As the largest Hindu
masterpiece temple in Java, the ethereally slender and graceful temple of Prambanan
is a magnificent spectacle to behold and an icon of Indonesia’s cultural heritage. The
beautiful enchantment of Prambanan Temple stands testimony as the greatest Hindu
cultural heritage in Indonesia,
seen not only from its incredibly architecture and layout, but also its unique
and awesome history and legend. The grandeur, complexity, and integrated
architectural concept of Prambanan makes this a truly amazing structure. As a
unique cultural and architectural marvel, Prambanan was declared a World
Heritage site in 1991 by UNESCO.
Java was
known by Indian chroniclers before 600 BCE. The name Java comes from the
Sanskrit Jawadwip, which means a (dvip) island (yawa) shaped like a
barley corn. The Vedic Indians must have charted Java, Yawadvip, thousands of
years ago because Yawadvip is mentioned in India's earliest epic, the
Ramayana. The Ramayana reveals some knowledge of the eastern regions beyond
seas; for instance Sugriva dispatched his men to Yavadvipa, the island of Java, in search of Sita. It speaks of Burma as the
land of silver mines. The Agni Purana, along with many other Puranas,
calls India proper as
Jambudvipa as distinguished from Dvipantara or India
of the islands or overseas India. Towards
the end of the fifth century, Aryabhatta, the Indian astronomer, wrote that
when the sun rose in Ceylon
it was midday in Yavakoti (Java) and midnight in the Roman land. In the Surya
Siddhanta reference is also made to the Nagari Yavakoti with golden walls and
gates.The Indian influence over South-East Asia expanded a lot during the time of Pallavas between the fifth and seventh centuries and the influence was mainly seen in Cambodia. In Indonesia, Srivijaya, a maritime power and dynasty which controlled the empire stretching from Sumatra to Malaya, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam arose from obscurity in the 8th century. Srivijaya was an Indianized polity, with its capital near Palembang in South Eastern Sumatra. Rival to the Srivijaya dynasty was the joint kingdoms of Sailendra and Sanjaya based in central Java. It was during their time (after 780 CE) that the temple building activity flourished in the island. These temples were based on the layout and elevation of the Pallavan and Chalukyan temples which were based on Vastu Shastra.
What is surprising is the attitude of modern Marxist Indian historians towards the cultural past of Southeast Asia. With their appetite for knowledge Indian historians could have made an impressive study. But on the whole they have remained generally indifferent, not even attempting to integrate their own ancient history with that of their neighbors.
The Ramayana and Mahabharata are still are
favorite themes for performances in Indonesia not only in Hindu Bali
but also in Islamic Java. These epics exert an enormous attraction on a broad
layer of society in the Indonesian islands.
IntroductionJava was known by Indian chroniclers before 600 BCE. The name Java comes from the Sanskrit Jawadwip, which means a (dvip) island (yawa) shaped like a barley corn. The Vedic Indians must have charted Java, Yawadvip, thousands of years ago because Yawadvip is mentioned in India's earliest epic, the Ramayana. The Ramayana reveals some knowledge of the eastern regions beyond seas; for instance Sugriva dispatched his men to Yavadvipa, the island of Java, in search of Sita. It speaks of Burma as the land of silver mines.
"yatnavanto yava
dviipam sapta raajya upashobhitam | suvarNa ruupyakam dviipam suvarNa aakara
maNDitam || 4-40-30 yava dviipam atikramya shishiro naama parvataH | divam
spR^ishati shR^ingeNa deva daanava sevitaH || 4-40-31 eteSaam giri durgeSu
prapaateSu vaneSu ca | maargadhvam sahitaaH sarve raama patniim yashasviniim
||" 4-40-32 - The Ramayana.
“You strive hard in
the island of Yava, which will be splendorous with
seven kingdoms, like that even in Golden and Silver islands that are enwreathed
with gold-mines, in and around Yava islands. On crossing over Yava Island,
there is a mountain named Shishira, which touches heaven with its peak, and
which gods and demons adore. You shall collectively rake through all the
impassable mountains, waterfalls, and forests in these islands for the glorious
wife of Rama.”
The Agni
Purana,
along with many other Puranas, calls India
proper as Jambudvipa as distinguished from Dvipantara or India of the islands or overseas India. Towards
the end of the fifth century, Aryabhatta, the famous Indian astronomer,
wrote that when the sun rose in Ceylon
it was midday in Yavakoti (Java) and midnight in the Roman land. In the Surya
Siddhanta reference is also made to the Nagari Yavakoti with golden
walls and gates. Strong Hindu influences were inevitable, given that the
spiritual inspirational source was IndiaDr. Ananda Kentish Cooraswamy (1877-1947) the late curator of Indian art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, was unexcelled in his knowledge of the art of the Orient, and unmatched in his understanding of Indian culture, language, religion and philosophy. He is the author of ' The Dance of Shiva: Essays on Indian Art and Culture'
He wanted India to remain Indian and continue to demonstrate that a pattern of life rooted in religion and philosophy can also be elegant, graceful and fully satisfying. In India philosophy has been the key in the understanding of concrete life, not a mere intellectual exercise in abstract thought.
