History
On his way, Rsi Markaneya received a divine revelation that in Bali, he would bury five precious metals on the slopes of the mountain where the main temple Besakih now stands. Together with a group of followers, Rsi Markaneya was magnetically attracted to the destination situated at the foot of the island's central hill which radiated light and energy. This place is Campuhan at the intersection of the Wos River in Ubud and it is here that he felt compelled to build a temple by the name of Pura Gunung Lebah.
On subsequent expeditions around Bali, Rsi Markaneya built a number of other important temples and created a common irrigation system in terraced landscapes (terassering) which is still practiced by farmers today. The formation of the Banjar, which is a village council responsible for community and religious affairs, was also inspired by this saint. Basically, it can be said that Rsi Markaneya is responsible for the foundation of Balinese Hinduism in its purest form which is called the Tirta Religion or the religion of Holy Water.
Since its founding in the 8th century, the Campuhan area has always been highly respected by the Balinese for its extraordinary spiritual power. Even the term Ubud comes from the term Ubad, which means medicine which refers to the traditional healing properties of the various plants that grow randomly here. Generations of Hindu worshipers have made special pilgrimages to the fork at the Wos River to mediate, bathe and collect holy water for temple ceremonies and cleansing rituals.
There has always been a bond between Java and Bali, but it disintegrated when the once strong Majapahit Kingdom in the 15th century carried out a mass exodus of aristocrats to Bali. A new kingdom on the east coast of the island called the Gelgel Kingdom was consequently established and provided protection for many important ruling families. They carry an artistic legacy and the principles of the caste system.
In the 17th century, Bali always experienced the rapid emergence of new kingdoms, including the establishment of several royal houses in Ubud. However, this period also saw many conflicts between royal clans and supremacy as the ultimate goal. A prince from Klungkung was sent to make the palace in Sukawati a center of great power and aesthetic beauty. Craftsmen come from all over Bali to help in the construction and after completion many of them choose to stay. Today, Sukawati is a community place that is very supportive of all forms of art as well as dance and music.
With the successful establishment of a ruling authority in Sukawati, court followers were then sent in the late 1700s to secure the Ubud area. The king's cousins formed a rival community in Padang Tegal and further north in the Taman area. Following subsequent fighting between neighboring villages, the king of Sukawati sent his brothers, Tjokorde Ngurah Tabanan to Peliatan and Tjokorde Tangkeban to Sambahan to build palaces with the idea of controlling these troubled areas.
Despite the start of the feudalistic struggle between the Peliatan and Mengwi Kingdoms, the two overcame their differences after a battle that was said to involve magical powers. After that, the Mengwi people moved to help inhabit Ubud and during the 1800s the whole area began to flourish with an abundant supply of rice and a thriving economy.
In the mid-19th century there was anti-Dutch sentiment arising in the kingdom and conflicts were rife. Mengwi suffered a bitter defeat and all the land was divided between the attackers. Some of the fighting that occurred was actually sparked by the Dutch and when it was unusual to see opposing kingdoms suddenly form an alliance. The colonial government chose to disrupt the island's politics in the early 20th century. Under the leadership of Tjokorde Gede Raka Sukawati, Ubud became known as a sub-district and then in 1981 became a sub-district which took over the administration of 13 neighborhoods and 7 traditional villages. Ubud Regency currently covers all areas within the boundaries of Tegallalang, Peliatan, Mas and Kedewatan.
Bali witnessed a significant wave of overseas visitors during the 1930s. This first wave of tours was focused around Ubud because of the business belief of Tjokorde Gede Agung Sukawati who was fluent in English and Dutch. He has set up a small guest house and his older brother Tjokorde Raka Sukawati, who lives across the street, took the initiative to welcome the famous artist composer Walter Spies to Ubud to live and work.
This became a trend for other foreign artists and it wasn't long before people like Rudolf Bonnet and Willem Hofker arrived to present modern painting. As word of Ubud and its enchanting beauty spread, the village went on to play host to a circle of famous faces such as Noël Coward, Charlie Chaplin, H.G Wells and the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead.
The vision of establishing a painter association was born in 1936 and saw a collaboration to form Pita Maha between Tjokorde Gede Agung, Spies, Bonnet, and several local artists. With the help of American composer Colin McPhee, who has built houses along the stunning Sayan Ridge, the group is responsible for bringing together some of Bali's greatest artists to teach painting, dance and music to a younger generation. Ubud developed a reputation as the pulse of Balinese culture and that image has survived to this day.
World War II brought difficulties for the island of Bali and Ubud was suffering greatly. The Japanese invaded and this was followed by the hard struggle of the Balinese people against the Dutch for Independence. Indonesians gained their freedom and were their first President in 1945, but some 20 years later the so-called 'communist coup' saw thousands of killings across the archipelago. Many lives were stolen, especially in Ubud and it is local folklore that the White Herons that inhabit the Petulu area are actually the lost souls of those who were slaughtered.
After nearly 20 years of uncertainty, tourism returned to Ubud during the 1970s when backpackers and hippies set out in search of new experiences. A steady stream of visitors since then have found themselves captivated by the intense beauty of the scenery and the friendliness of its people. Ubud has succeeded in embracing the 21st century with dignity and still maintains the timeless arts, culture and religion. It is an important destination that is blessed with a strong sense of community and rare spiritual energy.
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