Karangasem - The Eastern Part of Bali

Bali Province's Regency

Now moving on from the cultural system, I will moving on to explain about the Balinese Regencies. Bali Province is divided by 8 different Regencies, with Karangsem Regencies in the east. Why I choose Karangasem is because I am from Karangasem myself. Learning about my place while explaining to you all. :)

source
lempuyang - gate to the heaven

• History
  Before it was becoming one of the Regency after the Indonesian Independence, Karangasem was one of the Kingdom in Bali. Karangasem comes from the words Karang and Semadi means a place to meditate. The Kingdom was quite powerfull in the 1800 with the power until the neighboring island of Lombok before being defeated by the Dutch Colonization in 1898.

one of the Karangasem King and the prince
source

• Goverment
  After the independence of Indonesia, Karangasem was becoming part of Balinese province and become a Regency led by a Regent. Eventough the Royal still bear the name ad still being the upper level of the Balinese caste system, they don't have much power in the government anymore. The two latest regent are elected by direct election from the Karangasem Regency citizen.
  The Karangasem Regency then divided into 8 Districts, which is Karangasem, Rendang, Selat, Sidemen, Kubu, Abang, Manggis and Bebandem. I live in the Selat district in the slope of Mount Agung.

source

• Tourist Attraction
  what is iconic in Karangasem is Mount Agung, one of the two active volcano in Bali. It is also the biggest the the tallest spot in the entire Bali island. Alot of tourist has already climb the volcano. It has been recently active and been erupting several times on 2017. There is Lempuyang Temple with its iconic Gate to Heaven, which recently getting fame and called hoax, as what appear in the photos are not the same as in real life as you can see in the first picture. Or you can also visit Taman Ujung, one of the water palace which belong to the late Karangasem Kingdom.

Mount Agung
source

Taman Ujung Water Palace
source

the Lempuyang which gain fame and called hoax
source