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Balinization
For a long time Airlangga was forgotten in Java, whereas in his native Bali he has always been much revered. With the royal compound established near Batuan, his court's language became the common language of Bali. Another feature of these early times was the practice on Bali of both Hinduism and Buddhism (with a strong tantric element) side by side.
This early period of Balinese history has long been perceived as an age of darkness, but based on an analysis of royal charters (prasasti) this is incorrect. Village communities started to take part in masked dances, dramas, and puppet performances staged by the royal courts. Tantric magical beliefs and rites surfaced, building upon and infusing the native animism.
This period was the origin of the contemporary Balinese preoccupation with leak (witches) and such supernaturally charged characters as Rangda in the tale of Calon Arang. Artistically, the style of the cliff candi of Gunung Kawi was largely derived from East Javanese 11th-century architecture. The early monuments of Bali from this era, exemplified by the ghostly Gunung Kawi tombs, have fascinated religious, social, and cultural anthropologists the world over.
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