Goa Gajah

Is located in Banjar Goa, Bedulu village, Blahbatuh subdistrict, Gianyar regency, it is about 5 km from Ubud. Is easy to find using map, below is the location of Goa Gajah.

Goa gajah on map. .

Goa Gajah has been known since the reign of some kings, among others are : Sri Dharmawangsawardhana Marakatapangkajastano Tunggadewa ( 1022 AD ), King Anak Wungsu (1053 AD ), Paduka Sri Mahaguru (1324 AD).

Mpu Prapanca on his book Negarakertagama, during the reign of Hayam Wuruk king in the Majapahit era wrote that Lwa Gajah is located in Bedutu village as the hermitage place of Sang Bodadyaksa.

The term “Kunjarakunjapada” is also mentioned, which means “Kunjara dormitory.” In Sanskrit, “kunjara” means elephant. This dormitory refers to the one of Rsi Agastya, located in Mysore, South India, where many wild elephants lived around it. It is possible that Goa Gajah was built to remind people of the Kunjarakunjapada dormitory in India.

The discovery of Goa Gajah began with a report by LC. Heyting, an official of the Netherlands East Indies, in 1923. He reported finding a Ganesha statue, Trilingga, and a Hariti statue to the government. Later, in 1925, Dr. W.F. Stutterheim conducted further research. In 1950, the Archaeological Sites Office continued the investigation.

In Indonesia, research and excavation of ancient buildings in Bali, led by J.L. Krijgman, took place from 1954 to 1979. During this time, an ancient holy water pond was discovered, featuring six statues of women. These statues are believed to emit cleansing vibrations, which continue to attract visitors seeking spiritual purification.

There is building that holds the statue of Ratu Brayut or Hariti in front of the cave According to the archaeologists, Haritihad an evil character in the beginning but after learning Buddhi’sm her evil nature is turned into children’s lover, as seen on the statue. .

On the upper right side of the cave wall, there is a writing of “Kuman” and “Shy Wangsa” written in Kadiri Kwadrat letters which meaning could not be certainly known by the historians. According to archaeological research of the statues art from and ancient holy water pond that exist in the Goa Gajah is believed to be inherited in the ll th century, (source : BP3 Bali)

The Goa Gajah complex consists of two main sections. The northern part is linked to Shaivism, featuring the Tri Lingga and Ganesha statues within the cave. In the southern part of the complex, in the Tukad Pangkung area, a thirteen-tiered Buddhist stupa and a three-branched stupa carved into a large stone were discovered by Concrat Spies in 1931. The incomplete state of the stupas is attributed to a disaster that struck Bali in 1917.

Additionally, the Petapan Temple, located to the south above the Pangkung River, houses a Buddha statue believed to date back to the 9th century, serving as evidence of the spread of Buddhism in Bali.

The archaeological findings of both Buddhism and Shaivism at Goa Gajah reflect the religious tolerance of the past, which is still evident in Bali today.

Things To Do At Goa Gajah