In the North of Bali, near the village Bedulu lies the cave Goa Gajah, surrounded by rice fields. According to modern archaeologists view the cave acquired approximately 1022. Although the cave itself is much older.

Its history, Dating back to the 9th century of our era, mixed a drevnebuddiyskoy and Hindu origins. Some researchers believe that Goa Gajah manually dug by Hindu priests and later used the cave as a shelter or sanctuary. Inside the cave there are 15 niches that could be used for meditation and housing. There is evidence that the cave had a special religious significance and the early Buddhists: there are found many Buddhist relics. Goa Gajah is still conceals many mysteries and secrets, solve that yet.

Interest is the entrance to the cave is a large stone bas-relief, carved in the rock, in the form of the head of the demon, vaguely resembling the head of an elephant. An open mouth is framed by the entrance to the cave. Scholars have not agreed how and why the cave got its name. In one version of the bas-relief adorning the entrance could symbolize the elephant. The other "elephant cave is called because standing inside the statue of Ganesha, the Hindu God of prosperity, was depicted as a man with the head of an elephant.

If you walk through the cave, you can see three of the Linga (symbol of Shiva - black cylinders with a height of half a meter on a common pedestal in the Eastern part of the cave.

The territory of Goa Gajah is not limited to the cave: near the entrance is a fountain with statues. The statue represents a female figure, holding jars, of which constantly pours water into the pool. Historians believe that this pool could be used as a bath to wash before meditation. On the ground of this part of Bali, the first European to set foot in the early 20th century, and the baths were only found during excavations in 1954.

Much more interesting to find in Goa Gajah to shed light on the history of the Balinese people, who lived here for almost a Millennium ago.