nothing. Seven shower as a place to take the holy water to take the concept of 'Sapta tirta' ie 7 holy water which has a purity equal to 'Sapta pulse' of 7 purified river in India include the Ganges, the river Sindhu, Saraswati river, the river Yamuna, the river Godawari , Serayu rivers, and streams Darmada. At this time, ancient relics of Goa Gajah into a temple of Pura Goa Gajah the diayomi by the local community.