Goa Gajah temple

Tri Lingga shrines inside of the cave

The front Cave of the temple

Sacred bathing place

Goa  Gajah or Elephant cave temple Located at Bedulu village about 3 km from Ubud. This mysterious complex  probably the oldest excavated relic of ancient Balinese art. Epigraphs  found at this site date  Goa Gajah { Elephant Cave }with certainty back to the 11th Century, About the time of king Airlangga's reign in East Java. Until 1923 the site was know only to local people, and only in was an elaborate and extensive bathing place discovered nearby. Today is it's a major tourist site.The easily accessible artificial cave lies below the road between Peliatan and Bedulu, on the side of a steep ravine.

The name of Elephant cave perhaps originated from early visitors who named the cave after the river. Other theories say the cave got it's name  from the statue inside of the Elephant God Ganesha, or the monster's head above the cave was mistakenly identified as an Elephant's head.

Archaeologist  estimate Goa Gajah was built around A.D 1022. Whether Goa Gajah was a  hermitage  for Buddhist  or Hindu monk is uncertain. Both Buddhist and Hindu sculptures are found inside and nearby. It's quite   Possible given the intermingling between the two religions, that recluses of both sects sought peace and solitude  at the site.

A large bathing place in front of the cave proved the whole complex held an important place in the religious life of Ancient Bali. The cave was cut into a protruding rock wall, flat on the top , with a flight of steps carved into the right side . It,s been postulated the flat top was used by ascetics meditation.