He was of the opinion that:
"the Prambanam reliefs are, if anything, superior to those of Borobudur and certainly more dramatically conceived. "
(source: History of Indian and Indonesian Art - By Ananda K Coomaraswamy p. 200 - 213).
A Spiritual Treasure of immense refined beauty
Suharto Sukarno (1901- 1970) Indonesian nationalist leader and the first President of Indonesia. He helped the country win its independence from the Netherlands. He echoed the same sentiments.
In a special article in The Hindu on 4 January 1946, Sukarno wrote:
"In the veins of
every one of my people flows the blood of Indian ancestors and the culture that
we possess is steeped through and through with Indian influences.
Two thousand years ago
people from your country came to Jawadvipa and Suvarnadvipa in the spirit of
brotherly love. "
"They gave the
initiative to found powerful kingdoms such as those of Sri Vijaya, Mataram and
Majapahit. We then learnt to worship the very Gods that you now worship still
and we fashioned a culture that even today is largely identical with your own.
Later, we turned to Islam: but that religion too was brought by people coming
from both sides of India."
(source: Prospects for a Bay of Bengal community - By V. Suryanarayan).
Not very far from
Borobudur, writes Dr. Raghuvira 'is the complex Prambanam, the like of
which is known neither to India nor to any other neighboring or distant
land...Here are the life-cycles of Lord Krsna known as Krsnayana parallel to
the Ramayana, the powerful dragon being torn asunder by the superb arms of the
Divine Krsna. In another place is the scene of Kumbhakarna being awakened by
conches and screeches of elephants, a portrayal of the highest order...."
Of the
sculptures in Prambanam, Sir Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) the British
Governor of Java and author of History of Java says:"In the whole course of my life I have never met with such stupendous and finished specimens of human labor, and of the science and taste of ages long since forgot, crowded together in small a compass as in this little spot."
(source: History of Java. volume II p. 15).
India was to have a profound spiritual and cultural influence on Java.
Indianization of the Archipelago
mple is situated 18km
east of Yogyakarta city in Central Java. It is the largest Hindu temple
compound in Indonesia and is dedicated to Trimurti, the three highest gods
in Hinduism. It is known locally as the Loro Jongrang temple, after the
nearby village, or the temple of Durga or the ‘Slender Virgin’.
There are a total of
237 temples in this Shivaite temple complex but many are in ruin. The
architecture is tall and pointed and the central building is the tallest at 47m
high. It is dedicated to Shiva. Hence is known as Chandi Shiva Mahadeva
temple.
Prambanan is a
stunningly beautiful building built in the 9thcentury during the reign of two
kings, and Rakai
Pikatan Balitung. Rises as high as 47 meters (5 meters higher than
Borobudur temple). The temple complex is huge, much more spread out than
Borobodur. It's a pity that the glory of this temple is largely shadowed by the
more monotonous architecture of the Borobudur Temple nearby.
In fact, the Prambanan
Temple compound is more beautiful and as magnificent as the Borobudur! the
Prambanan looks imposing and serene ornate and intricate ......its popularity
to tourists is overshadowed by Borobudur. This site is completely worth a
visit, even more so than Borobodur.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) great
poet, author, philosopher, Nobel prize laureate. Tagore
was deeply critical of the British Raj in India. He also made some statements
to the press about the ghastly book by Katherine Mayo called Mother India,
which was then a huge bestseller in the U.S. Mayo's book offers that other old
myth of India: poor, backwards, savage. Tagore's aim was criticize an
unjust practice (colonialism) and an international system (the League of
Nations) which was thoroughly unsympathetic to the plight of colonized people
in Asia, Africa, and the AmericasOn visiting Java said:
"I see India everywhere, but I do not recognize it."
(source: Suvarnabhumi chapter).
"From the Indian
soil where he originated, prince Rama "traveled" across the oceans
for 20 centuries, and made his way into the heart and mind of Indonesians. His
life story, as recorded in Ramayana by Indian poet Valmiki around the seventh
century BC, has undergone many transformations over the years. But one thing
that persists throughout the recurrent transformation in Java and Bali is the
perception of human values inherent in Ramayana's characters and, most
importantly, its philosophical concept that governs human relationships that
are but universal ideals. The transformation -- as a result of the
cross-cultural exchange between India and Indonesia through trade dating back
as early as the beginning of the first millennium AD -- and the many faces of
Rama that were reconstructed by ancient Indonesian poets and scholars."
(source: Unveiling Rama in Indonesia - By Ivy Susanti - jakaratapost.com).
The Ethereal Beauty of Prambanan
The most eloquent
record of man’s intellectual and emotional evolution is the architecture of the
age to which he belongs, for in it the deepest human feelings and aspirations
stand changeless, captured in rock, brick or stone, for all to see. This
is even truer of temples which are erected in a spirit of reverence and emotive
dedication and are, as such projections of the religious consciousness of a
people.
The fully developed
Hindu temple thus becomes an ideal for the union of the human with the divine,
its upward movement and lofty spire expressing something of the human desire to
reach out and mingle with the Infinite.
The mounting sikhara
represents the human quest for the divine, and where the final tapers to a
point, the human and the divine merge into a single entity. As the human
aspires to the divine, the divine, too, descends, seeks out the human, and
imparts grace in the same measure. It has been pointed out that the
outstanding quality of Indian temples is their spiritual content. The Indian
mind is preoccupied with the religious, philosophic and metaphysical qualities
of a work of art is reflected in temple architecture more clearly than in any
other form of art.
