Located :
It is located at Bedulu village, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar Regency. From the cross road of Bedulu village to the south towards the village you can see the sign to “Yeh Pulu”. You can reach about 300 meters by car.
Descriptions :
The relief is carved on rock, located near Goa Gajah, between rice field and ravine. The Yeh Pulu site was rediscovered in 1925. In 1949 a simple protection was laid out to avoid water flowing on the surface of the relief. It looks like panel with the size of 25 x 2 meters. The Yeh Pulu figures showing mixed between the fairy tales of wayang (puppet show) and like a common people. If we see the area of Pejeng, it is rich with ancient stone carvings and also wayang figure is found near the village of Pejeng preserved at a temple called “Arjana Metapa”. From the site itself it is hard to give estimated date of the construction. From iconographic study we can only use as typological date based on the ancient relief of Candi Penataran in east Java. It is commonly agreed that Penataran temple was constructed during the end of Majapahit kingdom, around 1400 AD. If it is associated with the chronicle about Wayang puppet in Bali, it was around 16th century, when Bali kingdom controlled Blambangan kingdom (now Banyuwangi regency).
According to the chronicle during the attack of Blambangan, boxes full of wayng puppet were confiscated and were brought to the palace in Klungkung. In Klungkung near the capital city of the kingdom was the first Wayang style introduced by a painter inspired by the Wayang figure brought from Java. The place is now known as Kamasan village. So it was probable that this rock carving was made around this period. An important aspect from this art is that a new style had emerged. It is well understood that the art of Bali during ancient time was very idealistic and superhuman in nature, but this Yeh Pulu relief showing realistic and vigorous nature. It is hard to understand why the artist had deviated from the rules at the time. They did not only carved wayang figures but also human figures.
The whole scene of the relief is divided into 5 episodes:
In this episode one figure is interesting that a man is carrying something with pole on his shoulder, look like a Guci (English ” Urn “). In Bali guci is a place for palm wine (Bali: Tuak). One of the important figures is a dwarf like person with ascetic’s turban which is the prototype of present day Bali priest’s crown. Showing a bear hunters in attacking the bear and a man sitting on horse, two men carrying bear with pole .A woman holding the tail of a horse. So far it there is no traditional story that could be used to identify what is actually the depiction of these all. An extensive local folk tales have been recorded
How to get to Yeh Pulu Relief :
1. 50 minutes from Sanur
2. 70 minutes from Kuta
3. 10 minutes from Ubud
What you can see around Yeh Pulu Relief :
1. Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) located two kilometers east of Ubud , this complex overlooks the Petanu river and consists of a SiSwati rock-cut cave, a bathing place, a monks’ chamber, a number of Buddhists rock cut Stupa and statues , and several foundations.
2. Ubud Monkey Forest, the monkeys within the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal are commonly called long-tailed macaques. Their scientific name is Macaque fascicular. Macaques are found throughout Southeast Asia and many species of macaques live successfully in areas that are heavily utilized by humans.
3. Mas Village lies on the main road, 20 km to the north of Denpasar and 6 km before Ubud, in a hilly countryside covered with ricefields and irrigated year-round by the waters of the Batuan aud Sakah river.
4. Rudana Museum was established in 1995, with the main aim of providing an outstanding collection of paintings for the public to study and enjoy. Its presence must also be considered as complementing the existing total of fine art museums, which are much needed in order to improve the community’s level in the appreciation of the arts.
