Organization of Desa Adat Padangtegal
A Customary Village Rooted in Balinese Tradition
Desa Adat Padangtegal is a traditional Balinese customary village located in Ubud, Gianyar Regency, Bali. As a desa adat, Padangtegal serves as the central customary institution that manages religious, cultural, social, environmental, and community-based economic affairs for the village.
Padangtegal exists within the wider civil-administrative area of Kelurahan Ubud, but it maintains its own customary identity, leadership system, temple obligations, village regulations, and community responsibilities. This reflects the Balinese relationship between desa dinas, or civil administration, and desa adat, or customary authority.
The organization of Desa Adat Padangtegal is guided by Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese philosophy of harmony between the Divine, human beings, and nature. This principle shapes village governance, religious ceremonies, environmental management, community welfare, and the development of village-owned assets such as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
Foundation of Governance
The governance of Desa Adat Padangtegal is based on adat, or customary law. These customs are preserved and regulated through awig-awig and pararem, which provide guidance for community responsibilities, leadership, temple duties, social conduct, ceremonies, village assets, and customary decision-making.
Awig-awig functions as the village’s core customary law, while pararem provides more specific rules and implementation guidelines. Together, they ensure that village life remains orderly, transparent, and aligned with inherited Balinese values.
This system shows that adat governance in Padangtegal is not informal. It is a living and organized structure that continues to adapt to social, cultural, environmental, and tourism-related changes.
Governance Structure
The organization of Desa Adat Padangtegal is a cooperative system involving customary leaders, village councils, banjar representatives, temple priests, community groups, and all members of the village.
The main elements of the governance structure include:
Bendesa Adat
The Bendesa Adat is the head of Desa Adat Padangtegal. The Bendesa Adat leads the customary village and is responsible for guiding religious, cultural, social, and customary affairs.
The Bendesa Adat represents the village in customary matters, coordinates with government institutions, supervises village programs, protects sacred sites, and ensures that development remains consistent with adat values and Tri Hita Karana.
The role of Bendesa Adat is central because Padangtegal’s cultural life, temple system, environmental responsibilities, and community-based tourism are all connected to customary authority.
Prajuru Desa Adat
The Prajuru Desa Adat are the customary officials who assist the Bendesa Adat in managing village responsibilities. They help coordinate administration, ceremonies, social programs, temple maintenance, financial matters, environmental activities, and village assets.
Typical positions within the customary leadership structure may include:
Petajuh
The deputy or vice leader who assists the Bendesa Adat in carrying out leadership duties.
Penyarikan
The secretary responsible for administration, records, correspondence, documentation, and organizational communication.
Patengen
The treasurer responsible for financial administration and accountability.
Other customary officers and committees
Additional officers may be appointed or formed according to the needs of the village, including committees for ceremonies, temple maintenance, security, environment, business units, youth activities, and cultural programs.
Together, the Bendesa Adat and Prajuru Desa Adat form the main leadership body of the customary village.
Sabha Desa and Kerta Desa
Desa Adat Padangtegal also recognizes supporting customary institutions such as Sabha Desa and Kerta Desa.
Sabha Desa functions as an advisory and deliberative body that supports village decision-making. It helps ensure that important matters are discussed carefully and in accordance with adat principles.
Kerta Desa supports customary order, guidance, and dispute resolution within the village. Its role helps maintain harmony, fairness, and balance in community life.
These institutions strengthen the governance system by ensuring that leadership is not concentrated in one person alone, but supported by collective wisdom, consultation, and customary checks and balances.
Banjar Adat
The village is organized into four main Banjar Adat, or customary community units. Each banjar functions as a local social, cultural, and ritual unit within Desa Adat Padangtegal.
The four banjar commonly recognized in the customary structure are:
- Banjar Padangtegal Kaja
- Banjar Padangtegal Mekarsari
- Banjar Padangtegal Kelod
- Banjar Padang Kencana
Each banjar has its own local leaders, community activities, meeting spaces, ceremonial responsibilities, and social programs. Banjar leaders coordinate with the Desa Adat leadership to organize ceremonies, community service, temple activities, cultural events, and development programs.
The banjar system is essential to daily life in Padangtegal. It allows community responsibilities to be shared locally and ensures that all members remain connected to village duties and religious life.
In some public administrative sources, the names of local subunits may appear slightly differently, such as Padangtegal Tengah. This reflects the difference between customary and administrative terminology. In practice, the banjar system remains the foundation of local community organization.
Krama Desa
The Krama Desa are the members of Desa Adat Padangtegal. They are the heart of the customary village system.
Krama Desa participate in religious ceremonies, temple maintenance, community service, village meetings, social obligations, environmental programs, and collective duties known as ayahan.
Through the participation of Krama Desa, the village organization remains active, communal, and rooted in shared responsibility. Adat is not only carried by leaders, but by the whole community.
Pemangku and Religious Leadership
Religious life in Padangtegal is supported by pemangku, or temple priests. Pemangku lead prayers, prepare offerings, conduct rituals, maintain temple sanctity, and guide ceremonies at the village temples.
Their role is essential in preserving the spiritual balance of the village. They work closely with the Bendesa Adat, Prajuru Desa Adat, banjar, and community members during temple ceremonies, purification rituals, life-cycle ceremonies, and other sacred activities.
Community and Social Groups
Desa Adat Padangtegal is supported by various community groups that strengthen social, cultural, educational, and environmental life.