Candi Prambanan is the grandest Hindu
temple in Java. Located on the Prambanan plain, this sprawling temple complex
sits majestically in an open area about twenty kilometers south of Mount
Merapi, which dominates the horizon.
Stunning Prambanan - Setting the bar high
One aspect of Candi Shiva Mahadeva temple's appeal is its glorious
symmetry and grace.
Situated in a picturesque plain dotted with archaeological
monuments amongst rice paddies and villages, you will probably be impressed by
the Hindu Prambanan temple complex before you even pull in to the park, the
height and pointed architecture of the temples gives an impressive welcome.
Slender Heaven Soaring Spires of Hinduism in
Java
Lofty spires reaching out to the Divine
Prambanan pinnacles and reliefs are superior
to those of Borobudur and certainly more dramatically conceived.
An Infinitely more Imaginative Architecture
than Borobudur: The ethereally slender and graceful temple of Prambanan is a
magnificent spectacle and an icon of Indonesia’s Hindu spiritual heritage.
The Shiva Temple - contains four chambers with
Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, Sage Agastya and Lord Ganesha.
The fully developed Hindu temple thus becomes
an ideal for the union of the human with the divine, its upward movement and
lofty spire expressing something of the human desire to reach out and mingle
with the Infinite
Scale up
The sheer number of temples within the Prambanan Complex is
extraordinary the site is structured in a series of three ‘squares’ which
radiate out in size.
A raised
central square, has a total of 11 temples, of various sizes, the largest being
the Siva (Shiva) temple which towers dramatically at close to 50 metres high.
It is flanked by temples honouring the gods Vishnu and Brahma. Three smaller
temples sit in front of the larger temples and each of these is dedicated to the
‘vehicles’ or transportation of the gods represented: Nandi, the bull, for
Siva; Hamsa, the sacred swan, for Brahma; and the eagle Garuda for Vishnu.The second square radiates out symmetrically and contains paths through to the central square, as well as 224 smaller temples of identical design. These temples are known as perwara temples, meaning guardian or complementary. Although most of these smaller temples are currently tumbling ruins, a few have been restored and it is not difficult to imagine the sheer magnitude of what was once here.
A third and final square was also walled at some stage, is not on the same axis as the central two, and does not contain religious artefacts. It is thought that this area would have been for those involved in ceremonies to prepare offerings, and for buildings to house resident priests and pilgrims. These buildings no longer remain as the materials used have not survived over time.
Story teller
The exteriors of the temples and the balustrade areas within the central square are dense with carvings, and in particular, the Siva temple is famous for the 62 relief depictions of the Ramayana Ballet, telling the story of King Rama and his wife Sita. The Ramanaya Ballet continues to have strong links with the temple complex, with performances held on an open air stage within the temple compounds.The Legend of Loro Djonggrang
Within the Prambanan's
Siva temple is a series of chambers, dedicated to Ganesha, Bhatare Guru -
Agastya; a bearded priest, Siva himself, and importantly, Durga,
who local folklore claims as the depiction of Loro Djonggrang, the slender
virgin.
In 1811 during
Britain’s short-lived rule of the Dutch East Indies,
Collin Mackenzie, a surveyor in the service of Sir Thomas Stamford
Raffles, came upon the temples by chance. Although Sir Thomas
subsequently commissioned a full survey of the ruins, they remained neglected
for decades, with Dutch residents carting off sculptures as garden ornaments
and native villagers using the foundation stones for construction material.
Restoration works
commenced in 1830, the main Siva temple was completed in 1953, and works
continue to this day. An earthquake in 1996 did cause further damage to
Prambanan and many other temples in the area. The local Hindus, often of
Balinese heritage, have revived Prambanan as a religious venue, performing
their ceremonies and rituals here.
In the early 1990s the
government removed the market that had sprung up near the temple and
transformed the surrounding villages and rice paddies into an archaeological
park.
According to the
Sivagraha inscription, dated in Saka year 778 (856 B.C.) King Rakai Pikatan
built a temple dedicated to Lord Siva and named it the Sivalaya. This
temple was later expanded and developed into a sprawling temple complex by the
Mataram kings. The name later became Prambanan because this was the name of the
village in which the temple stood. Prambanan is the masterpiece of Hindu
culture of the tenth century. The slim building soaring up to 47 meters makes
its beautiful architecture incomparable. The Prambanan temple complex was built in the
9th century and includes temples dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva with
reliefs depicting episodes from the Ramayana, the ancient Hindu epic.
Wealth of Sculptural
details
Another is its wealth
of sculptural detail: on the base of the main terrace, the so-called “Prambabab
motif” in which little lions in niches are flanked by trees of life and lively
menagerie of kinnaras, hares, geese, birds, deer and a host of other endearing
creatures: on the outer balustrade of the terrace, animated groups of singers
and dancers, and panels of relaxed, beautiful celestial beings; on the main
wall of the temple, the regents of the heavenly quarters; and finally, on the
inner wall of the balustrade, the wonderfully vital and utterly engrossing Ramayana episodes
which end (on the Siva temple) with the arrival of Lanka of Hanuman and his ape
army.
