The palace was the official residence of the royal family of Ubud. During his travels, Rsi Markandya received a divine revelation that he was to bury five precious metals on a mountain slope in Bali, where the
Mother Temple of Besakih now stands. With a group of followers, Rsi Markandya was magnetically attracted to a destination located in the central foothills of the island that radiated light and energy. This place was Campuhan in Ubud, at a confluence in the Wos River and it was here that he felt compelled to build a temple, Pura Gunung Lebah. On subsequent expeditions around Bali, Rsi Markandya built a number of other significant temples and created a shared irrigation system for the terraced landscape that is still practiced by farmers today. The formation of the
banjar, which is a village council responsible for community and religious affairs, was also inspired by Rsi Markandya. In essence, it can be said that Rsi Markandya is responsible for the foundation of
Balinese Hinduism in its purest form referred to as
Agama Tirtha or the religion of holy water. Since its settlement in the 8th century, the area of Campuhan has always been highly regarded by Balinese for its immense spiritual powers. Even the term Ubud is derived from the term
ubad, meaning "medicine", in reference to the traditional healing properties of the various plants that grew in the area. Generations of Hindu worshippers have made special pilgrimages to the confluence in the Wos River to mediate, bathe and collect holy water for temple ceremonies and cleansing rituals. There had always been ties between Java and Bali, but it was the disintegration of the once mighty
Majapahit Empire in the 15th century that saw a mass exodus of nobles to Bali. A new kingdom on the island's east coast called
Gelgel was consequently established and gave sanctuary to many important ruling families. They brought with them an artistic legacy and the principles of the caste system. By the 17th century, Bali invariably experienced a rapid emergence of new kingdoms, including the founding of several royal houses in Ubud. However, this period also saw clans battle for supremacy. A prince from
Klungkung was sent to create a palace in Sukawati as a centre of great power and aesthetic beauty, with artisans from all over Bali helping in its construction and eventually settling in the realm. Sukawati today strongly supports all forms of artistry including dance and music. With the successful establishment of a reigning authority in Sukawati, palace retainers were sent in the late 1700s to secure the area of Ubud. A pair of cousins formed rival communities in
Padang Tegal and further north in the area of Taman. Following subsequent fighting between these neighbouring villages, the King of Sukawati sent his brothers Tjokorde Ngurah Tabanan to Peliatan and Tjokorde Tangkeban to Sambahan to establish palaces as a means to control these troubled areas. == Description ==