Speaking about the Taro Village is inseparable from the presence of a white cow at the village. Similarly, it is also pertaining to the sand stone craft and the universal temple, namely the Gunung Raung Temple. The Taro Customary Village is located approximately 40 kilometers from Denpasar, Bali. It can be taken approximately for one hour-drive by passing through a verdant area with cool atmosphere.
Purportedly, local people believed that Taro Village is closely related to the arrival of Rsi Markandeya. His arrival was straightforward though somewhat old age. They believed that Taro Village was founded by Rsi Markandeya who came from Java and spread Hindu teaching to Bali, and in the meditation he saw the divine light in the region. It was the divine light driving him to come and live in the area that used to be called Sarwada. Sarwada in Balinese language is an acronym for sarwa ada meaning everything has been available. In the long run, the name of the village changed and then people called it the Taro Village.
Btiuwana Tatwa palm-leaf manuscript of Rsi Markandeya says: Wus puput amba bad sira, tumuli Iemah ika Ingaranan lemati Sarwada. Sarwada ngaran, saiwir hyun aken ikang sira Maharsi Markandeya, ajnana ngaran kahyun, kahyun nga ran kayu, tahen namah Ira waneh, taru rigaran tarn… and so on”. The late Ketut Soebandi translated the sentences above into as follows having completed to open the land, then the place was named Sarwada. Sarwada means that any desired by Rsi Markandeya has been available on that place. Ajnana means kahyun (mind), kahyun significantly means wood, and then another name is Taro ... and so on.
Geographically, the Taro Village belongs to the region of Gunung Lebah plateau stretching from the north to the south. Similarly, it is flanked by two rivers’ flow, namely the Oos River of female upstream in the west and Oos River of male upstream in the east. Both streams are then fused in the west bank of Ubud Village known by the name of Campuhan Ubud. The northern part of Taro Village borders on the village of Apuan. Kintamani, in the East Sebatu Village, Tegallalang, in the South Kelusa Village, Tegallalang, and in the West borders on the Puhu
Village, Payangan, Gianyar.
