Beautiful Ancient Temples of Indonesia, Borobudur, Prambanan, Ratuboko, Sewu, Plaosan, Mendut, etc Options

[tangawizi]

Blasphemous.....!
You will burned by fire from Shiva's third eye.....
Stung by Indra's thunder bolts......
Being stabbed by all Durga's weapons......
Devoured by Kala.....
Stepped by Ganesha's feet....
Put in to Buddhist hell and being cooked by Ashuras....
jkjkjk

Oh come on...., the value of this sacred monument is their spirituality.

i thought it was sacrilegious too when i first heard of how a gothic church got turned into a lounge bar... but guess what? it's the most classy thing alive. and i have to say it made the local economy really work, as the church was located in the part of town that was otherwise dead!

i think these days, even spirituality is also a commodity, u know? people pay lots of money to gurus and tithes and some would even send armies or commit suicide in the name of spiritual revival. Come on, majap, i think archeologists just want all treasures and monuments to be left alone, even better if they are shipped to a museum in London or NYC where people in Indonesia can't piss or dance dangdut on them. I am saying that there could be a way to integrate the monuments in our lives in such a way that we live through the great civilizations that are passed. It doesn't have to be a bar or discotek if u think there's too much, but howabout the idea of the national chain of rural hotels or stately Paradores? It would be such a living monument then...

[furansizuka]

Actually I happened to see Prambanan and Borobudur used to hold art performances every month in a full moon-night. I dunno whether they still hold it or not up till now.
ch

Official Website for Borobudur Temple (incl. Prambanan & Ratu Boko):

http://www.borobudurpark.com/

[Majapahitans]

Thank for the link Furan....

Next

Prambanan Temple




Majestic Prambanan temple.....

The largest Hindu Temple complex in Indonesia
Dedicated to Trimurti, the three highest Hindu Gods in Hindu pantheon.
Brahma, Shiva, and Wishnu.


Here's the link
Prambanan Temple

On 27 May 2006, Yogya and area surround it are devastated by massive earthquake, the ancient monument also suffers the destruction.



One of fallen "Ratna" or "crown jewel" from the top of one of the temple......




The Garuda temple suffer great amount of damage from Yogya Earthquake, now under restoration efforts.



Still the temple survive......



The Panoramic view of Prambanan Temple from southern hills on the way to Barong Temple, in the background is the Merapi volcano.........

This post has been edited by Majapahitans: Feb 28 2007, 10:42 AM

[tangawizi]

oh dear.... the earthquake is really bad news for the monuments. i guess ...

on the subject of making monuments part of our living civilization, here's some fotos of Ethiopia's rock hewn churches which i took when i went there .. to this day, the Ethiopians from all parts of the country would trek by foot from hundreds of miles away to come to these rock hewn churches in Lalibela to pay their respects during their xmas and new years, yes, i guess it would be lovely to see pilgrims and religious festivals revived around these monuments once more like in the grand old days.

have u guys ever seen the amazing festivals of the Japanese?



Indonesia has loadsa festivals too which should be famous worldwide!

This post has been edited by tangawizi: Feb 28 2007, 03:29 PM

[londoh]

I went to Candi Ceto 2 days ago, although it was quite sunny in Solo, Candi Ceto was in the clouds. Indonesians call that 'dingin' for me it is just OK.
I have made quite a few pics which I will put on my site in the near future. Here is just one.

[ricochet]

I went to Candi Ceto 2 days ago, although it was quite sunny in Solo, Candi Ceto was in the clouds. Indonesians call that 'dingin' for me it is just OK.
I have made quite a few pics which I will put on my site in the near future. Here is just one.

mas londoh....where you lar...miss you man

nobody is taking care of our Pakalolo Island man!

[Bhaskara]

I love the festivals of Japan! Eventhough they are uber-modern people, they are still excited by their festivals, making thousands of excuse to make a "matsuri" :P

Maybe it's easier for them because most of Japanese are not religious. In Indonesia, people tend to forget about festivals of the past because it is associated with paganism. Harvest festivals can still be found in rural areas, but it's slowly disappearing

We don't have to be an adherent to shamanism, Hindu or Buddhism to enjoy a good festival, we can enjoy it as an honor to our legacy and culture.

[tangawizi]

@ londoh, wow, what a surreal picture!

@ bhas, absolutely right, the festivals need not be religious but rather to mark the calendar events like Spring, summer, harvests etc... make the people live closer to the rhythm of the land

[swingdoctor]

mas londoh....where you lar...miss you man

nobody is taking care of our Pakalolo Island man!

Very nice. My wife loves ancient temples. One of the trips she wants to do is visit Burobudor.


Ooops sorry wrong one I ment to reply to londoh's post

This post has been edited by swingdoctor: Mar 1 2007, 12:19 AM

[Majapahitans]

I went to Candi Ceto 2 days ago, although it was quite sunny in Solo, Candi Ceto was in the clouds. Indonesians call that 'dingin' for me it is just OK.

Waaah.... Mas Londoh.... apa kabar....?
Lama nggak mampir.....

Danke Meneer, serene magical view of Candi Cetho......
The style similar to Balinese temple isn't it....?
I wish I can visit that place...
Is it near candi Sukuh....?

Candi Cetho is temple from late Majapahit era isn't it....?

This post has been edited by Majapahitans: Mar 1 2007, 04:29 AM

[Majapahitans]

Very nice. My wife loves ancient temples. One of the trips she wants to do is visit Burobudor.

It's called Borobudur .....