Wealth of Sculptural details
An amazing fine and realistic carving details of a Vedic rishi or
sage. The superb and expressive facial features.
Dr. F.D.K. Bosch determined that the figures in these panels
correspond with a list from the Vishnu Purana which presents the holy men
responsible for editing the Vedas over the course of a long-term time cycle
called a Manvantara.
The positioning of the reliefs is formal. The movement within each
panel is free flowing, filled with fascinating detail. Even the most tumultuous
scenes include lovingly rendered touches: monkeys in a fruit tree, birds
robbing a grain bin, kitchen scenes. Prambanan’s beauty and variety demand more
than one visit.
The positioning of the
reliefs is formal. The movement within each panel is free flowing, filled with
fascinating detail. Even the most tumultuous scenes include lovingly rendered
touches: monkeys in a fruit tree, birds robbing a grain bin, kitchen scenes.
Prambanan’s beauty and variety demand more than one visit.
(source: Java -
Insight Guides - By Peter Hutton p. 185 - 190).
Prambanan Indonesias
largest Hindu holy place is Prambanan, in Central Java, a religious treasure
that dates back to the 9th century and originally included 232 temples. In an
inscription of 856 AD. commemorating the consecration of Prambanan temple, the
building is described as 'a beautiful dwelling for the god'. Gods live on Mount
Meru. An earthquake struck and for many centuries the buildings lay
buried beneath the ground until, in1918, archaeologists began to reconstruct
the main temples. The individual sections of the Chandi Lorojongrang were
rebuilt like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, which made the reconstruction process
particularly laborious, but in 1953 the rebuilding of the central temples
was completed. The Chandi Siva Temple rises 47 metres into the sky and is the
tallest in Prambanan and contains four inner chambers that face the four points
of the compass. The main Hindu god, Shiva, is depicted in the southern chamber,
whilst the sculpture of his reborn wife, Durga, is located within the temples
northern chamber.
Rich Symbolism of Hinduism
Kala Mukha or Kirti Mukha or Tao T'ieh in China is also found in
Cambodia and Java as well as in Central South America. It is generally placed
on the lintel of a doorway. In India it is Kala or Makara, a symbol of Varuna.
The Symbolism of Mahakala above the doorway. Mahakala, "Great Time,"
presides above creation's golden arch. Devouring instants and eons, with a
ferocious face, He is Time beyond time, reminder of this world's
transitoriness, that sin and suffering will pass.
Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy reputed scholar, has noted that this face
whatever its appearance is 'Face of God' that both kills and makes alive. It
plays part of death, that is, of Mrityu, of whom Kala is also a name. Divine as
also the power to breathe life into death
Thankfully, due to the
hard work and determination of many archaeologists, the symbolic meaning of the
old Hindu god, Shiva, God of Destruction and Renewal, is well on its way to
being fully realized.
A Colossal work
The last great
monument of the Central Javanese period is indeed a colossal work, built
when the kings retreated from central to eastern Java. This monument is
dedicated to Lord Shiva, and represents the shrine in the form of the cosmic
mountain. There were originally no less than 232 temples incorporated into the
design. The plan was centred on a square court with four gates containing the
eight principal temples. The central one, the largest, about 120 feet high, was
devoted to Shiva and faces east. To north and south it is flanked by slightly
smaller temples to the two members of the Hindu trinity, Vishnu and Brahma.
Facing it is the pavilion containing a statue of Nandi, Shiva's bull-emblem.
The walls have splendidly lively reliefs of deities and of scenes from the
great Hindu classics, especially the Ramayana. One
series of the 'guardians of the directions' is especially beautiful in the
manner in which ornamental motifs are integrated with the plastic forms of the
bodies; both are derived from the same thematic motifs. A motif peculiar to
Prambanam is the lion in an ornamental niche flanked by a pair of panels with
ornate jewelled trees.
The open-air and
indoor stages on the west side of the temple right across the Opak river, were
built to stage the Ramayana ballet. This traditional Javanese dance is the
centuries old dance of the Javanese court, performed every full moon night in
the Prambanan temple since the 1960s. Since then, Prambanan has become one of
the major archaeological and cultural tourism attractions in Indonesia
Stability - Today majority of Indonesians are
now Muslim. The Vedic foundation gives the society stability against dogmatic
terrorism of the Semitic Desert. Hinduism was Java’s dominant religion for a
much longer period, hence it permeates the society and contribute to
Indonesia’s traditionally moderate form of Islam.
Tolerance- This tolerance is unique to
Indonesia - something that is rarely seen in Islamic countries such as Saudi
Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and others - where foolishly rejecting and
outright denying the ancient past is an article of faith. Similarly today there
are no ancient Hindu temples in the Catholic dominated Philippines. Tragically
in these countries they have been stripped of their rich past identities.
Hinduism was Indonesia’s main religion for
1,000 years, so its influence is still strong.
Erected from immense blocks of volcanic stone, these eastern facing temples overlook the holy Opak River and stand within sight of Mount Merapi (Meru - Mt. Meru - Api - fire), an active volcano worshipped by the early Javanese. Built in the image of Maha Meru, or the Great Mountains of the Gods, they were designed as shrines to the Hindu Trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Their levels of construction represent the three spheres of the cosmos: the base as the underworld, the body as the middle world; and the spires as the upper world. Surrounding each temple group are three concentric courtyards, each one more sacred than the one preceding it.
