Denpasar Culture

Denpasar Culture
Denpasar, as the capital of Bali, has a heavy Balinese culture founded in a history of dance and religion and is a wondrous center of temples and musea. The Jagatnath Temple is Hindu and located near the Museum Bali. Known for its towering construction and peculiar shrine, Jagatnath swarms with tourists and worshippers alike. The Petilan Pengerebongan Temple hosts Ngerbong, a traditional ceremony involving a procession of people dressed as mythological creatures that happens once every 210 days, the length of the ancient Balinese year. The Temple of Maosaphit, located close to the Badung Market, boasts an incredibly old terracotta sculptural gem, an archeological find believed to date from the ancient Majapahit Kingdom of East Java. The Sakenan Temple is located on an island in southern Denpasar and is accessible by boat and car. Actually an array of temples, be sure to check out the lush mangrove trees and the beautiful panoramic views that are presented to the visitor of this destination. The Bali Museum, built in 1932, is a four-building complex that exhibits an endless number of artifacts pertaining to Bali’s prehistory, its heritage of dance and religion, and the gorgeous artwork it has created throughout all its past. The museum is open everyday, save Saturdays and holidays. At the Sanur beach, the Museum of Le Mayeur, though established by the Belgium artist Le Mayeur, is dedicated primarily to the paintings of the Balinese woman Nii Pollok, wife of Jackson Pollock who became famous for her dances and artworks. The Sidik Jari Museum is another arts center worth exploring, as is the Taman Budaya (or the Bali Art Center). There are also numerous palaces, sculptures, and other attractions to keep the Denpasar visitor busy enough for a lifetime.
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Denpasar History
Residents of Denpasar know their city by its former name, Badung. Badung was colonized by the Dutch in the middle of the 1800’s—the local raja acquiescing in the hope that, through cooperation with incoming colonists, his district would be left relatively unhurt by Western imperialism; and this maneuver did suffice to keep Badung relatively independent for six decades.

However, in 1906, after a dispute between Balinese natives and Western capitalists, the Dutch prepared to take over administration of the region. Instead of submitting, the raja and his entire royal family committed mass suicide in the face of oncoming soldiers, who afterward proceeded to shoot and kill the remaining retinue and set fire to the palace.

This filial suicide was repeated in other parts of Indonesia in coming years, forcing international pressure on the Dutch to leave the islands, which they basically did around the outbreak of World War One.

In 1936, Badung changed its name to Denpasar.

Denpasar began to economically thrive after the Second World War, and the result has been an increase in people and, therefore, pollution. All the consequences stemming from this mixed blessing of prosperity and population have yet to be fully fall out.
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Denpasar Getting Around
Traversing Denpasar is not too rough going, provided one has some means of transport: sightseeing on foot is rather impractical given the large distances that separate the capital’s numerous attractions from each other. Furthermore, given the high population density, sidewalks and streets tend to suffer from all sorts of traffic as well as both noise and environmental pollution. Driving is definitely a viable alternative. Rental car companies include Hertz, Thrifty, and Toyota Rental Car. And getting from the airport to Denpasar is a cinch; located just ten or so miles out near the resorts of Kuta, a car ride may be a better option than a lengthy (though beautiful) beach walk. Taxi service from the airport is facilitated by the Airport Taxi Service. If you hail a cab, prepare to haggle and be wise enough to insist on the use of a meter. Bus service also runs to and from the airport. Whatever option you think you will choose for getting around in Denpasar, be sure to prepare in advance by mapping out routes, choosing rental car companies, making reservations , and so on and so forth.