Description:
A House with a View
Less than two hours from the airport, Pondok Idanna is uniquely situated at the foot of the most sacred volcano that dominates a vast valley in the lush cultural heart of Bali. At 1,000 feet elevation, no mosquitoes, pollution, or mind-numbing heat, only cool breezes and sounds of nature. Witness sunrise at dawn swimming in a 60-foot pool heated by the sun. Country walks across the immense artwork of rice terraces. Spine-tingling massage from a young healer. Rejuvenate and detox with first-class organic cuisine and fresh spring water. Meditate on breath-taking vistas and far horizons. Wireless modem for email, interesting library, but purposely no TV. Five young staff, all born in the valley, will look after you with care while respecting your privacy. Three large bedrooms with bathrooms, all under one roof with covered open-air spacious sitting areas.
Removed from the crowded tourist jungles of the southern coast, Pondok Idanna offers a rare place to rejuvenate your body and spirit, a perfect escape for all those who seek passive activity and anonymity in awe-inspiring bucolic nature.
The Setting
Far from the tourist invasion to the south-west, the house sits on a promontory overlooking the spell-binding landscape of Sidemen Valley at the foot of the great Mount Agung. Cascading rice terraces and forested hills extend to the horizon, as far as the eye can see. This refined refuge is an ideal place to detach and detox from the modern world, while rejuvenating in the timeless nature of the tropics. Yet, this land holds much more than meets the eye. It is also a holy region, home of the Gunung Agung, (King of Mountains), the island’s most sacred volcano, and Besakih, the mother temple. Set in traditional East Bali, only 90 minutes from the airport thanks to the new coastal highway, this lush rural region is a refreshing contrast to the over-built and congested touristic areas of Kuta, Seminyak, Nusa Dua, Sanur and Ubud.
Sidemen Valley has profound significance for the Balinese. Over centuries, it has been the all- important pilgrimage route during Besakih ceremonies and holds the highest number of pedandas or Brahman priests per capita in Bali. Its sophisticated, traditional irrigation system-managed by the subak village water councils-has led the area to be considered for possible nominationatio by UNESCO as a world heritage site because of its similarities with the two proposed model subak systems in Tabanan and Tampaksiring. Currently, several village councils have come together to impose a ban on any new construction projects on productive rice land in the area. This grass-roots movement-the first one of its kind in Bali-is determined to preserve and protect Sidemen Valley through sustainable agriculture.
The nearby village of Ogang is noted for its Angklung-the percussion bamboo orchestra who preceded the gamelan. Many of the neighboring older farmers have never been to school, but all are aware of the history of their village with its legends and myths. They understand the workings of nature with their wisdom of communal way of life. Those who are not sudra (the farmers' caste) come from the respected pande caste-renowned for its ironsmiths who have been long connected to the sacred art of kris making. (This art traditionally involved the fusion of meteorite stone into special blades for the rulers to endow them with unearthly powers.)
The Building
After making the customary offerings to Dewi Sri, the Rice Goddess, Terence and Idanna broke ground in 1996. They designed the house themselves and worked closely with master-builder I Made Nasib from Ketewel-a village traditionally known for its architects. From the beginning, the house exuded an ageless spirit with its clean lines and simplicity. Great care was taken to use only local materials.
The house (326 m2 or 3,500 square feet) faces north-east toward the soaring volcano Gunung Agung. The single roof, supported by 27 teak pillars, covers three large verandahs, and three rooms: two large bedrooms, and the library which can be transformed into another bedroom if needed. Each room has its own bathroom. The house can comfortably sleep three couples, or two couples with children. The entire structure was built in red brick or batu merah, fired in a local kiln, as well as volcanic stone called paras from Mount Agung. The teak pillars rest on paras bases. The windows are also teak, while the doors and support beams are camphor wood.
(The kitchen is located in another building)
The Furniture
The unique trapezoid table in the big verandah has a special story. It was designed by the the late Japanese sculptor, Isamo Noguchi. As a young man in the early 50’s, he came to Iseh, a village across the valley where Idanna lived before, and stayed for a few days with the painter Theo Meier. There were no tables at the Iseh house, and everyone sat on floor mats as is still done in the homes of Balinese farmers. The ingenious table sits up to ten people, and allows for easy conversation like a round table. When Idanna moved from Iseh to Ogang, this Noguchi classic followed her.
The four-poster bed in the southern master-bedroom as well as the chairs in the main verandah were made by an elderly Brahman carpenter from Sindhu, who later set down his chisel and hammer to become a priest.
The Garden
The garden was conceived around the sacred Balinese colors: golden yellow and white. One can walk up to the house from two paths that join under a small grove of fruit trees: mango, banana, and clove. Over the entrance hangs saffron bougainvillea. The inner courtyard holds clusters of gardenias, jasmine or sedap malam, frangipani, yellow bamboo, and palm trees.
The Swimming Pool
The pool ((3x18 meters or 6x60 feet) is framed by lava stone from the last eruption of Mount Agung in 1963. The jade ceramic tiles trap the heat of the sun, making the water warm even at night.