The main temple of the group is Chandi Shiva. Its slender spires, resembling craggy Himalayan pinnacles, soar more than one hundred fifty feet into the sky and are covered with celestial beings and detailed ornamentation. Hundreds of stone panels depicting the Ramayana fill the mid level galleries, while images of serene ascetics meditating among stupa like ratnas (jewels), cover the exterior.
(source: Sacred Places of Asia: Where Every Breath Is A Prayer - By Jon Ortner p. 134 - 144).
This temple dedicated
to Shiva, is not only the largest of the temple but the finest.
A Wondrous History carved in stone
The main spire soars
47 m and the temple is lavishly carved. The ‘medallion’ that decorate its base
have characteristic Prambanan motifs – small lions in niches flanked by
Kalpataru (trees of heaven) and a menagerie of stylized half human, half bird
Kinnaras (heavenly beings).
The vibrant scenes
carved onto the inner wall of the gallery encircling the temple are from the
Ramayana – they tell how Lord Rama’s wife Sita, is abducted and how Hanuman,
the monkey god and Sugriva, the monkey general eventually help find and release
her.
Hindus have left a
powerful imprint on local culture and spirituality, most obvious today in the
continued use of sacred stories from Hindu Ramayana and Mahabharata Epics in
Javanese and Balinese dance and theatre – as well as major monuments. Bali,
survived as a strong hold of Hinduism because nobles and intelligentsia of the
Majapahit Kingdom congregated after the rest of their realm fell to dominating
Islam in the 15th century.
(source: Lonely Planet). Refer to the Chapters on Glimpses XII - The
Glorious Hindu Legacy in South East Asia and Sacred Angkor and Survanabhumi
The complex consists
of eight temples situated on a walled terrace surrounded by smaller chapels and
two outer walls. The three largest of the inner temples are dedicated
respectively to Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. The largest is the central temple of
Shiva; in principle it resembles the prangs of Cambodia.
The temple itself,
raised above the upper terrace by a richly decorated plinth, more richly
sculptured balustrade, the continuous series of reliefs on the inner side
illustrating the earlier part of the Ramayana, of which the continuation was
probably to be found on the corresponding terrace of the now ruined Brahma shrine
on the right; the reliefs of the Vishnu temple illustrate the Krsna cycle.
The Prambanan reliefs
are if anything superior to those of Borobudur, and certainly more dramatically
conceived, and the aspect of the shrines, despite their rich ornament, is more
masculine. It is possible that the complex served as a royal mausoleum as
well as a temple.
The art of Prambanam,
though it adheres to the principles established on the Dieng plateau, and still
shows unity of plan and harmony of construction and ornament, is already
advanced in its conception of the inner relations of the fundamental elements,
and any further development could only lead to what we actually find in East
Java. On the other hand the early eastern monuments Gunung Gansir, the Belahan
gateways, Candi Sumber Nanas and Candi Sangariti are distinctly of Middle
Javanese character.
Candi Lalatunda, tomb
and bathing place, are due to Udayana, father of the great Erlanga. Near
to Belahan is another bathing place ascribed to Erlanga himself (1010 –
1042) and this site is the source of a portrait statue in which he is
represented as Vishnu riding upon Garuda.
Java was now becoming
a great maritime power, destined soon to occupy the old position of Sumatra.
The eastern Javanese kings had already made their power felt in Palembang, Arab
and Chinese trade was flourishing, and the island of Bali was dependent on
Java. And what is more important, a national Javanese culture had developed,
based indeed on the old Indian tradition, but Indonesian in essence, idiomatic
in expression, and in the truest sense of the word, original. The Javanese
language (Kawi) had become a fitting vehicle of classic epic literature.
Javanese versions of the Indian epics, (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and the
classic Arjuna-Vivaha in which the shadow play is mentioned for the
first time, date from Erlang’s reign.
The twelfth century in
Java, was the “greatest of centuries” and more than other moment stands for the
living past in Javanese consciousness. This was an age of chivalry and romantic
love. A 12th century king, Kamesvara, the hero of the Panji cycle
and the most romantic figure in Javanese tradition.
(source:
History of Indian and Indonesian Art - By Ananda K
Coomaraswamy p. 200 - 213)Architecture: Elegant and Dramatic
The architecture of
Prambanan temple follows the typical Hindu architecture traditions based on
Vastu Shastra. The temple design incorporated mandala temple plan arrangements
and also the typical high towering spires of Hindu temples. Prambanan was
originally named Shivagrha and dedicated to god Shiva. The temple was designed
to mimic Meru, the holy mountain the abode of Hindu gods, and the home of Shiva.
The whole temple complex is a model of Hindu universe according to Hindu
cosmology and the layers of Loka.
Just like Borobudur,
Prambanan also recognize the hierarchy of the temple zones, spanned from the
less holy to the holiest realms. Each Hindu and Buddhist concepts has their own
terms, but the concept's essentials is identical.
Either the compound
site plan (horizontally) or the temple structure (vertically) are consists of
three zones:
Bhurloka (in Buddhism:
Kāmadhātu), the lowest realm of common mortals; humans, animals also demons.
