Today I visited two out of three preserved UNESCO World heritage sites in Indonesia. Candi (temple) Borobudur and Prambanan (the third being Sangiran where a homo. Erectus fossil was found), and as luck would have it, both Borobudur and Prambanan are within driving distance in Yogyakarta, effectively visiting the major cultural sites in Indonesia in one day.

Borobudur Coordinates on Google Earth

Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist monument, dating from the 9th-century Mahayana kingdom and nearby Candi Prambanan, close to Borobudur, is a Hindu monument dating from just a few years later. Borobudur is decorated with over 2,000 carved relief panels depicting the Buddhist cosmology and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa – Source: Wikipedia.










Although facts behind its abandonment remain a mystery, evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the 14th-century decline of Buddhism and Hinduism, and the conversion to Islam. Borobudur lay hidden for centuries by volcanic ash and jungle growth. And it was Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians and brought the monument to worldwide knowledge of its existence in 1814. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations by the Indonesian government and UNESCO.








Stairs of Borobudur


Stairways at the center of each of four sides give access to the top, with a number of arched gates overlooked by 32 lion statues.


A Lion gate guardian.


The foundation comprises of stone cut to size and laid without mortar. Knobs, indentations and dovetails were used to form joints between stones. Stairways at the center of each of four sides give access to the top, with a number of arched gates overlooked by 32 lion statues. To begin, you need to walk in an anti-clockwise direction, circling and ascending each level one by one, each platform represents one stage of enlightenment.


A carved gargoyle for water drainage.



















A headless buddha, who's head was either plundered by thieves before restoration or as a gift to foreign Kings.


Archs of Kala

The path that guides pilgrims was designed to symbolize Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire) at the base, Rupadhatu (the world of forms) the five square platforms (the body), and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness) by the three circular platforms and the large topmost stupa. – Source: Wikipedia.


Stupas

The monument's three divided levels symbolize three stages of mental preparation towards the ultimate goal (Nirvana) where the journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of the Buddhist cosmology.





The whole place is like one GIANT 3D jigsaw Puzzle, when raffles first discovered the place, it was in ruins and the stupas strewn all over the place, and each stone and statue and Buddha was carefully studied and replaced back onto the shrine, even then there are thousands of stones that they have no idea where it belongs, and there are many areas on the shrine where you can see obvious mistakes when the pieces don't fit. There was a “museum” depicting scene of restoration after it’s discovery and restoration works being done after the Merapi eruption and earthquake damage. It was a pity that we couldn’t climb to reach the tallest stupas due to restoration work currently being done, that was a real bummer.

Legend has also depicted that your wishes will be granted if you able to touch the Buddha inside the perforated stupa, which we were unable to do and unable to reach the top. In other words Nirvana cannot be attained today. Bummer.

Now wouldn't it be cool if a secret trapdoor was accidentally discovered and opened into a secret passage? Something out of Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider.

Now that would be interesting.



A dove house at the visitor centre


























LUNCH






























PRAMBANAN



Next stop, Candi Prambanan

Prambanan Coordinates on Google Earth






Prambanan is a ninth century Hindu temple dedicated to Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia and is believed that the temple was built in the middle of 9th century.





Most of the 224 individual small shrines are in ruins and only some have been reconstructed and the inner compound consists of eight main shrines or candi.








The three main shrines, called Trimurti ("three forms"), are dedicated to the three gods: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper, and Shiva the Destroyer.

Shiva’s temple is the tallest and largest structure in Prambanan and the reliefs walls on these shrines tell the story of Ramayana carved on the inner walls of the balustrades. The Shiva shrine located at the center and contains five chambers, four small chambers in every cardinal direction and one bigger main chamber in central part of the temple.



The other three smaller chambers contain statues of Hindu Gods related to Shiva; his consort Durga, the rishi Agastya, and Ganesha, his son. The shrine of Durga is also called the temple of Lara Jonggrang (Javanese: slender virgin), after a Javanese legend of princess Lara Jonggrang





King Ramayana

































The two other main shrines are that of Vishnu and Brahma. The reliefs walls along the balustrades around Shiva and Brahma temple depict the Ramayana legend. The other three shrines in front of three main temples is dedicated to vehicle (vahana) of the respective gods - the bull Nandi for Shiva, the Hamsa (sacred swan) for Brahma, and Vishnu's Eagle Garuda.
All in all, another very interesting experience, visiting a historical shrine in Indonesia.




Pretty sunset to end the day.