The Unique Trunyan Village Where the Dead Are Left Beneath a Tree

Trunyan Village, a hidden area on the shores of Lake Batur, Bali, has a unique tradition that makes it stand out among other tourist destinations. One of its most striking traditions is the way its people treat the deceased, which differs from most communities in Indonesia.

In Trunyan Village, bodies are not buried or cremated. Instead, they are placed beneath a large tree in a special burial area. This phenomenon, known as "open-air burial", is a unique attraction for visitors and sparks curiosity about the culture and traditions of the Trunyan people.

How Is the Funeral Tradition in Trunyan Village, Bali?

Trunyan Village is one of the ancient villages inhabited by native Balinese who call themselves Bali Aga or Old Bali.

These Bali Aga people have a way of life that is quite different from other Balinese. They are said to be descendants of the Hindu Majapahit kingdom in the 16th century.

The village is a tourist village because of its uniqueness in carrying out one of the death ceremonies in Indonesia. If you visit this village, do not be surprised to find bodies that are not buried and are simply left under a tree.

They have a rather unique funeral tradition because the bodies are not buried, and the ngaben ceremony that other Balinese perform is not held either. The bodies are simply placed beneath a taru menyan tree, which removes the smell of the corpse.

You will see dozens of bodies and skulls lined up neatly and lying there in Trunyan Village. There are even bodies of people who have only recently passed away. Yet, despite this, the site gives off no odor from the human remains.

This happens because the taru menyan tree can neutralize the unpleasant smell.

The History of the Trunyan Village Burial Tradition

According to several stories circulating in the community, the name Trunyan itself comes from the fragrant menyan (benzoin) scent that was said to reach as far as Java. There were four siblings, three boys and one girl, who were curious about the aroma of the tree. The youngest said the scent came from the East.

They were curious about the smell and decided to set off eastward until they reached Bali. The journey led them to Mount Batur. The youngest decided to settle there and received the title Ratu Ayu Mas Maketel.

After leaving the youngest sibling at Mount Batur, the other three continued their journey. But halfway along the way, the eldest and the third sibling had a fierce quarrel, which ended with the third sibling being kicked until he sat cross-legged.

That pose can be seen in Kesidan Village, at Pura Dalem Pingit. The third sibling was given the title Ratu Sakti Sang Hyang Jero.

The journey eventually left only two people. After reaching Lake Batur, the second sibling wanted to greet a beautiful woman he met, but the eldest stopped him, which led to a dispute like the previous one. In the end, the place came to be called Abang Dukuh Village.

The eldest then continued until he reached the taru menyan tree. There he found a beautiful girl whom he wished to make his own. In the end they married and were given the title Ratu Sakti Pancering Jagat.

According to the story, he eventually became the highest ruler of Trunyan Village, and his wife received the title Ratu Ayu Pingit Dalam Dasar, who always protects Lake Batur.

The eldest sibling had a strong desire to keep his lineage safe from outsiders. This goal led him to order that the dead not be buried but placed near the taru menyan tree.

The reason is that the tree would mask the foul smell of the body with a fragrant scent. From this, the name Trunyan Village was formed from two words, Taru and Menyan, meaning fragrant tree.

How Do You Get to Trunyan?

Trunyan Village is located in Trunyan, Kintamani, Bangli, on the eastern side of Lake Batur. The village is quite far from the city center, roughly 2 hours by land.

If you are in the Kintamani area, it takes only about 40 minutes by land to reach the village. You can take Jl. Raya Penelokan and turn left onto Jl. Windu Sara after reaching the Indomaret Danau Batur junction.

Then, after descending the hill, you simply follow Jl. Trunyan, which circles the shore of Lake Batur, until you reach the village. Once there, you only need to rent a boat to visit the burial site and enjoy the beauty of Lake Batur.

Already Know About Trunyan Village?

Every region has its own traditions, and Trunyan Village is no exception. The tradition of placing bodies beneath the taru menyan tree has existed for a long time, so many people want to learn about it and make this village a tourist destination.

Besides that, funerals are something inseparable from human life. Preparing a funeral in line with customs and traditions can help ease your burden, for example by using funeral services.

The funeral service from Kamboja offers complete and trusted funeral arrangements, so you no longer need to worry about the process you have to go through.

Kamboja is also present in 12 provinces across 145 cities and regencies in Indonesia. You do not need to worry if a relative is grieving, because Kamboja will prepare all the arrangements needed during this time of loss.