Prambanan : Ancient Temples of Java

The great monuments of Java are either Hindu or Bhuddist, or more likely combinations of both. Most of the sites were built in Java's heroic age of temple constuction, which lasted from the 8th to the 10th centuries. For mysterious reasons, many of these sites were abandoned soon after they were built.

Most Javanese are Islamic. But they're generally not followers of the branches of Islam associated with the Near East. The Javanese have fused Islam with the island's traditional mysticism, much like the Sufis of northern India. It's certainly not fundamentalist. For instance, it's illegal to agitate for the establishment of an Islamic state, and believers are required to sign a document declaring that they won't.

Because of this native tolerance — at least for different spiritualities — many of the monuments of other religions were simply abandoned, rather than being defaced or destroyed. The greatest damage to the monuments have come in the last century, as expanding populations have moved into formerly deserted areas and pillaged ruins for building materials, or by art collectors, who have carted away sculptures for museums and private collections.

But the destruction has abated. The Indonesian government, working with archeologists, has moved to protect and preserve these monuments.

Prambanan Plain

Siva, the destroyer. . .

This highland plain was once densely populated, with a rich network of temples and other sacred sites. Even today, this area has the largest concentration of ancient sites in Indonesia — about 50 in all. But sometime after the 10th century, the Hindu royalty moved to east Java, abandoning the plain and many of its architectural treasures. An earthquake in the 16th century and waves of treasure hunters devestated many of the sites that weren't buried in volcanic ash.

The most dramatic and important is the Loro Jonggrang complex, dedicated to the Hindu god Siva. The centerpiece of the complex is the central Siva temple, which stands 152 feet tall. It resembles a gothic spire cut off at the base — massive and impressive, with an emphasis on vertical lines similar to European Gothic cathedrals. The gaze is drawn up and making the structure appear awesomely tall.
The temple stands on a platform shared by two other temples dedicated to the two other members of the Hindu trinity, Brahma, the creator, and Vishnu, the preserver. These two temples are not nearly as tall as the Siva temple, but they share an emphasis on verticality. All the temples are surrounded by a walkway with a low wall around it. The Siva and Brahma temple are carved with narrative relief panels showing tales from the Ramayana, the great Hindu epic.

But there's a lot more to explore on Pramandan. Candi Sambisari, discovered in 1966 when a farmer hoeing his field hit a stone that turned out to be the top of the largest temple to be found buried intact in Java. Candi Sari is a beautiful Buddhist sanctury alive with decorations showing dancing goddesses and assorted other divine beings. Candi Sewu is noted for its large, well preserved guardian statues. The buildings of Ratu Boko have gone, but an evocative system of terraces, stairways and pools remain, with dramatic views of the plain and its encircling peaks

By Mark Leger