Pura Dalem Penunggekan, Bangli: The Karma Phala Reliefs Everyone Drives Past

Almost everyone drives through Bangli on the way to Kintamani without stopping. Yet about three kilometres south of the town centre, right beside the main road, stands Pura Dalem Penunggekan — the temple of the dead belonging to Banjar Adat Blungbang in Kelurahan Kawan. Its draw is not a grand gate but the outer wall, covered in sandstone reliefs about what happens to the soul after death.

Karma Phala Reliefs on the Outer Wall

The panels retell Bima Swarga, the story of Bima following his parents' spirits into hell. The scenes are blunt: souls boiled, sawn apart, roasted over fire. This is karma phala, the fruit of one's deeds. The carvings were deliberately placed outside so anyone passing could read them — a visual sermon for villagers who could not read lontar manuscripts.

• Punishments are matched to specific offences, from theft to adultery.
• Some souls are carved half-animal, a symbol of a fallen human status.
• The carvings are thought to date from the early twentieth century; the sculptor's name is unrecorded.
• Upkeep is handled by the local banjar adat, not a commercial tourism operator.

Etiquette at a Temple Still in Use

This is a living temple, not a museum. The reliefs can be studied from outside without entering, so your visit is complete even if the inner courtyard is busy with a ceremony.

• Wear a sarong and sash; bring your own, as rentals are not always available.
• Do not enter the jeroan during piodalan or any ceremony without the pemangku's permission.
• Menstruating women are not permitted inside, in line with local custom.
• Never touch, lean on or climb the reliefs — the sandstone crumbles easily.

Access, Parking and Donation

From Ubud it is roughly a 45–60 minute drive (about 20 km) via Tampaksiring or Gianyar; from central Bangli only 5–10 minutes. It sits right on the roadside and is easy to miss — slow down once you see the setra, the village cemetery, on the same side. The forecourt fits a few small cars. There is no ticket booth; carry small notes for the dana punia box. Come in the morning, when raking light sharpens the carved detail.

Practical Info & Booking

• Location: View on Google Maps
• How to visit: simply turn up, no booking needed; rent a scooter or hire a car with driver from Ubud, or add it as a stop on a Kintamani tour.
• Opening hours: the outer wall can be viewed throughout the day, generally around 07.00–18.00.
• Cost range: no official ticket; a voluntary donation of roughly Rp10,000–20,000 per person and parking around Rp2,000–5,000.
• Instagram: search on Instagram

If you would rather explore Bangli slowly, a night around Ubud or Kintamani helps a lot — check AccessiaPass hotel vouchers to keep the room rate down.