Where humans still binded by their lust, desire and unholy way of life. The
outer courtyard and the foot (base) part of each temples is symbolized the
realm of bhurloka.
Bhuvarloka (in Buddhism:
Rupadhatu), the middle realm of holy people, rishis, ascetics, and lesser gods.
People here began to see the light of truth. The middle courtyard and the body
of each temples is symbolized the realm of bhuvarloka.
Svarloka (in Buddhism:
Arupadhatu), the highest and holiest realm of gods, also known as svargaloka.
The inner courtyard and the roof of each temples is symbolized the realm of
svarloka. The roof of the Prambanan temples is adorned and crowned with ratna (Sanskrit:
jewel). In ancient Java temple architecture, ratna is Hindu counterpart of
Buddhist stupa, and served as the temple's pinnacle
The Shiva shrine is the only building at Prambanan that has
entranceways that open to all four cardinal directions. The doorway that faces
the cardinal direction east leads into the shrine's central cella, which
contains a statue of the Hindu deity Shiva. The remaining three doors lead into
three ancillary chambers that contain statues of the Hindu Agastya (south),
Ganesha (west) and Durga (north). With regards to the central shrine, however,
there is a possibility that these three statues are not the original occupants
of the auxiliary chambers.
Candi
The religious
structures in Java are commonly called Chandis, a term which originally meant a
commemorative building.
One particular term
for a temple most often seen in Java is called the chandi. It refers to a
structure based on the Indian type of single celled shrine, with a pyramidal
tower above it, and a portico. Later chandis may have additional external cells
on the three walls. A chandi served as a cult focus, housing a potent icon or a
group of icons. As in other countries, these were often identified with
particular royal persons. The chandi was, like the temple-mountains of
Cambodia, a representation of the cosmic Mount Meru, an epitome of the
universe. The names of Javanese chandis bear are those of the Hindu epics
heroes, such as Arjuna and Bhima.
(source: The Art of Southeast Asia - By Philip Rawson p 208).
Prambanan temple complex built
by the Kings Wamca
(Dinasty) Sanjaya in the 9th century. Prambanan is the enshrinement with the
main temple complex facing east, with the overall shape resembles a mound at 47
meters tall puppet. Hinduism
knows Tri Murti of Lord Brahma as the Creator, Vishnu as the
Preserver, Lord Shiva as the Destroyer. The main chamber of the main temple
occupied by Lord Shiva as the Supreme Deity so it can be concluded Prambanan
temple is the Shiva temple. Prambanan Temple or Shiva temple is also often
referred to as the temple of Loro Jonggrang associated with the legend that
tells about a virgin who Jonggrang or a tall girl, the daughter of King Boko,
who built his kingdom on the hill south of the temple complex of Prambanan.
The banks of the temple is restricted by a fence ledge, which is
decorated with reliefs of Ramayana can be enjoyed when we pradaksina (walking
around the temple with a central cansi always to the right of us) through the
corridor. The story continues on the fence balustrade of Brahma temple located
on the left (south) of the main temple. ‘m On the fence ledge Vishnu temple
located on the right (north) of the main temple, carved reliefs depicting the
story Krishnadipayana childhood story Prabu Krishna as incarnation of god
Vishnu in keangkaramurkaan who want to eradicate the crisis.
Room overlooking the main temple to the north contains Parung
Durga, consort of Lord Shiva, but generally people call it a statue of
Roro Jonggrang, who according to legend, the stone statue before the body of
life of beautiful princess, who was condemned by Bondowoso knight, to
complement its ability to create a thousand statues in one night
The third front of the temple of the God Trine there are three
temples which contain vehicle (vehicle) is the third god. All of them has now
been restored and the only temple in the middle (in front of Shiva temple)
which still contains a statue of a bull named Nandi, Lord Shiva vehicle.
With the
tall, pointed spires that are characteristic of Hindu sacred architecture,
Prambanan's tallest structure is the temple to Shiva the Destroyer, which
measures 154 feet high. Traditional Javanese dance has been performed at the
site during every full moon since the 1960s and helped to make Prambanan a
favorite archaeological and cultural destination.
Prambanan Temple complex had 47 m high three main buildings with a
very beautiful architecture. Those three buildings symbolize Trimurti, the
three greatest Gods consist of Shiva Temple (God of Destroyer) in the middle,
Brahma Temple (God of Creator) in the south, and Vishnu Temple (God of
Preserver) in the north. Then in front of these main temples, there are smaller
temples symbolize the vehicle of these Trimurti. Those are Nandi Temple (bull)
the vehicle of Shiva, Swan Temple the vehicle of Brahma, and Garuda Temple
the vehicle of Vishnu. We can also watch and learn about the Ramayana
story which its reliefs are clockwise inscribed on the fence wall ledge of
Shiva Temple and continued on Brahma Temple. While the fence wall ledge of
Vishnu Temple inscribed with the reliefs of Lord Krishna story. After all, this
temple complex is surrounded by more than 250 different sized temples called
perwara.
The temples at
Prambanan were built in the 9th century. The biggest temple is dedicated to
Shiva – the destroyer, and the two smaller ones which sit on its right and left
are dedicated to Brahma -¬ the creator and Wisnhu – the sustainer. The
tallest temple of Prambanan is a staggering 47 meters high. Its peak visible
from far away and rises high above the ruins of the other temples.
