HOT SURYAKSYU: "BATU GUNDUL" an art of nature

By Ida Bagus Putu Satwika

BLUE OVER HAIRLESS LAND OF STONE

Actually, Bali offers an abundant of attractiveness, no matter whether they are ones of its marvelous cultures, traditional customs, arts, and the people’s simple way of life as well. However, there is one more thing that makes most visitors like to enjoy, and sometimes undiscovered, that is the place itself. It is wise to think, whether a place has an attractive landscape or not, whether it’s surrounding makes them feel comfortable or not, whether the environment offers a better sanitation or not. Although the place is rich of culture or whatever that is mainly able to attract millions of visitors, it is not wise to neglect the existence of the place itself.

Because of this reason, the writer tries to offer some lovely places to visit around Bali, especially ones that are located in Buleleng regency. Some of them spread in the district of Banjar. There is one of them which will be introduced here. It is “Batu Gundul”, bald land of stone, an art of nature. In the point of fact, it might offer an enormous pleasure whether you enjoy night or day.

The writer need some supports either from the government or other institution to develop some of the objects of interest by which can be beneficial for all people and tourism customers as well.

On the other side of a traditional village, there lay a small baby land, which exactly has no fur at all, so hairless, definitely bare, incredibly naked, bald indeed, then the local people name it “Batu Gundul”. It is hardly to get up as if it has been sick for ages. Or it might wait for someone or the government who want to wake it up, feed it, or then looks after, and develops it at last. Finally, it might become a lovely pretty lady land.

A SIGHT SEEING AT “BATU GUNDUL”, BALD LAND OF STONE

The location is in the District of Banjar, Buleleng Regency. It is about 10 minutes by driving a car or riding a motorbike from Lovina tourist area or about 20 minutes from the capital of Singaraja. Banjar is very famous of grape plantation, mother of wine, where you can see during your way to Banjar Village. Mother of wine that is true, that most people of the world say of this plant, grape. Whereas the people of Bali know “tuak”, coconut or palm wine, better than other alcoholic drinks since their ancestor inhabited this island of God with thousands of temples. Banjar is also well known because of its unique erotic “jogged” dance. Once you enjoy it, then you are never willing to return to your country. It impresses so much because you can involve with the dancer to share free movements with her during the dance performance.

A MAGICAL GOD’S SCULPTURE

Beside those attractiveness's, there are two more popular objects of interest. They are the Vihara Budist temple, which located in Banjar Tegehe Village and the natural hot spring, which located in Banjar, the main village. Actually, this tourism area offers an abundant of services with friendly atmosphere as well as traditional, natural, and reliable attitude.

Here, the writer wants to introduce one more new object of interest that might offer you the feeling of relaxation through the breeze of wind. That is “Batu Gundul”, bald, hairless, uncovered land of stone, which lay along the way to another neighborhood village, Banyusri and Pedawa, going southward from the main road of Banjar. Exactly, this place looks like a giant natural open stage where you can enjoy the sun set late in the afternoon, or you can see more than half of the blue sky, or you can observe millions of stars at night while engaging with the coolness and quietness of the nature. On the other side, you can see almost three fourth of the horizon northward from the location where the edge of the sky meet java sea line. But unfortunately, this beauty of the place has not been in touch by the government who has dominant responsibility to develop it so it might become the lovely goodness park of the future.

A ROAD TO “HEAVEN” AT BATU GUNDUL SIDE

Nowadays the local people like to visit this place for jogging or just for sightseeing, especially to release their depression after monotonous works. You know, that it is better to feel this beauty of nature in the morning when the air is still fresh or fetch your friends to go for a walk in the afternoon to enjoy the amazing sunset. When the night begins, it really gives us a pleasant feeling, especially when we come to this undiscovered site in a full moon night. We feel a different atmosphere. It is actually a real peace inside our mind. There is no harsh at all.

But ones that make visitors feel anxious that there has not been built a place to stay at night where you can enjoy a night impression. Consequently, the government needs to pay special attention to the development of this prospective object.

Although this place is considered high above sea level, water is not primarily a big problem because there are some water springs, which come out on another higher village southward. One of all is that the place needs to be managed well by investors or the government. The development of this area might offer much benefit either to the local people, to the natural resources, and the government income as well.

A SENSE OF SPIRIT

On the other hands, the place is quite unique that makes it different among other places in Bali. It looks like African natural landscape. The land is like a stone carpet, with a few small tropical tree and dried grass somewhere. Thus, people like to call it “Batu Gundul”, bald land of stone. Further more, there are some other good sights, which support this miracle. They spread around this village and yet they locate closed to each other.

Going down northward from this place in about, not more than ten minutes, you will face a huge crowded people who are very busy exchanging their goods for good prices. They get involved in commonly Balinese traditional way of exchanging, bargaining. There happens a sportive fight between the merchants and the customers in order to win the competition in which the winner might be the customer who gets things for lower prices. Moreover, when there are more customers than dealers, or when there are more demands than requests, all things might turn higher. Then finally, the brokers would be the champions of the market’s competition.

SPARKLING MOON LIGHT AT BARE LAND OF “BATU GUNDUL”

Banjar is also well known for its farm, which products enter the market daily, no matter day or night. There are many things can be found in the market. So as the impact, the sleeping hours of the market might be shorter than the human habit of taking a rest because early in the morning, or it is only a couple of minutes after midnight, this pretty market has just got up from its soundly sleeping. Of course, the traders and their customers wake it up. The activities of exchanging have begun just an hour after midnight. The market has opened at about 1 a.m.

Extending your adventure, you may return to the same direction to the first site southward from the market. You take the first on the left turning after the bridge; the narrow asphalted road will guide you to the way to the famous holy hot spring. You may need only a few minutes to get to the place. You may feel a marvelous sense of relaxation there. Then, you can cool yourself by soaking your body in a warm water spring after getting tired of bargaining activities in the traditional market of Banjar.

THE AMAZING COMPLETION WITH CACTUS PLANTS

Returning from holy hot spring “Nirmala”, you can refresh your mind through a holy experience at the Budist “Brahma Arama Vihara” Temple of Banjar. You go straight northward, and then turn right after the market. You follow the road eastward up to Banjar Tegeha village until you reach the junction in the central village. Simply, you turn right southward there, and then this single road will direct you to the very well known temple, especially among Buddha followers. Cool, fresh, calm, relax, clear, patient, peace, magic, spiritual, and all good things come together to this beautiful place.