A Word of Dances
The heir to the prestigious court of Gelgel , which once extended its power over parts of Java, Lombok , and Sumbawa . Although Gelgel lost its dominant position in 1651 due to palace intrigues, the royal court of Klungkung still holds a preeminent place among the Balinese aristocracy. The town of Klungkung harbours a wonderful cultural legacy visible in the Kerta Gosa court hall, with its painted ceilings in the classic style from the nearby artistic community of Kamasan.
The small kingdom of Bangli , located to the northwest of Klungkung, has also inherited ancient traditions. On the dark upper slopes of its volcanoes one can find villages populated by "mountain people". They have retained forms of social organization that predate majapahit, much like the Bali Aga villages found in Bali 's north and east. Today, Bangli has also the reputation of being more balian, or spiritual healers, than most other areas of the island; it is renowned for its black magic.
Extending over a vast area, with most of its population concentrated in the fertile rice-growing areas around Amlapura, Karangasem is the arch rival of Klungkung between the 17th and 19th centuries, it was able to dethrone its neighbor, extending its power over north Bali and Lombok . In the 19th century, Karangasem was ruled by a parent dynasty from the nearby isle of Lombok , until they were both defeated by the Dutch. After Buleleng in the north and Jembrana in the west, in 1896, Karangasem became the third Balinese kingdom to be conquered by the Dutch. Rather than fall to its neighbours or the colonial power, Bangli chose to become a Dutch protectorate in 1909. Klungkung, how-ever, refuse to surrender. Like the king of Badung him, the king of Klungkung marched into Dutch cannon fire with his wives and his court in 1908. This was the last of the puputan or fights to the death. Faithful to his legacy and adding to its prestige, Klungkung was thus court of Bali to fall to the invader