After hundreds of years of neglect, the Prambanan temple was rediscovered by CA Lons, a Dutchman, in 1733. Since then, this temple has been revitalized and today is widely regarded as the most beautiful and graceful Hindu temple in Indonesia.
Historians
believe that the temple complex was built around 850 by the Hindu Sanjaya dynasty to mark its return to
power after replacing the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty. When the court left the region — possibly
due to the eruption of Mount Merapi — the site was abandoned. The temples were
damaged in the 16th century after an earthquake, and in the 19th century stones
from the structures were frequently looted. The most significant temples were
reconstructed in the 20th century, with the work finished only in the 1990s.
The Java earthquake of May 2006 damaged the site, and many of the temples are
still off-limits for safety reasons. After hundreds of years of neglect, the Prambanan temple was rediscovered by CA Lons, a Dutchman, in 1733. Since then, this temple has been revitalized and today is widely regarded as the most beautiful and graceful Hindu temple in Indonesia.
Vedic influences are all over Indonesia
Culturally speaking
Java is characterized by deep traces of Indianization that occurred long ago.
From this Indianization was born a series of kingdom - Cambodia, Champa, Malay
Pensisnsula, the kingdoms of Sumatara, Java and Bali and finally the Burmese
and Thai kingdoms.
How
Hinduism was introduced in Indonesia:Records of foreign trade with Indonesia exist from the early AD centuries. Consequently, it was earlier thought that Hinduism was introduced to Indonesia through traders arriving from India. However, recent discoveries of Sanskrit transcriptions in places like eastern Kalimantan, a considerable distance from the international trade route, and also in western Java have given rise to a new theory that it was introduced to the Indonesian islands through rishis and their Indian and Indonesian disciples. References in Balinese literature about Pura Pucak Raung (in the Eastern Javanese district of Glenmore), where Maharishi Markandeya is said to have visited and gathered followers, further bolster this claim.
Even today at a Muslim festival - immense conical mounds of rice are carried to Mosques in Yogyakarata - a direct reference to the sacred mountain - Mount Mahameru - the abode of Hindu Gods. Beneath the unornamented throne of the Susuhunan of Surakarta - a titular Muslim prince - a tiger skin symbolizing his role as the embodiment of Lord Shiva.
Under the Gupta Dynasty - India enjoyed one of its "Golden Ages". When Chinese pilgrim Fa-hsien visited Java in 414 AD Hinduism was practiced in both islands of Java and Sumatara. The oldest Sanskrit inscription in Java dates from 414 AD is found near modern Bogor. King Purnavarman of Taruna founded the Sanjaya Dynasty. Javanese pilgrims are known to have visited India in the 9th century and who brought back India's intellectual and cultural sophistication to a land as ready to embrace and expand on philosophical ideas as the Javanese earth receives and nurtures rice seedlings. The earliest Hindu temples in Java are located on the high plateau of Dieng and Gedong Songo built in 732 - 760 CE.
Indonesia is replete with Sanskrit names like Jayakarta (Jakarta), Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Denpasar, Surbaya. Krishna/Arjuna chariot sculptures can be spotted in Jakarata and Bali. The Bahasa language of Indonesia is filled with Sanskrit words. Mount Bromo means Brahma is a sacred mountain - an active volcano in East Java. Here the Tengger Hindus of this region hold a ceremony once a year called Yadnya Kasada Ceremony. Mahameru is the hightest mountain in Java. Arjuno-Welirang Is a twin volcano in East Java. The name Arjuno is Javanese rendition of Arjuna, a hero in Mahabharata epic, while Welirang is Javanese word for sulfur. Mt. Penanggungan - An ancient Javanese text, the tantu panggelaran records how in times long past the holy Mt Mahameru was transported from India to Java, in order to hold the island in place. During the journey, however, the mountain began to break apart, pieces of it falling to earth to form a chain of volcanic peaks. The base became Mt Semeru, Java's highest mountain, while the summit, Mt Pawitra, came to rest on the plains to the south of Surabaya. Mount Tambora and the city of Bhima on the island of Sumbawa. While in In a sacred pool on the slopes of Java’s Mount Penanggungan, men often bathe beside statues of Sri and Lakshmi, the consorts of Lord Vishnu. Pustakasala - also known as Kimpulan temple is a 9th to 10th century Hindu temple located in the area of Indonesia Islamic University.
The Defense Ministry is called Yuddha Graha. Inscription on its archways - Chatur Dharma, Eka Karma. Ministry for Sports is called Krida Bhakti. Shatria (Kshatriya) Mandala Museum) Armed Forces Museum in Jakarata. Lord Ganesha is prominently depicted on Indonesia's Rupiah currency notes as well as Ganesha statues grace the entrance of the Presidential palace. Garuda the National Airlines derived its name from "I'm a Garuda, Vishnu's Bird, spreads its wings high above the Islands"
Statues of Dwarpalas are everywhere and The Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are performed in all major urban areas. Shadow puppets - Wayan Kulit enact episodes from both epics as well. Wayang wong - have live actors whose plays are based on the epics too.
