In order to know the status of Tanah Lot Temple can be realized from the temple history, function and also incoming devotee existence pray when temple ceremony is held. In this case can be realized as follows:

• Tanah Lot Temple as dang Kahyangan (the big Holy Temples in Bali ), because the history and the  Penyiwi (The people taking care of the temple) are from the local people from Tabanan regency and surrounding area

• Tanah Lot temple as Segara Temple, because its function as sanctum to worship the Bhatara Segara, the God with manifestation as the ocean Power Deity

• The temple ceremony which is executed every six-month (210 days) that on Anggara (Tuesday) Kliwon Julungwangi (Base on Balinese Hindu calendar). Every 12 months (420 days) is executed by the bigger ceremony from the ordinary ceremony, so-called Piodalan Agung
• Pakelem ceremony is executed at any times as according to situation and condition. The Pakelem ceremony owns the function to worship the supremacy and also cheapness of the infinite for award of life, fertility, prosperity, as impact of the existence of ecosystem balance so that give the benefit for life and universe life forever and ever, during Beratan Lake and Beratan Mount stand up

Luhur Watukaru temple or Pura Batukaru  is one of the biggest Hindu Temples in Bali (Sad Kahyangan) with Catur Lokapala Temple and Padmabhuwana Temple status. It is set in the plateau area with lush tropical rain forest surround it. It is situated in the peaceful area which is far from the local resident that is ideally for worship. There are some temple building spread out through the tranquility of rain forest and the big mountain of Batukaru as a back drop.

Watukaru or Batukaru Temple is located at Wangaya Gede countryside, Penebel District and Tabanan regency, and west part of Bali Island. It is located right on the foot of Mount Batukaru and about 1.30 hours from Denpasar Airport.

The history of this temple is difficult to be found out even in the ancient omission exists in this temple. For example some profile area like harpoon own the Ancient Bali type, but no written data found it. The effort study and research of this temple history remain to find difficulties. The temple festival at Luwur Watukaru or Batukaru Temple is executed every six-month or 210 days which is every Thursday Umanis Wara Dungulan (Balinese Calendar), just the day after Galungan Day (the biggest Balinese Hindu Holidays). The extension day of temple festival is executed during eleven day, to give the opportunity for Hindu public society especially in Bali to come for praying. Pengempon (the society who take care of the temple) has the obligation to take care of the temple inclusive of ceremony execution. This fact is one of characteristic power outside of physical of Watu Karu Temple.
Kubayan is commissioned holy occupation lead the temple ceremony and his status higher than all priests in Pretending pertinent Ancient. In the execution of praying during the temple festival or the certain day ceremony, it has to be preceded by doing pray in Beji Temple which is located in eastside of Watu Karu Temple or inside of Madya Mandala (middle area) and Nista Mandala (outside area). After doing pray in Beji Temple, then the praying is continued  in the main temple building located in the center of temple area. This is also not need again clean the hand and gargle because, it has been conducted the hallowing of body by conducting pray in Beji Temple. This is specification of praying procession in Watukaru Temple.

The three elements temple area of Watukaru or Batukaru is equal to other temples in Bali generally which is consisted of outside area (Nista Mandala), Middle area (Madya mandala) and Center area (Utama Mandala). After refurbishing three temples are of this temple in some years ago, the element conception and structure of these three temple areas are progressively become everlasting and conceptual. This is especially in outside area where we can meet the existence of Wantilan building (Meeting Hall) which can be used for multifunction and it is located on the right of the entrance gate. The refurbishment at the parking area has made easy for the Hindu society or all tourists who pay a visit to this temple. It is also other public facilities like toilet which is located at outside temple area or the left side of entrance gate is in good condition and cleans enough. 

Since the government improves the public facilities at Watukaru Temple or Pura Batukaru and appointed as a tourist destination in Bali, nowadays many tourists from local and foreign countries has come to visit this temple area which is the cold atmospheres surround it. The rain forest is covering the temple area and gives the fresh air and deeply the religious nuance. It is the ideal places for meditation  and visited by religious  travelers. You can join Batukaru Temple Tour if you wish to visit this temple other tourist sites like Jatiluwih Rice Terrace and Tabanan Hot Water. 

