The Pure Kehen Temple, is an ancient Hindu temple complex with unique architectural features. The temple courtyard is accessible from ground level to a section of 38 steps. Also with statues of mythical animals in carved sandstone and statues of Balinese folklore around the stairs and the central hall.
The temple walls are also decorated with Chinese porcelain dishes, which are a tribute to the historical relations between the local kingdom of Bali and China. You can reach Kehen Temple in a 45 minute transfer from Ubud.
Cempaga Temple
The temple is located in the village of Cempaga, a fresh highland region in Bangli Regency, which is also famous for its local fruit plantations, homemade palm sugar industries and picturesque rural landscapes. The primeval aura of this 11th century temple is enhanced by the overgrowth of ancient banana trees around the walls of the complex.
The Pura Kehen temple complex is built on a mountainous promontory. is aligned from north to south, with the northern part as the highest part of the temple. It is divided into three areas:
The interior of the Pure Kehen Temple
Three staircases lead visitors to the outer sanctuary of the temple from the street. The landscape is terraced and is decorated with stone statues representing characters from the Indian epic Ramayana. Three entrances mark the entrance to the outer shrine (jaba pisan) The access doors or the central portal are in the form of a paduraksa, which is unusual since the paduraksa is normally used to mark the entrance to the main shrine
Inside the inner courtyard of the Kehen temple is a collection of stone shrines built with multi-level thatched roofs and arranged in a typical design similar to any other large temple complex in Bali.
You can visit the temple during the day and at the rental kiosk across the road there are mandatory belts and sashes (usually also with donations to the temple). The best time to visit is when the temple is very well decorated, i.e. during the anniversary of your temple, with rare Balinese dances also as a highlight.
The anniversary celebrations of the future Kehen Temple (same as .Pagerwesi. Wednesday in the Balinese calendar) are as follows: 25 January 2017 23 August 2017 21 March 2018 17 October 2018 15 May 2020 11 December 2020 ( full moon ceremony from «Ngusaba»)
The sacred place (jaba pisan) has a banyan tree at least 400 years old. The huge banyan tree has a monk\’s cell at the top of the branches. The tree is considered sacred by the people of Bangli. It is believed that if a branch of the tree breaks, it will cause a disaster (grubug), usually the death of a person.