Indonesia, Bali, Trunyan village, Andesite
Gunung Batur, an active volcano, is best known for its summit shrine and the Pura Ulun Danau, a popular temple midway up its western slopes. But this wonder of nature is best appreciated from a different point of view.
On the opposite side of the lake, Pura Pancer Jagat is a desolate temple-complex. The sanctum faces west—toward the mountain—and the resident god looks out across the lake. Perfectly aligned with the sanctum door, the main split-gate frames the volcano’s core.
Gunung Batur is a rare phenomenon—a volcano with two coronas. The mountain’s sleek contours reflect in the crystal surface of the crater lake that separates the volcanic slope from the village of Trunyan.
Trunyan itself is now a fairly unfrequented fishing village, far off the beaten path of travel and circulation. A road was only recently built to connect the village with the mountain. Previously, Trunyan could only be reached by boat. Touts still lure the rare visitor toward their boats for excursions to the ancestral burial ground. Few even mention Pura Pancer Jagat in their descriptions of the village.
