An Epic Encounter, INDEED

#balilife I visited this place on 6th of October 2019, and despite its Sunday, the place was not that crowded. the two pavillions in the complex, the smaller Kertha Gosa pavillion or the 'Hall of Justice' has a 'Justice Table' with 6 chairs, kept in its center. These ornamental chairs have beautifully designed arm rests in the forms of lion, dragon, and cow. There are paintings (restored) in the balinese Kamasan style, all over its ceilings. These highly detailed paintings are quite similar to the Phad style of Indian painting. Interestingly, as if justifying the name 'Hall of Justice', some paintings in the pavillion 'tell' (these paintings are a visual language) about 'karma' and the after-death consequences (justice after life) of good 'karma' and bad 'karma'. The second, bigger pavillion, Bale Kambang, which is surrounded by a water body, also features Kamasan paintings on its ceilings. Some of these paintings depict stories from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that this pavillion was used by the royal family for meetings and religious rituals. Together with the Museum Semarajaya, Kertha Gosa complex is a MUST visit for its great architectural, historical, and art value. It is the last of the structures that survived after most of Semarapura Palace was destroyed in the 1908 war with the Dutch.