These may include:
PKK and Women’s Groups
Women’s organizations that support family welfare, health, education, social programs, ceremony preparation, and community development.
Sekaa Teruna Teruni
Youth organizations that help preserve Balinese culture through arts, social service, environmental activities, and participation in village ceremonies.
Art and Culture Groups
Dance groups, gamelan ensembles, craft communities, and cultural teams that help preserve Balinese artistic traditions and support village ceremonies and performances.
Pecalang
Traditional village security officers who help maintain order during ceremonies, cultural events, traffic arrangements, and community activities.
Environmental Teams
Groups involved in waste management, cleanliness programs, forest conservation, river care, and sustainable tourism initiatives.
Business and Management Units
Village-related teams that help manage community-owned assets, tourism operations, parking systems, conservation programs, and economic activities.
These groups allow the village organization to function across many areas of community life.
Key Responsibilities of Desa Adat Padangtegal
The organization of Desa Adat Padangtegal carries broad responsibilities that support the spiritual, social, environmental, and economic wellbeing of the village.
Cultural and Religious Stewardship
Desa Adat Padangtegal is responsible for preserving temple life, religious ceremonies, sacred spaces, ancestral traditions, and Balinese Hindu values.
This includes:
- Organizing temple ceremonies and village rituals
- Maintaining sacred temples and ceremonial spaces
- Supporting piodalan, melukat, Ngaben, and other religious ceremonies
- Protecting the spiritual identity of the village
- Preserving the sacred relationship between temples, community, and nature
The village’s temple system and religious obligations remain central to its identity.
Management of Sacred Sites and Village Assets
One of the most important responsibilities of Desa Adat Padangtegal is the protection and management of sacred sites and village-owned assets.
The most prominent example is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, or Mandala Suci Wenara Wana. The sanctuary is not only a tourism destination, but also a sacred forest, conservation area, spiritual landscape, and important village institution.
Through adat-based management, the village ensures that the Monkey Forest supports:
- Temple preservation
- Forest and wildlife conservation
- Community welfare
- Cultural education
- Sustainable tourism
- Local economic development
This management model reflects Padangtegal’s commitment to keeping tourism rooted in community benefit and customary responsibility.
Community Welfare
Desa Adat Padangtegal supports programs that strengthen community wellbeing. These may include support for education, health, religious activities, social care, infrastructure, public facilities, and community development.
The village organization also helps maintain social harmony through deliberation, mutual assistance, customary guidance, and collective participation.
Environmental Conservation
Environmental protection is a key responsibility of Desa Adat Padangtegal. The village manages sacred forests, supports waste management, protects rivers and trees, and encourages sustainable tourism practices.
The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is the most visible example of this environmental responsibility. It represents the principle of Palemahan, or harmony between humans and nature.
The village also supports cleanliness programs, composting initiatives, and other environmental efforts to respond to the pressures of tourism and modern development.
Economic and Business Management
Desa Adat Padangtegal manages and supports community-based economic activities that benefit the village as a whole. These include tourism, local services, cultural activities, village-owned assets, and related business units.
The purpose of economic management is not only profit, but community benefit. Income from village assets is directed toward religious ceremonies, temple maintenance, social welfare, education, environmental protection, and village development.
This makes Padangtegal an important example of community-based tourism in Bali, where economic activity remains connected to adat, culture, and social responsibility.
Decision-Making and Deliberation
Decision-making in Desa Adat Padangtegal is based on consultation, deliberation, and consensus. Important matters are discussed through customary forums such as paruman desa or paruman agung, involving village leaders, banjar representatives, community members, and relevant institutions.
This deliberative process reflects the Balinese value of musyawarah, or collective discussion. It helps ensure that decisions are transparent, balanced, and accepted by the community.
Through deliberation, the village can respond to changing conditions while remaining faithful to adat principles.
Relationship with Government and Civil Administration
Desa Adat Padangtegal operates alongside the formal administrative structure of Kelurahan Ubud and government institutions at the district, regency, and provincial levels.
This relationship allows Padangtegal to maintain its customary authority while also coordinating with modern governance systems. The Desa Adat manages religious, cultural, customary, and community-based matters, while civil government handles formal administrative services.
This dual structure is an important feature of Balinese village life. It allows traditional institutions to remain strong while still participating in regional development and public administration.
Organization Guided by Tri Hita Karana
The organization of Desa Adat Padangtegal is guided by the three harmonies of Tri Hita Karana.
Parahyangan
The village maintains harmony with the Divine through temple ceremonies, offerings, rituals, and the protection of sacred spaces.
Pawongan
The village maintains harmony among people through banjar life, social cooperation, deliberation, customary law, and community welfare.
Palemahan
The village maintains harmony with nature through forest conservation, environmental programs, waste management, and protection of the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
Through these principles, the organization of Padangtegal is not only administrative. It is spiritual, communal, ecological, and cultural.
A Living Customary Institution
Desa Adat Padangtegal is more than an organization. It is a living customary institution that connects the people of Padangtegal with their temples, ancestors, forest, traditions, and shared responsibilities.
Its governance system allows the village to preserve Balinese culture while responding to modern challenges such as tourism, environmental pressure, infrastructure needs, and community development.
Through the leadership of the Bendesa Adat, the support of Prajuru Desa Adat, the strength of the banjar, the guidance of customary law, and the participation of Krama Desa, Padangtegal continues to uphold its identity as a sacred, cultural, and community-based village in the heart of Ubud.