The technique of Batik, of South Indian origin, consists in painting and repainting the cotton ground with wax in such a manner as to reserve all those parts of the cloth which are not to take up color at the next dipping in the dye vat. The Ikat technique, which is widely distributed both in Further or Greater India and Indonesia, is certainly of Indian origin and probably of high antiquity. Needless to remark that ikat weaving requires the most elaborate precalculation and measurement.
(source: History of Indian and Indonesian Art - By Ananda K Coomaraswamy p. 200 - 213).
Java, Bali and Sumatra are all Sanskrit names. All of the most ancient of Indonesian shrines are dedicated to Indian Vedic deities and depict scenes from Indian epics. Their language is a dialect of Sanskrit known as Basha, a Sanskrit term. The Indonesian flag, being of two colors, bears the Sanskrit name Dwivarna. The five cardinal points of the Indonesian constitution are also designated by Sanskrit word Panchashila. The old Javanese alphabet derives from the Pallava script of South India. One such inscription was found in the south-eastern region of Borneo (Kalimanthan) on four octagonal stone pillars, written in the Sanskrit in a 4th century Indian script. Indonesians still follow the Vedic year and call it Sakh-Samavat. It is not generally known that the name "Indonesia" does not refer to Asia. The term "Nesia" signifies a group of islands, and "Indo" of course means India. Thus, Indonesia means Indian Islands. Not far from Borobudur is the complex of Prambanam, the like of which is known neither to India or to any other neighboring or distant land. Here are the life cycles of Lord Krishna as Krishnayana parallel to the Ramayana, the powerful dragon being torn asunder by the superb arms of the Divine boy Krishna. In another place is the scene of Kumbhakarna being awakened by conches and screeches of elephants, a portrayal of the highest order. The central triad of temples are devoted to the Trimurti (Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu). The ancient name of Borneo is Kalimanthan. Kali is the popular Indian goddess who is devotedly worshipped by the general masses of Vedic followers and Indian rulers alike. The sultan of Brunei bore the title of Seri Bhagawan, meaning Shri Bhagavan (Lord Almighty).
(source: Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence - By Stephen Knapp p. 230 - 231).
Greater India: The
Indian Ocean Rim is a natural hinterland
Indonesia shows
the power of Indic ideas – as Tagore remarked, wherever you go in the country,
you are reminded of India, because of familiar cultural signals. Even the
languages – old Javanese and Balinese – look much like Indian scripts, and
children still chant “a, aa, e, ee”. A large number of cultural memes in
Indonesia are imported from India, including in traditional dance, puppetry,
music, even in the name of the national airline, ‘Garuda’. In the middle
of a large square in Jakarta, there is a giant sculpture of the Gitopadesa.
On a full moon night, I have watched Javanese Muslim dancers perform the
Ramayana Ballet outside Prambanan . There is the Hindu island of Bali, where
the Hindus fled when a Javanese king of the Majapahit dynasty converted to
Islam.Prambanan, less well-known, is the Hindu equivalent of Borobudur, and from roughly the same time period. They are stylistically polar opposites: Borobudur is powerful and muscular, whereas Prambanan (a suggested etymology is ‘brahma-vana’) is tall, slender and ethereal. Indeed, another name for Prambanan is ‘slender maiden’. It consists of three temples, one each to Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. The Siva temple is the tallest and the best preserved. In an earthquake in 2006, Prambanan was severely damaged. A big eruption of Merapi may altogether doom it.
Hinduism and Buddhism
thrived for a thousand years, not through conquest but because the ideas
themselves were useful and good. There was in fact an Indian military invasion –
although that was later. Circa 1017, Rajendra Chola sent a huge
expeditionary force clear across the ocean to defeat the Srivijaya Empire in
Sumatra. It was possibly the largest naval fleet ever assembled before the
advent of steamships in the 19th century, quite likely bigger, and
certainly more successful, than the Spanish Armada.
Unfortunately, unlike
the big claims the Chinese are making – and these grow with every retelling
– of their Admiral Zheng He and his alleged naval adventures, India has been
noticeably reticent about the glorious maritime exploits of the Cholas. This
needs to change, purely out of necessity: India needs to provide a
counterweight to China. The US is now exhorting India to no longer just “look
east”, but become a presence in East Asia. With China’s increasing aggressiveness
in the South China Sea, in Tibet and Kashmir, it is necessary to ‘contain’
China with a web of relationships, such as with Vietnam and Japan.
India has so far
fumbled its connections with Southeast Asia, which was traditionally known as
Greater India. Invited to join ASEAN at its founding, India haughtily declined
to: yet another Himalayan blunder. The cultural legacy is a link that India
should use to engage with increasingly SE Asia. Going by the rapid rise of
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, this region is where the future
is. It may yet be the century not of the Pacific, but of the Indian Ocean. A
Pax Indica or
an Indian Ocean Rim Community is a possible dream.
(source: Greater India: The
Indian Ocean Rim is a natural hinterland - By Rajeev Srinivasan).
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
( My humble Pranam, Honour
and also gratefulness to
Ms. Sushma Londhe ji for her noble, magnanimous and eminent
works on the peerless Wisdom of our Sacred Scriptures)
(My
humble salutations to , H H Swamyjis, Hindu Wisdom, great Universal
Philosophers, Historians, Professors and Devotees for the
discovering collection)
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