An odor-eating tree
On the eastern shore of Lake Batur, a large volcanic caldera in Bali, is the village of Trunyan. The community hosts the Bali Aga, or "original Balinese," an indigenous group that predates the Hindu Majapahit influence on the island. Their isolation, enforced by the surrounding steep crater walls, has preserved a unique funerary rite called Mepasah. Instead of cremation or burial, the Trunyanese practice a form of sky burial: they lay their dead on the surface of the ground.
The bodies are placed in a special cemetery, accessible only by boat, and each is covered by a triangular bamboo cage called an ancak saji. These cages protect the deceased from wild animals. Despite the presence of multiple decomposing bodies—the cemetery holds a maximum of eleven at a time—there is no putrid odor. Local tradition and observation attribute this phenomenon to a massive, ancient tree that dominates the site. The tree is called Taru Menyan, which translates to "fragrant tree," and the village of Trunyan derives its name from it. The tree, a type of banyan, is believed to be over 1,100 years old and emits a strong fragrance that masks and neutralizes the smell of decay. While the precise biochemical mechanism is not fully documented in scientific literature, The tree's resin is known to be aromatic, effectively a natural air purifier.