Bintaran developed parallel with the coarse of time. Starting from a dwelling place of Prince Haryo Bintoro during the rule of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono, this area became an Indische housing area in 1930s.


Bintaran, from the House of Pangeran Bintoro to Indische City

Similar to Kotabaru, Bintaran was an alternative dwelling place for Dutch people who lived in Indonesia. It grew when Loji Kecil area could not accommodate the inhabitants anymore. Physically, the area that you can reach by walking eastwards from Gondomanan crossroad did not grow as fast as Kotabaru. One of the factors was the location that is still close to Loji Kecil so that various facilities could be accessed easily.

Before becoming an Indische dwelling place, Bintaran was known as the place where Ndalem Mandara Giri functioning as the house of Prince Haryo Bintoro, one of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Kingdom descendants. The growth of Bintaran as an Indische dwelling place was predicted to begin in 1930s signed with construction of house, facilities such as church and even prison. Generally, Dutch people who lived in Bintaran were those working as officers and workers at sugar factory.

Similar to other Indische kampongs, when YogYES visited, Bintaran was decorated with buildings in characteristic European-style architecture. Nonetheless, the characteristic of the buildings in Bintaran area is different from the characteristic of the buildings in Loji Kecil or Kotabaru. The yard of the house in Bintaran area is wider, while the verandah is smaller with many pillars; exterior window shutter is in the form of blind and the interior window leaf is decorated with glasses.

Architecturally exotic, historical building in the area is certainly Ndalem Mandara Giri. The architecture of the house was combination of Javanese and Dutch. Javanese characteristics can be seen from the hall of which materials were shipped specially from Demak in 1908. Meanwhile, the characteristics of the Dutch building can be known from the vast space and high walls with characteristic Dutch big windows having two window leaves.

After Prince Haryo Bintoro left this place, other descendant of different kingdom lived there. The wide hall of the house had been functioned as keris exhibition room, even when the house was emptied since 1997. Now, this building that you can find easily on the T-junction after you turn left from Sultan Agung road functions as the office of Karta Pustaka, and Indonesian-Netherlands institution.

Other historical buildings can be found near Ndalem Mandara Giri. One of them is Sasmitaloka Jenderal Soedirman building on the left side of Bintaran road. In the past, the building founded in 1890 was used as the dwelling place of finance office of Paku Alam VII castle named Wijnschenk. The building once was utilized as official house of General Soedirman, then the dwelling house of Tukul Company after the independence.

Meanwhile, Biology museum on Sultan Agung road used to be functioned as the house of Paku Alaman local military supervisor. The house of a Dutch named Henry Paul Sagers now functions as Fire Department office. Another historical building is the Dutch prison that currently functions as Wirogunan prison.

Like Indische dwelling place in general, Bintaran also has church facility. Interestingly, Bintaran church was founded based on the idea of Javanese people who did not feel comfortable with the way Dutch people said their prayer. H. van Driessche. SJ, a Dutch-Indonesian person became the construction coordinator of the church that is located at the south end of Bintaran road. The naming of this church that was built in 1931 to become Saint Josef Church related to Father Driessche's prayer to Saint Josef when he felt it difficult to find a location for the church.

In addition to the building and history, Bintaran now also offers other enchantment, namely its culinary. One of the famous ones is Bakmi Kadin (the main menu is fried and boiled noodles) that is located in West Bintaran.

Text: Yunanto Wiji Utomo
Photo & Artistic: Agung Sulistiono Mabruron
Copyright © 2007 YogYES.COM

Some Dutch great buildings or often called as loji with various functions can be enjoyed its grandeur now. Loji Kecil, Loji Besar, Loji Kebon even Loji Setan, all of them presents its historical story.

