Pura Penataran Sasih, Pejeng: Home of the Moon of Pejeng

On the roadside of Pejeng village, about 5 km northeast of central Ubud, stands an old temple that guards Bali's most famous antiquity: Pura Penataran Sasih. Once the state temple of the Pejeng kingdom, its inner courtyard holds the Moon of Pejeng, a Bronze Age bronze kettledrum widely believed to be the largest surviving intact drum of its kind in the world.

The Moon of Pejeng, a fallen moon

The drum, roughly 186 cm tall, sits high inside a tiered pavilion, so visitors normally view it from the courtyard below. Its surface is decorated with an eight-pointed star motif and concentric circular patterns.

• Local legend calls it a wheel of the moon that fell from the sky and lodged in a tree.
• Another version describes it as a giant earring of Kebo Iwa, a legendary figure of ancient Bali.
• The object is sacred: never touch or climb near it, and photograph it politely from below.

Not the same as Pura Pusering Jagat

Penataran Sasih is a different temple from Pura Pusering Jagat, even though the two stand only a few hundred metres apart on the same road. They pair well as a single Pejeng archaeological temple route, together with the Gedong Arca museum a short distance away.

Best time and photo tips

• Morning to late morning: even light and a relatively empty courtyard.
• The split gate and the ancient stone statues in the courtyard are the best subjects.
• Do not photograph worshippers at prayer or ceremonial processions.

Practical Info & Visiting

• Location: Pejeng village, Tampaksiring, Gianyar — View on Google Maps. About 15 minutes from Ubud, roughly 1 hour from Denpasar or Sanur.
• How to visit: just walk in, no booking needed; a sarong and sash are required and can usually be borrowed at the entrance.
• Cost: a voluntary donation in the dana punia box, commonly around Rp10,000–20,000 per person; parking is usually a few thousand rupiah.
• Hours: come during daylight, morning to late afternoon; schedules may change during a piodalan ceremony.
• Etiquette: never climb the shrines, menstruating women may not enter, and always give way to ceremonies.
• Info and photos: search on Instagram.

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