Trunyan, Most Unique Ancient Village in Bali
So far, the uniqueness containing in the village name of Trunyan has been well know up to foreign countries. Trunyan Village denoting an ancient village located right on the shores of Lake Batur, Kintamani ,retains a variety of uniqueness. One of them is in the treatment applied to the bodies. At this location , the corpse is not buried but laid down on the ground of local cemetery.
To know better about the unique tradition and culture of the Trunyan community, here are the brief reports of quick trip to Trunyan Village, Kintamani. To achieve the Trunyan Village, we should first pas through the Penelokan tourist object. From Penelokan , we can witness tha amazing splendor of Lake Batur and Mount Batur.
Sometimes, we some across a tourist boat serving the crossing from Kedisan Village to Trunyan Village. Meanwhile, from Denpasar you will take a distance af about 60 km and from the capital of Bangli is only 23 km. Besides, the remnants of the frozen and black lava almost evenly spreading across the region become an attraction for every single visitor.
To complement the existing tourism facilities in Batur area, at Kedisan has been built at boat dock specifically serving the crossing traffic leading to Trunyan . A motor boat is usually able to accommodate maximally seven tourists. Meanwhile, Trunyan Village is situated on the Edge of Lake Batur surrounded by green cliffs and hills.
It is said , there is a Taru Menyan tree growing in the area and smelling like very fragrant incense. According to local belief, this causes the bodies not to smell, although it is only laid down on the bed of the cemetery. Three types of grave in Trunyan , the body is not burnt but only placed on the ground of cemetery. Curiously though the bodies have turned to leave a skull they absolutely exude no odor .Even, those skulls become the fascination of Trunyan as an ancient village.
The community is considered as the village of Bali Aga or the natives of Bali. According to the Chief of Trunyan Village, the village had three type of grave where, according to village tradition of Trunyan, they were classified by the age of the dead people, the wholeness of the main body and the way of burying. Cemetery was considered the most holy and best. The bodies buried were only the intact body whose death process was considered natural or not due to suicide and accidents.
Mean while, the second cemetery was specially intended for young people like babies and adult who where not married yet. “However, it should remain to comply with the condition where the corpse is still intact and has no defects,” he explained. Furthermore, the third cemetery was called Setra Bantas. It was specifically earmarked for the disabled and the bodies dying of either unnatural causes such as accidents and suicide.
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Seven Sacred Grave’s Holes
Out of the three types of cemetery, the most interesting and visited by many tourists is the main cemetery or Setra Wayah. This cemetery is situated about 400 meters north of the village and bordered by projection of foot of the hill. In buying the corpse, part of the chest upwards is not buried and left open . The body is only bordered by plaited bamboo fence forming a cone used to fence off the corpse.
It was described, there were 7 graves and if all graves has been full and there were more new bodies, people would bury the corpse, while the old corpse would be taken out from the pit and the new bodies would occupy the pit .The old body would be just placed on the edge of the pit. So, do not be surprised if the human skulls scattered at the Setra Wayah that may not be buried or removed.
Furthermore, Sutapa said that another uniqueness of Trunyan Village was the ancient’s relics. The Trunyan inscription dated Caka Year 813 (891 AD) mentioned the existence of a temple called Pancering Jagat. The temple retained a holy seven tiered building called Meru shrine. In the Meru was stored a megalithic statue with the height of approximately 4 meters and it was truly sanctified by the society of Trunyan. The statue it self is known as the Lord Da Tonta (Ida Pancering Jagat).
Such seven tiered Meru shrine is regarded AS the symbol of man. Meanwhile, the symbol of woman lies on the shrine of Ida Ratu Ayu Dalem Pingitan in the form of three-tiered Meru equipped with the immeasurable symbol. According to local belief of Trunyan and Balinese community, the Purusha-Prakirti (cosmic male-famale) is a symbol of fertility. Trunyan also has another uniqueness namely , Barong Brutuk Dance, believed to represent the ratu Pancering Jagat.
