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. Since
18 September 2006, you can
enter zone 1 area of
Prambanan temple. The
damage caused by the
earthquake on 27 May 2006 is
being reconstructed.
Please
come and enjoy Prambanan
temple.
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