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Continuing up the road
to Tampaksiring you pass through pleasant rice land along a steady upward
climb which continues all the way to the rim of the center at Penelokan.
In the small town Tampaksiring a sign points off the road to the right
to Gunung Kawi. From the end of the access road a steep stone stairway
leads down to the river, at one point making a cutting through an embankment
of solid rock. There, in the bottom of this lush green valley with beautiful
rice terrace climbing up the hillsides, is one in Bali's oldest, and certainly
largest, ancient monuments.
Gunung Kawi consist of 10 rock-cut Candis, memorials cut out of the rock
face in imitation of normally constructed monument - in a similar fashion
to the great rock-cut temples of Ajanta and Ellora in India. The Candis
are believed to be memorials to members of the Balinese royalty of the
11th century but little is known for certain. The Candis stand in seven-meters-high
sheltered niches cut into the sheer rock cliff faces. There are four on
the west side of the river, which you come to first. You cross the on
a bridge to a further group of five on the east side. A solitary Candi
stands further down the valley to the south, reached by a trek through
the rice paddies.
Legends relate the whole groups of memorials were carved out of the rock
faces in one hard working night by the mighty fingernails of Kebo Iwa.
Each of the sets of memorial has a group of monk's cells associated with
it, includingone on the east side with the only 'no shoes, sandals, boots
may be worn' sign I've ever seen in Bali. There are other similar groups
of Candis and monk's cells within the area ancient Kingdom of Pejeng-but
none of them so grand or on so large a scale.
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Other
Area In Gianyar Regency
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| The Regency
is enriched by the most popular Tourist Resort such as : |
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