THREE NAMES
Agung. Toh Langkir. Udaya Parwata.
Gunung Agung rises about 3,000 meters over eastern Bali. For Balinese Hindus, Agung and the temple of Besakih on its slope are the center of religious orientation, the hulu, the head of the island.
In old Bali the mountain was called Toh Langkir. In the Kiskindha book of the Ramayana it is called Udaya Parwata: udaya means rising, the sunrise, and parwata means mountain.
That is our name. Parwata: the mountain, and everything that begins there.
AGUNG EARTH & LAVA · GROUNDING
Fire that has cooled
into earth.
Lava stone is what a volcano leaves behind: molten rock that cooled quickly, its gas escaping as it hardened. It is light for its size, warm in the hand and full of small open pores.
In our pieces it carries the energy of the mountain: weight, warmth and roots. Wear it on the days that pull you in every direction, and let it bring you back to the ground beneath you.
We will name where each stone comes from with the finished piece.
PANCA DATU · THE FIVE METALS
Every temple begins
with something buried.
According to the founding story of Pura Besakih, Rsi Markandeya came from Java to clear the forest at the mountain's foot. The first attempt ended in sickness and loss. Before trying again, he buried five metals in the earth and asked for safe passage.
The metals are most often named as gold, silver, copper, bronze and iron, with a red mirah stone. The place where they were buried became Pura Basukian, one of the oldest parts of Besakih.
We tell it as a legend, and as the first idea behind our pieces: begin carefully, ask before you take, and stand your ground.
KAJA · THE DIRECTION OF THE MOUNTAIN
Face the mountain.
Then begin.
Balinese space is arranged between the mountain and the sea. Kaja, toward the mountain, is the direction of what is pure. Kelod, toward the sea, is the other end. Houses, villages and temples are laid out between the two.
Families build their shrine in the corner of the compound closest to the mountain. Many people sleep with their heads toward it.
Gunung Agung at dawn
An eight-second study of the mountain behind our name. AI-adapted film; see notes & sources.
Grounding
Lava stone and the five metals, for the energy of the mountain.
