Mengwi Kingdom: The Journey of Mengwi to Becoming a Great Kingdom in Bali

The beginning of the story is when I Gusti Agung Putu was not capable of running the government to replace his father I Gusti Agung Anom who had passed away. Unfortunately, I Gusti Agung Putu was not capable of running the government. Besides being stubborn, he was also unwise and did not care about his people, so the people were disappointed and angry. I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng from Kekrasan even rebelled. The people who were still loyal to I Gusti Agung Putu were unable to overcome the rebel attack. All of them died, only I Gusti Agung Putu could survive because he was invulnerable. Because he was alone and was attacked by many people, he finally collapsed. But as soon as all the rebels left, he regained consciousness. The news that I Gusti Agung Putu was still alive soon reached the ears of I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng. So I Gusti Agung Putu was immediately kidnapped and brought to Tabanan Castle to be held captive there.

I Gusti Agung Anom Death's (Source: Personal Collection)

One day I Gusti Bebalang of Marga went to I Gusti Ngurah Tabanan. Because he felt sorry to see I Gusti Agung Putu in prison, he asked the ruler of Tabanan to be allowed to bring I Gusti Agung Putu to Marga. Because I Gusti Ngurah Tabanan trusted I Gusti Bebalang, the request was granted and since then I Gusti Agung Putu lived in Marga. Some time after living in Marga, I Gusti Agung Putu's behaviour changed. He became a very friendly, wise, and caring person to the people. I Gusti Bebalang was very happy to see the change, especially when I Gusti Agung Putu treated I Gusti Celuk like his own brother. One day , I Gusti Agung Putu wanted to rebuild his kingdom that had been destroyed by I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng. To realise his ambition, he went to Mungsu Hill to do yoga semadi. While immersed in the silence of semadi, he received a revelation in the form of an apparition about the area that would become the territory of his kingdom. As he looked to the east, he saw half light and half darkness. To the south he saw light all the way to the Indian Ocean. While in the west it was dark, only the ocean looked bright. And in the north everything was bright. What was bright was what would become his territory in the future.

Semadi Yoga at Mungsu Hill (Source: Personal Collection)

With the permission of I Gusti Bebalang, I Gusti Agung Putu then tore through the forest to the south of Marga with the help of I Gusti Celuk and 200 chosen men given by I Gusti Bebalang. There he established a castle and the place was named Belayu. I Gusti Agung Putu's presence in Belayu was soon heard by I Gusti Tangeb, his female cousin. I Gusti Ngurah Tangeb immediately travelled to Belayu and declared that he would join him. Regarding the plan to regain his power, I Gusti Agung Putu always consulted with I Gusti Bebalang. He decided to attack all anglurahs who did not want to submit. For fear of being attacked, Anglurah Mengwi, Anglurah Pupuan, Anglurah Beringkit, Anglurah Penarungan and others went to Belayu and declared their submission. But I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng did not want to submit so easily. Therefore, I Gusti Agung Putu and I Gusti Celuk mobilised their troops to attack I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng. So there was a terrible battle. I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng was killed along with most of his soldiers in the battle. The rest fled to Kerambitan. After the war, I Gusti Agung Putu moved to Bekak. There he built a palace called Puri Kaleran and his kingdom was named Kawiapura aka Mengwi while his castle in Belayu was given to I Gusti Celuk.

Battle between I Gusti Agung Putu and I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng (Source: Personal Collection)

One day, I Gusti Agung Putu invited Ki Pasek Badak to his temple in a friendly manner. Ki Pasek Badak came with his family and some of his people. Arriving at Puri Kaleran, Pasek Badak and those accompanying him were treated with delicious food. After finishing the meal I Gusti Agung Putu challenged Ki Pasek Badak to do a sparring match in front of the people to determine who should be the lord. Ki Pasek Badak accepted the challenge and there was a sparring match between the two of them. The fight was evenly matched and tough because both of them were invulnerable. After the fight lasted for a long time and no one lost, Ki Pasek Badak finally relented because he knew I Gusti Agung Putu was destined to become a great king. Ki Pasek Badak was willing to give up his life on the condition that after his death, he must be worshipped by the descendants of I Gusti Agung Putu. For that purpose, a shrine will be built in the form of a one-storied meru for Ki Pasek Badak. Ki Pasek Badak agreed and told I Gusti Agung Putu the secret of his death. He asked to be killed with another weapon. Coincidentally, at that time I Gusti Agung Putu had just finished making a sword with a dapdap wood sheath. With that weapon, Ki Pasek Badak was killed and died instantly.

Battle between I Gusti Agung Putu and Ki Pasek Badak (Source: Personal Collection)

After the submission of Ki Pasek Badak by I Gusti Agung Putu who then asked to be worshipped by Sentana or (Descendants) directly from I Gusti Agung Putu, then I Gusti Agung Putu refused and sent Widiadara Pineras or adopted children of the King totaling 40 people consisting of Brahmin, Ksatria, Wesia, and Sudra castes. Then the negotiation was approved by Ki Pasek Badak which finally these knights were named Bala Putra Dika Bata Batu and then used as teruna or young war heroes by the Mengwi Kingdom. Meanwhile, the King of Tabanan was at odds with his brother who ruled in Penebel. War was inevitable. After the war lasted for a month, the King of Tabanan finally asked for help from Mengwi. I Gusti Agung Putu agreed to help with the agreement that if Penebel was defeated, he would ask for Marga territory as a reward because he wanted to repay I Gusti Bebalang who had helped him regain his position as king. After I Gusti Ngurah Penebel was defeated, the King of Tabanan kept his promise. He handed over the Marga territory to Mengwi along with 40 spears, a gun named Ki Batantanjung and two kulkul or wooden bells named Ki Jengkal and Ki Macan respectively. I Gusti Agung Putu then ruled Mengwi assisted by I Gusti Bebalang as minister while I Gusti Celuk remained in Belayu. That is the history why Marga belongs to Mengwi. The Kingdom of Mengwi became more famous after I Gusti Agung Putu built a temple on the edge of Lake Beratan, a sacred place to honor Hyang Parwata at Gunung Mangu where he had received his revelation. The people then gave him the title I Gusti Agung Sakti.

I Gusti Agung Sakti on the Edge of Lake Beratan (Source: Personal Collection)

Once upon a time there was a war between Mengwi and Buleleng caused by the son of I Gusti Ngurah Panji Sakti, I Gusti Panji Wayahan who arbitrarily grabbed or took Mengwi's forest. Then I Gusti Celuk was sent to the battlefield, at that time the Buleleng army, Taruna Goak led by Ki Macan Gading, had overwhelmed I Gusti Celuk because this army had experienced the Blambangan war. Hearing the news that Mengwi's troops were overwhelmed, I Gusti Agung Sakti came with Bala Putra Batu troops and after a fierce battle, Buleleng's troops were finally beaten back to the city. TheBuleleng king I Gusti Panji Sakti then offered his daughter Ni Gusti Ayu Panji to I Gusti Agung Sakti as a sign of submission. After the marriage Mengwi became more powerful and managed to control the Blambangan region across the sea.