“Did the name ‘Sumerta’ ring a bell?” our guide asked, a twinkle in his eye. We stood before Pura Dangka Sumerta, its ornate gates hinting at stories within. “This temple, Pura Dangka Sumerta, and indeed, this whole area, owes its name to a powerful figure.” Our guide explained that the village, once called Wongaya, became Sumerta, possibly after a ruler named Gde Pasek Sumerta, mentioned in the Babad Ki Bandesa Krobokan Badung. Another account pointed to I Gusti Ngurah Sumerta as the namesake, a leader mentioned by the caretaker of Puseh Sumerta Temple. This ambiguity only added to the mystery of Pura Dangka Sumerta. The temple’s origins are equally fascinating. A 15th-century Śaka charter, treasured by the Puseh Sumerta Temple caretaker’s family, recounts I Gusti Ngurah Sumerta’s decree to build Puseh and Kebon Temples. The reward for completing these temples within a year? Precious land and seeds. Our guide pointed towards the intricate carvings adorning Pura Dangka Sumerta, silent witnesses to centuries of devotion. “Imagine the hustle and bustle as these temples rose, stone by stone,” he prompted. Pura Dangka Sumerta’s story intertwines with the rise and fall of dynasties, the ebb and flow of power. While the exact nature of its connection to the Pasek lineage and its “Moncol” status requires further investigation, one thing remains certain: Pura Dangka Sumerta stands as a testament to the enduring spiritual legacy of Sumerta.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to