Situated on a hill between Tirtagangga Water Palace and Bebandem, about 87 km to the east of Denpasar and 7 km away from Amlapura City stands the village of Budakeling overlooking the east coast of Bali with Mount Agung towering majestically in the background. Budakeling is wellknown among Balinese for its high priests especially from the Buda sect. but for the visitors Budakeling is a village of farmers, artists and craftsmen – from dancers and painters, to stone sculptors and engravers of Sanskrit lontar manuscripts.

Budakeling is one of few Balinese old villages; the establishment of this village can be traced back to the 15th century during the reign of King Waturenggong in Bali. The king wanted to held a grand ceremony, and one of the requirements of the ceremony is that a high priest of Buda sect have to officiate the ceremony along with the high priest of Siwa sect; so Danghyang Astapaka, a high priest of Buda sect which also brother of royal priest Danghyang Nirartha was summoned form East Java to officiate the ceremony. After the ceremony was over, the King offered a piece of land to Danghyang Astapaka as a reward. Danghyang Astapaka saw an illuminating ray came from a piece of land in the northeast, so he requested that piece of land as a reward. The king fulfilled his request, and Danghyang Astapaka established the village of Budakeling on that land.

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Across the Indonesian archipelago there are still many areas that have their own version of traditional horse and cart transportation. In Bali it is known as a dokar, which unfortunately is becoming a dwindling sight around the streets of Denpasar and Kuta. The covered carts are fairly simple structures that are created from timber upon a metal base with two large wagon wheels. Passengers sit sideways behind the driver on padded bench seats and the entire contraption is attached to a small horse with a sturdy leather harness and set of reigns. Depending on the weigh of the load, the cart travels along at a slightly tilted angle.

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