Loji, the First Indies Area in Yogyakarta

Colonizing Indonesia for hundreds of years, including Yogyakarta, Dutch people left some historical buildings. The buildings were called loji by local people because of its grand size and wide yard. You can enjoy the beauty of some of the buildings cheaply; you only have to walk along the area in the city center of Yogyakarta, starting from the crossroad of the Grand Post Office or kilometer 0.

The oldest loji in Yogyakarta is located precisely opposite the Grand Post Office, namely a building named Benteng Vredeburg or Vredeburg Fortress. The building of the fortress that is often called Loji Besar or Loji Gede meaning the Grand Building was built in 1776 - 1778, only two years after the foundation of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Kingdom, one of Mataram Kingdom fractions. The fortress initially named Rustenburg was intentionally built in the axis of Kingdom - Tugu in order to control what the Kingdom did.

Being a fortress, the Loji Besar area was equipped with various supporting buildings, for example the spying place and the resting place for the soldiers. When Loji Besar was still used as fortress, there was a canon that intentionally was directed to the Kingdom in a ready-to-fire position to ease the raid. It was done in order for the Kingdom to acknowledge the power of Dutch troops.

Now, you can explore each corners of Loji Besar because it is open for public. In addition to the fortress with characteristic European architecture, you can also see diorama of Indonesian struggle to reach the independence. The weird thing of the fortress is that the name does not reflect the image of a fortress; rust means resting, vrede means peace and burg means fortress. Rustenberg that means fortress for resting and Vredeburg meaning fortress of peace are not suitable names.

From Vredeburg, the most visible loji is Loji Kebon, which is now known as Gedung Agung or the Great Building. The building with European style was built in 1824 and functioned as Residence Building. The yard of Loji Kebon is so wide and is decorated with statues that Dutch officers collected from different corners of Yogyakarta. In 1912, the complex of Loji Kebon was equipped with Societeit de Vereniging building where Dutch officials danced accompanied by violin.

Just like Loji Besar, Loji Kebon also serves as historical witness. The construction of the building that was designed by A Payen was stopped during Prince Diponegoro war in 1825 - 1830 that nearly made the Dutch went bankrupt. During Japanese colonization, this building served as dwelling place of a Japanese official named Koochi Zimmukyoku Tyookan. When the capital of Indonesia was moved to Yogyakarta on 6 January 1946, this building functioned as presidential palace. Up to present time, even though the capital of Indonesia is in Jakarta, this building still serves as a presidential palace.

The other loji area is Loji Kecil that is located to the east of Vredeburg fortress, to be exact in the area of Shopping Center to the crossroad of Gondomanan. Different from Loji Besar that functioned as a fortress and Loji Kebon as government building, Loji Kecil serves as a dwelling place. Now, even though only a few left, you can still enjoy several old buildings, one of them is located in Taman Pintar complex. In the same complex, there is also Societet Militair building where Dutch military troops used to relax.

The area of Loji kecil was the center of dwelling place of the first Dutch people in Yogyakarta. Now, you can enjoy the beauty of some supporting facilities such as Protestansche Kerk church that was built in 1857 (it is now named Marga Mulya Christian church, located to the north of Gedung Agung) and Francis the Xavier church of Kudul Loji (the old building) that was founded in 1870, which is located to the south of Loji Kecil area.

Another loji area that is not less interesting is Loji Setan or the Satanic Building. It bears the name since the building that by far is not known when it was built is eerie. Many people tell that in the eastern room and the center hall there are often crying voices for help and sound of dance music. Governor Raffles was told to drop by in the building that now functions as the office of Local House of Representative on 15 May 1812 when Dutch was triumphant in Yogyakarta.

Loji Setan had functioned for different purposes. In the past, the building was often used for meditation and exhibition room, for example the exhibition by Luch Bescherming Dienst in 1940. After the independence, the building that initially was named Loji Marlborough was used as the office of Indonesian National Committee (1945 - 1949), the office of Nation Defense Council and the place where cabinet meeting was held (1948).

Walk around each loji, and you will enrich your history insight from compiling each story of them.
Text: Yunanto Wiji Utomo
Photo & Artistic: Agung Sulistiono Mabruron
Copyright © 2007 YogYES.COM