The original name for the temple probably Bhumisam Bhara Buddhara , the local Javanese tongue simplify Bhara Buddhara to Borobudur.

Borobudur is pyramid of richly carved stone with large stupa crowned the peak.
Modeled after Mandala, the Buddhist Universe. It serve as guidance and sacred buddhist book on stone.
Borobudur designed as a sacred place for pilgrimage, the ten stages to achieve enlightenment.

Built by King Samaratungga circa 850 AD, and completed by his daughter Pramodhawardhani from Sailendra dynasty, Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. It also the largest ancient man made wonder in southern hemisphere.

For more information, here's the link Borobudur

Here's Borobudur images I took about two week ago......



Borobudur panoramic view from Dagi Hill......





Serene wisdom of Buddha in Arupadhatu terrace, Borobudur.

I hope someday you and your wife will visit this ancient monument.....
Meanwhile...., enjoy the pict....

This post has been edited by Majapahitans: Mar 1 2007, 05:00 AM

[furansizuka]

I love that bitiful pic from Opa Londoh

[londoh]

Aku masih hidup, baik & strong.

Yes Candi Sukuh and Candi Ceto are close maybe 5 km's between them (straight line) and from Java's Hindu-times

I was in Candi Sukuh a few years ago, I really loved that place. Candi Ceto is different, it's modernized. But I loved the day I was there the atmosphere was so eerie, in a way I love very much. Ayam sori I don't have the time to visit this forum anymore, only sekali-kali, too busy with things in Dutch.

Here another one

[tangawizi]

^ wierd surreal picture, quite creepy actually ..

The Panoramic view of Prambanan Temple from southern hills on the way to Barong Temple, in the background is the Merapi volcano.........

According to wikipedia, the largest temple Prambanan Temple is also known as the Candi Lara Jonggrang, named after a Javanese princess of the same name...here's the legend of the princess right here :


The Legend of the Slender Virgin

After her father King Boko was defeated in battle, the Javanese princess Loro Jonggrang reluctantly agreed to marry his victor Prince Bandung, but only if he built a temple with 1000 statues before sunrise. With the help of spirits, Bandung had completed 999, when the princess lit a fire to the east of the temple. Fooled into thinking it was dawn, roosters in the neighboring village crowed and the spirits fled — and a furious Prince Bandung changed her into stone, the last and most beautiful of the statues.

I also found out that the Ramayana dances are performed at the Candi Prambanan on four nights during the full moon between May and October. I wonder why it's not performed more often???

Yes Candi Sukuh and Candi Ceto are close maybe 5 km's between them (straight line) and from Java's Hindu-times

I was in Candi Sukuh a few years ago, I really loved that place. Candi Ceto is different, it's modernized. But I loved the day I was there the atmosphere was so eerie, in a way I love very much. Ayam sori I don't have the time to visit this forum anymore, only sekali-kali, too busy with things in Dutch.

I have a fren from Solo who told me that east of Solo city is the Mountain Lawu where the erotic temples like Candi Sukuh and Ceto were built way up in the remoteness of the mountain. I've gone on the net and researched a little and found extracts from a backpacker's site..

http://weecheng.com/indonesia/candisukuh.htm

The website said that It is not possible for us to determine the exact dates of these complexes. They are likely to belong either to the late prehistoric period-about 1,500-2,000 years ago, just before the widespread adoption of Hinduism and Buddhism-or to the early post-classic period which began about 500 years ago when some Central Javanese resisted conversion to Islam.

The sites are still frequently visited by pilgrims who come here to meditate in seclusion. On the eve of the Javanese new year (1 Suro) as many as 2000 people may ascend to conduct traditional rituals. The Indonesian government does not recognize such practices, but permits them to be conducted under the term of aliran keperrayaan or "currents of belief".

Interesting! I wonder if these remote erotic temples on Mt Lawu were influenced by the Khajuraho of India!

This post has been edited by tangawizi: Mar 1 2007, 09:07 AM

[tangawizi]

edit : double post

This post has been edited by tangawizi: Mar 1 2007, 09:06 AM

[Majapahitans]

This thick fog remind me of spooky Silent Hill video game.....


Btw..., there's something funny at Prambanan....
It was rainy day, when I leave Prambanan complex there's two women with umbrella seems confused, weather using shortcut to the temple compound (but illegal.... ) through sideway open gate or finding another way.....
They look east asians, and when she look at me she know we're fellow tourist, then she gave her best to ask me...:

Woman: Anno..., excuse me.... where iz ze entaranse....?
From her accent I know she's Japanese

Me: Oh... haeru-guchi desuka...., hmm Asoko desu... (pointing the direction I was come from).

Woman: (look a little bit surprise....) Ahh... Asoko desu ka.....? Domo Arigato Gozaimasu....! (bowing)

Me: (smile and bowing)

I hope I gave her good impressions on Indonesians.....

This post has been edited by Majapahitans: Mar 1 2007, 11:30 AM

[Bhaskara]

@Majjy: Interesting story on Borobudur!!

@Tangy: Yeah, I've never been to Candi Sukuh, but it's actually very vulgar! There's even a life-size statue of a man holding his own penis!!

[furansizuka]

good one, Majjy s

[tangawizi]

@ Majjy, how come u can speak ninhonjin??
@ Bhas, if u think the Candi Sukur is vulgar, wait till you go to India and see the Khajuraho!

[Bhaskara]

@マッジ:あの女たちは綺麗でしたか?

@Tangy:I'd love to visit it someday!!

This post has been edited by Bhaskara: Mar 2 2007, 10:44 PM