“Monkey Forest is a holy area for Balinese people and an ecological preserve area. Monkey Forest is located in Padangtegal Village, Ubud. More than three hundred monkeys are lived in this forest.”
Hundreds of tourists and researchers from all over the world are visiting Monkey Forest everyday. Interactions between human beings and the monkeys are subject to research studies. This place provides beautiful and magical view. Balinese life becomes a harmony here. When we visit this place, we learn about how to respect nature. That’s why; Julia Robert also has visited this place when she was shooting in Ubud last year for her new film “Eat, Pray, and Love”.
The monkeys that lived here called Balinese Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis), which also well known as long-tail Macaques. The Macaques are the biggest population species of Primates in the world. These Macaques live in three groups of females and males; and they always move to different areas of the Monkey Forest every day at the different times. Because of that situation, sometimes we will see the monkeys from different group are quarrelling and fighting to defend their area. The male monkeys are bigger than the females, adult males weight up to 8-10 kilos, and adult females just 4-8 kilos.
When we visit this place, we must treat all the monkeys respectfully, because we are guests in their home. Please do not disturb them, because they may become aggressive if you disturbing their private area. Balinese Macaques are often seen eating coconuts, but they like apples and papayas too.
The monkeys are very essential for Balinese life because the monkeys are part of their way of life. We can find the reflection of monkey’s life in Balinese dances, art and folktale, such as Kecak Dance, statues, carvings, and the Story of Ramayana.
If we are lucky, we can enjoy a Balinese festival which held regularly here. Balinese festival is the same as Balinese religion ceremony. Most Balinese are Hindu, but Balinese Hinduism is not the same with Indian Hindu, because Balinese Hinduism is a unique blend of Ancestor Worship, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Animism. Temples and forests are the important part to connect with spiritual world. So, nature element in this forest, like monkeys and trees are given offering by Pemangku and local villagers.
Two ceremonies that are related to the monkey forest are Tumpek Kandang and Tumpek Ngunduh. Tumpek Kandang is ceremony where people make special offerings to the whole forest and animals in general. And Tumpek Ngunduh is ceremony where plants are equally celebrated.
There are three holy temples in the monkey forest, that are the Pura Dalem Agung Temple, Holy Bathing Temple, and the Pura Prajapati. Based on analysis of the Pura Purana, the Holy Monkey Forest was built in 14th century during the Pejeng Dynasty or early Gelgel Dynasty.