The Bali Kingdom’s Glory During the Reign of King Udayana and Queen Gunapriya Dharmapatni (Mahendradatta)
It is recounted that the Bali Kingdom reached its pinnacle during the rule of King Udayana and his queen, Gunapriya Dharmapatni (Mahendradatta). The queen was the daughter of the King of Kediri, Makuta Wangsa Wardhana. King Udayana had three sons, namely Airlangga, Marakata, and Anak Wungsu. The Crown Prince, Airlangga, was later appointed as the king of Kediri, succeeding his grandfather, while Marakata was crowned as the king of the Bali Kingdom.
After Udayana’s passing, King Marakata constructed the complex of Candi Tebing Gunung Kawi, located in the Tampak Siring region, as a place of worship (pedharman) for the late king. King Marakata was highly revered for his generous nature and his concern for the welfare of his people. The story of King Marakata is documented in the Baturan inscriptions, dating back to the year 944 Saka.
Upon Marakata’s departure, the kingdom’s throne was then handed over to Anak Wungsu. He left a historical legacy in the form of numerous inscriptions scattered from North Bali to South Bali. King Anak Wungsu did not have any descendants. After King Anak Wungsu’s demise, the era of the Warmadewa dynasty in Bali came to an end.
The Tegallinggah Cliff Temple, located south of the Candi Tebing Gunung Kawi, is also mentioned in the Baturan and Tengkulak inscriptions. In both inscriptions, it is mentioned that the residents of Baturan village were obligated to perform ceremonies at a sacred structure called Amarawati, situated on the banks of the Pakerisan River. The Tegallinggah Cliff Temple has a similar structure to the Gunung Kawi Temple but is smaller in size. This temple also features niches used for meditation and three lingas representing the Trimurti, namely Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. From its structure, it appears that the temple was not completed, and it is suspected that an earthquake occurred during its carving, leading to the cessation of its construction (Kempers, 1991). The Tegallinggah Cliff Temple is a spiritual destination for Hindu devotees as it provides a location for “melukat” (a Hindu religious ritual for self-purification through bathing). There are four sacred springs here, with one of them believed to be Sudamala. Literally, “Sudamala” comes from two words: “suda,” meaning to reduce or eliminate, and “mala,” meaning impurity. The philosophical meaning of Sudamala is the purifier or cleanser of all sins and wrongdoings.
The Tegallinggah Cliff Temple is situated on land owned by the late Ida Bagus Putu Adnyana’s family and is currently managed by the Bedulu Customary Village. To maintain the temple, a caretaker has been assigned from the Bali Cultural Heritage Preservation Office. The Department of Culture and Tourism of Gianyar Regency has also been assisting in the preservation and management of the site since 2010.
Source: Sukanandi, 2022, Jurnal Kajian Bali.