Denpasar City

DENPASAR
Denpasar rose to Prominence during the last century, at a time when access to the sea and trade in opium, weapons and early manufactured products had become more important than control over the inland regions. Denpasar occupied the center of the southern rice-growing plain, with direct access to Sanur and Benoa seaports in the east, Kuta in the west. At the end of the last century, and with the aid of Tabanan, the Denpasar princes defeated the kingdom of Mengwi to become the most powerful rulers in Bali. But soon after, Denpasar became put itself on the map with the "Puputan" fight to the death against the Dutch in 1906-when thousands of Balinese warriors dressed in the finest regalia, armed only with traditional weapons like kris (short daggers) and spears, attacked the Dutch

riflemen. Most of the nobles were massacred, and this tragedy is commemorated at Puputan Square, Badung, where the slaughter took place. Despair the war and subsequent defeat; the strategic position of Denpasar ensured its rapid growth. With the construction roads, Benoa Harbour and an airport further south, the Dutch made it the hub of their southern communications network, the most populated part of the island. From just 15,000 inhabitants sixty years ago, the city population has expanded dramatically to 400,000 plus another 100,000 residents of Kuta and Nusa Dua. Following the expansion of Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar became the Balinese capital in 1958. Perhaps the most interesting feature of Denpasar is the way to combines tradition with modernity. The old Provincial kingdoms and villages of the densely populated rice plain also perforate the urban landscape.

These blending of styles sometimes results in a stunning cohabitation of architectural genres. Hidden behind the harsh rows of Chinese shops along Jalan Gajah Mada, the old city center, are traditional compounds with much of their original architecture preserved, kori gates and temples giving this city a historical look rarely found in other Indonesian cities. But with no heritage conservation policy at present, there is a strong possibility that much of the ancient

architecture may soon find itself replaced by contemporary concrete structures. A consequence of the city's rapid growth has been its sprawling nature. Since the road networks are not concentrated at the original urban center, urbanization tends jets 20 km away, leaving large expanses of rice-growing areas untouched in the middle of the city.

Scarcity of land has also created some architectural anomalies, city residents, no longer with enough room to build the complete set of buildings found in a traditional Balinese compound, have to make do with Balinese decorative roofs or carved panels illustrating the epic myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The result is unusual, but has a charm of its

own. Bali merges with Indonesia in Denpasar. The capital hosts all government administration offices as well as most universities and higher learning institutions, home to about 25,000 students. Take local economy is geared to the needs of the nearby resorts of Sanur, Kuta and Nusa Dua, to where many residents of commute daily. The dynamism of the local economy has brought comers from all over the country to Denpasar investors, managers, and even laborers. In Denpasar, ethnic homogeneity is a thing of the past.

Denpasar is where the Balinese scholars translate Indian holy books, new prayers are thought, and Hinduism reinterpreted. It is also home to a new cosmopolitan class of Western-oriented Balinese yuppies. The contradictions are immense there. Denpasar is not an easy place to visit. To see the old city, take a drive around the old villages of Kedaton, Sumerta, Tonja and especially Kesiman, whose brick-style shrines and gates are the simplest yet most beautiful in Bali. The Moaspait temple on the road to Tabanan dates back to the 14th century, another marvel of brick architecture. Other beautiful monuments include the temple and palace of Kesiman, Panambangan temple (near Pemecutan palace), and Satria temple, its nearby bird market. Pemecutan, Kesiman and Badung (now the name

of the nearby regency) were the three "united kingdoms" on the territory of Denpasar. Representing the modern tradition is Pura Jagadnatha, located in the heart of city. It was built in the 70's to be the "territorial temple" of Denpasar, an open monument to modern Balinese Hinduism.

Its main Padmasana shrine, or seat of the "Supreme Siwa", embodies the new importance given to the concept of the One God in Balinese religion. Located right next to Jagadnatha temple, a visit to the Bali Museum is a must. It has the finest collections of Balinese antiquities. Of particular interest is the stylistic simplicity of the i

tems in its 30's collection. The overly decorative Baroque style of Balinese art is clearly a recent historical import. Denpasar is also where Bali displays its modern image. The Taman Budaya, the Arts Center to the east of the city, is a complex dedicated to the preservation of Balinese culture.