Borobudur : Ancient Temples of Java

This is the world's largest Buddhist monument. Laid out like a pyramidal mandala, it's a cosmology framed and inscribed in stone, massive amounts of stone — 6,500 cubic yards of it.
Javanese living in nearby Yogyakarta were aware of its existence when Borobudur was” discovered" by Europeans in 1815. At that time most of the monument was visible, even if large portions of it were filled in with soil sustaining overgrown trees and other plants. Over the next century and a half there were many attempts at restoration, but things really didn't come together until 1975-1984 when UNESCO and the Indonesian government undertook a complete overhaul of the sanctuary. The foundation was stabilized and professional restorers cleaned all 1460 stone relief panels that line the walkway spiraling to the top of the monument.
Squat and square, the structure of Borobudur is impressive mostly because it's massively huge. The stone relief panels are the real glory of Borobudur. The panels depict the Buddhist path to enlightenment, from rollicking profanity to the ethereal reaches of enlightenment. Ascending one by one, pilgrims would walk around each of the eight concentric terraces. The whole comes together to form a mountain. Mountain peaks, according to Buddhist thought, is the place where contact with divine truth may be made. Pilgrims would climb each level of the mountain, drawing them closer and closer to complete infusion by divine wisdom. Nirvana.
Nirvana is elusive. The stupa, or tower at the top, has been destroyed by lightening. An unfinished statue Buddha that was found in the stupa has been moved a hundred yards away from the temple. But Borobudur stands as one of the great spiritual monuments of the world. A definite must see on the island of Java.
By Mark Leger
Picture with courtesy by indonesiaseoul

Bird paradise at Pulau Rambut

Not all of us know about the bird sanctuary in North Jakarta. Well, it is not exactly in Jakarta, but off the mainland on Pulau Rambut, an island to the north. You can get there in less than half an hour by fishing boat from Tanjung Pasir, Tangerang.Pulau Rambut (Rambut Island) is a small coral island. This area has the biggest breeding colonies of waterbirds in West Java (Silvius et.al.1987).It is estimated that around 11450 waterbirds (Lambert & Erftemeijer 1989) live in this area. This area is one breeding site of Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea and other waterbirds of West Java (Silvius et.al.1987, Pakpahan et.al.1992).

Declared as Natural Reserve (18 ha) based on GB No. 7 Stbl. 245 on 3 May1939 (Anon 1997, Anon 1998). Declare as Wildlife Sanctuary (90 ha) based on Menhutbun No. 275/Kpts-II/1999 on 7 May 1999 (Anon 2000)
However, because it is a wildlife reserve, the island is not open to the general public. Its use is restricted to conservation, scientific research, education, and guided tourism.
Visitors who want to visit this island should request a permit from the Jakarta Office of the Natural Resources Conservation Center.
Mangrove and wetland forests cover two-thirds of the total area. Its abundant vegetation and location make this island an ideal habitat for sea birds.
Forty-nine bird species have been identified as inhabitants of Pulau Rambut whose total bird population numbers about 40,000. Most are cormorants, egrets, and herons. Some species are classified as rare or endangered and are protected by law.
The best time to visit is from March to September. Besides enjoying the nice weather, during this period visitors can watch birds feeding their chicks with freshly caught fish. At present only one observatory tower is available, which can accommodate about 10 to 15 observers.
In addition to birds as its main attraction, visitors can also observed other wild animals, including fruit bats (Pteropus vampyrus), hanging upside down in the trees and monitor lizards -- called biawak -- moving sluggishly along the forest floor.
By Benyamin Lakitan

Photo Courtesy with ristek.go.id

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