Goa Gajah lies about 4 km east of Ubud, via
Peliatan, on the right-hand side of the road and just before Bedulu. Goa Gajah
literally means the Elephant Caves. Goa Gajah, which is dated
back from the 11th century, was excavated in 1922. The caves are hard to miss
as there is a large car park, with an imposing line of stallholders catering
for the numerous coach trips. The complex is on the side of the hill
overlooking the Petanu River, down a flight of steps. There is a reference in
the 1365 lontar (palm-leaf manuscript) Nagarakertagama to a Balinese place
called Lwa Gajah (Elephant Water or River) which was a dwelling place of a
Buddhist priest. The word ‘Lwa’ is Lwah or Loh is meaning
water or river. Whereas ‘Gajah’ is a name of river at the front of the temple
which is now called as Petanu river. The other theory from Dawan Inscription in
975s and Pandak Badung Inscription mentioned name of hermitage that is
“Antakunjarapada”. ‘Kunjara’ means Gajah, ‘Anta’ means Boundary, and ‘Pada’
means Place or Teritorry. So Antakunjarapada means Hermitage place that is
located boundary of Gajah’s river.
LOCATION
Goa Gajah temple is located in west side of
Bedulu countryside, Blah Batuh Sub district in Gianyar Regency. It is about 27
km from Denpasar town. This cave is built at crevasse edge from the federation
of 2 rills that is called Pangkung River , where the irrigation is mixed with
Petanu River flow. The federation area of two rivers is called
Campuhan/Mixture. It owns the magical energy on the basis of Rwabineda
Concept/two different matters on this basic concept hence Gua Gajah (Elephant
Cave) is intentionally built among two rivers.
HISTORY
As Ganesha (the elephant-headed deity) is the son
of Siwa and lingga are generally attributed to Siwa-workship, we might conclude
that Goa Gajah is a Siwaite temple. But the sleeping niches and Buddhist ruins
just outside the cave suggest otherwise. The sculpted face of the cave wears
large earplugs and therefore is a woman - many interpret her as a Rangda-type
witch figure which could be linked to Tantric Buddhism or Bhairavite Siwaism.
Another theory is that this cave is being pushed apart and split into two -
just a Siwa pushed apart the great cosmic mountain and created Mount
Agung and Mount Batur. There is a symbiotic relationship between these two
sacred mountains, with Mount Agung being the male and Mount Batur the female.
Often ceremonies propitiating the deities in the temple of one must be held in
the other as well to complete the ritual cycle. In front of the cave is a
statue of Hariti, a Buddhist demoness cum goddess. She used to devour children
and then changed her ways to those of a good Buddhist and became the
Protectress of Children. This statue dates back to A.D. 1000. The Balinese have
adapted her into their own “Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” or Men Brayut - a
poor woman, who along with her husband Pan Brayut, had so many children she
just didn’t know what to do.
