Ubud Temple Fire Shocks Community Though Bali Tourism Remains Unaffected 

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Ubud residents have been left devastated by a major fire that broke out at Pura Dalem Ubud. The iconic temple, which sits at the top of Ubud, caught fire as a result of an accident, causing what the community is reporting to be IDR 1.7 billion in damages. 

Two sacred buildings at Pura Dalem Ubud have been destroyed by a fire which broke out around 8.30 pm on Monday, 8th September. Initial reports from community members at the scene suggest that the fire broke out from embers from the Sang Hyang Jaran temple following a regular Kecak dance performance at the local temple.

The temple structures destroyed by the fire included a 12 x 6 meter Bale Gong (Gong Hall) with 12 wooden pillars and a number of sacred items. The fire also destroyed three jempana (thrones supporting the statues), two ancient and one new. Total losses are estimated at IDR 1.7 billion.

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Speaking to reporters in the hours that followed the blaze, the Head of Ubud Traditional Village, I Made Ada, explained that the sparks are believed to have come from the Sang Hyang Jaran, a sacred shrine made from dried palm leaves.

When placed in the Balai Penyangra (the Center of the Penyangra), an ember is believed to have spread to engulf the building.

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Ada shared, “The fire was first discovered by pecalang and youths who were in the temple compound. There were no fatalities or injuries. This was purely an accident.” The flames briefly engulfed the roof of the Balai Pangungan (Pangungan Hall) to the east before being brought under control. Local residents and Pecalang worked together to extinguish the fire, but it spread too quickly, and the fire services were deployed as quickly as possible. 

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The Gianyar Regional Secretary, I Gusti Bagus Adi Widya Utama, immediately arrived at the scene and said six fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the blaze. He told reporters, “Because the fire spread rapidly, the community was overwhelmed. Officers and residents were only able to control the fire after deploying six fire trucks.”

Utama reaffirmed to reporters that the 0361-112 call center line is open 24/7 to make it easier for the public to report similar disasters. He noted, “With this call center, disaster or fire reports can be followed up more quickly by officers.”

Officials from the temple have confirmed that despite the destruction of two sacred buildings, the traditional village confirmed that the regular Kecak dance performances every Monday and Friday night will continue as scheduled.

This is not the only temple in central Ubud where tourists can watch a cultural show. At Ubud Water Palace, which is a 5-minute walk from Pura Dalem Ubud, a different cultural dance and performance is hosted every night. 

Ubud Water Palace is known by many names. Sometimes just referred to as Ubud Palace, sometimes as Sawaswati Temple, and of course by its full name, Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati.

The temple is one of the most important spiritual and cultural sites in Ubud and opens its gates to tourists every day. Every night, a different show is performed, with tickets available from just IDR 100,000. With seats limited, booking in advance is highly advisable. 

On Wednesday nights, for example, the Balinese Ramayana Ballet Dance is performed, similar to the Kecak show. On Thursdays, guests can expect to see the magnificent Barong. It really is a Bali bucket list activity that is not to be missed. In fact, it is not uncommon for tourists to return night after night to see a different performance and come to understand a different aspect of Balinese art, culture, and history.