The Most Beautiful Hindu Temple in the World
Prambanan temple is extraordinarily beautiful building
constructed in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely
Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters
higher than Borobudur
temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the
founder to show Hindu triumph in Java Island. This temple is located 17
kilometers from the city center, among an area that now functions as
beautiful park.
There is a legend that Javanese people always tell
about this temple. As the story tells, there was a man named Bandung
Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang asked
Bondowoso to make her a temple with 1,000 statues only in one-night
time. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked the
villagers to pound rice and to set a fire in order to look like morning
had broken. Feeling to be cheated, Bondowoso who only completed 999
statues cursed Jonggrang to be the thousandth statue.
Prambanan temple has three main temples in the primary
yard, namely Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva temples. Those three temples are
symbols of
Trimurti in Hindu belief. All of them face to the
east. Each main temple has accompanying temple facing to the west,
namely Nandini for Shiva, Angsa for Brahma, and Garuda for Vishnu.
Besides, there are 2 flank temples, 4 kelir temples and 4 corner
temples. In the second area, there are 224 temples.
Entering Shiva temple, the highest temple and is
located in the middle, you will find four rooms. One main room contains
Shiva statue, while the other three rooms contain the statues of Durga
(Shiva's wife), Agastya (Shiva's teacher), and Ganesha (Shiva's son).
Durga statue is said to be the statue of Roro Jonggrang in the above
legend.
In Vishnu temple, to the north of Shiva temple, you
will find only one room with Vishnu statue in it. In Brahma temple, to
the south of Shiva temple, you find only room as well with Brahma statue
in it.
Quite attractive accompanying temple is Garuda temple
that is located close to Vishnu temple. This temple keeps a story of
half-bird human being named Garuda. Garuda is a mystical bird in Hindu
mythology. The figure is of golden body, white face, red wings, with the
beak and wings similar to eagle's. It is assumed that the figure is
Hindu adaptation of Bennu (means 'rises' or 'shines') that is
associated with the god of the Sun or Re in Old Egypt mythology or
Phoenix in Old Greek mythology. Garuda succeeded in saving his mother
from the curse of Aruna (Garuda's handicapped brother) by stealing Tirta Amerta (the sacred water of the gods).
Its ability to save her mother made many people admire
it to the present time and it is used for various purposes. Indonesia
uses the bird as the symbol of the country. Other country using the same
symbol is Thailand, with the same reason but different form adaptation
and appearance. In Thailand, Garuda is known as Krut or Pha Krut.
Prambanan also has panels of relief describing the
story of Ramayana. Experts say that the relief is similar to the story
of Ramayana that is told orally from generation to generation. Another
interesting relief is Kalpataru tree that - in Hindu - the tree is
considered tree of life, eternity and environment harmony. In Prambanan,
relief of Kalpataru tree is described as flanking a lion. The presence
of this tree makes experts consider that Javanese society in the ninth
century had wisdom to manage its environment.
Just like Garuda, Kalpataru tree is also used for
various purposes. In Indonesia, Kalpataru is used as the logo of
Indonesian Environment Institution. Some intellectuals in Bali even
develop "Tri Hita Karana" concept for environment conservation by seeing
Kalpataru relief in this temple. This tree of life is also seen in the
gunungan (the puppet used as an opening of traditional puppet show or wayang kulit). This proves that relief panels in Prambanan have been widely known throughout the world.
If you see the relief in detail, you will see many
birds on them; they are real birds as we can see on the earth right now.
Relief panels of such birds are so natural that biologists can identify
their genus. One of them is the relief of the Yellow-Crest Parrot (Cacatua sulphurea)
that cites unanswered question. The reason is that the bird only exists
in Masakambing Island, an island in the middle of Java Sea. Then, did
the bird exist in Yogyakarta? No body has succeeded in revealing the
mystery.
You can discover many more things in Prambanan. You can
see relief of Wiracarita Ramayana based on oral tradition. If you feel
tired of enjoying the relief, you can take a rest in the beautiful
garden in the complex.
Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is
influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed
on a hill 46 m high
and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first five terrace are
square and surrounded by walls adorned with Budist sculpture in
bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle
of bell shape-stupa. The entire adifice is crowned by a large stupa at the centre at the centre of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8
km of passage and starways. The design of borobudur which symbolizes
the structure of universe influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.
