Candi Prambanan or Candi Rara Jonggrang is a 9th-century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God
as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound is located approximately 17 kilometres
northeast of the city of Yogyakarta on the boundary between Central Java and Yogyakarta
provinces.
The temple compound, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia, and one of the biggest
in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture,
typical of Hindu
temple architecture, and by the towering 47-metre-high (154 ft) central
building inside a large complex of individual temples.
The construction of Prambanan probably was meant to mark the
return of the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty to power in Central Java after almost a
century of Buddhist Sailendra Dynasty domination. The construction of this
massive Hindu temple signifies that the Medang court had shifted its
patronage from Mahayana Buddhism to Shivaist Hinduism.
The Prambanan compound also known as Rara Jonggrang complex,
named after the popular legend of Rara Jonggrang. There were once 240 temples stood in this Shivaite temple
complex, either big or small. Today, all of 8 main temples and 8 small shrines
in inner zone are reconstructed, but only 2 out of the original 224 pervara
temples are renovated.
The majority of them have deteriorated; what is left are
only scattered stones. The Prambanan temple complex consists of three zones;
first the outer zone, second the middle zone that contains hundreds of small
temples, and third the holiest inner zone that contains eight main temples and
eight small shrines.
Yup,
these are the undisputed facts about Candi Prambanan. As for me, these are
truly mammoth and tall buildings indeed. Again, the emphasis on peace and
harmony is notably noted in its temples sites and Indian mythology building
construction. Again, what greeted us especially the well-kept Prambanan Park
was a real surprise. Well maintained, manicured lawn and clean park, benches
and stops helped many tourists at the park. I guess, many tourist will be
surprised by how well the park was maintained.
I
must admit that Prambanan Park was cheaper than Borobudur Park ( by USD 2.00!!
) but equally exciting. I had always been curious why is the temple called Rara
Jonggrang. I overheard a guide ( as usual, I did not want to pay for any guide!
Sorry! ) explaining to a foreigner
couple that Rara Jonggrang actually means Slender Virgin. The legend is as
follows:- Jeng! Jeng! Jeng! ( Javanese
background music plays! )
The
legend tells of the story about Prince Bandung Bondowoso who fell in love with
Princess Rara Jonggrang, the daughter of King Boko. But the princess rejected
his proposal of marriage because Bandung Bondowoso had killed King Boko and
ruled her kingdom. Bandung Bondowoso insisted on the union, and finally Rara
Jonggrang was forced
to agree for a union in marriage, but she posed one impossible condition:
Bandung must build her a thousand temples in only one night.
The
Prince entered into meditation and conjured up a multitude of spirits (demons)
from the earth. Helped by supernatural beings, he succeeded in building 999
temples. When the prince was about to complete the condition, the princess woke
her palace maids and ordered the women of the village to begin pounding rice
and set a fire in the east of the temple, attempting to make the prince and the
spirits believe that the sun was about to rise. As the cocks began to crow,
fooled by the light and the sounds of morning time, the supernatural helpers
fled back into the ground.
The prince was furious about the trick and in
revenge, he cursed Rara Jonggrang to stone. She became the last and the most
beautiful of the thousand statues. According to the traditions, the unfinished
thousandth temple created by the demons become the Sewu temple compounds nearby (Sewu means "thousands" in
Javanese), and the Princess is the image of Durga in the north cell of the Shiva temple
at Prambanan, which is still known as Rara Jonggrang or Slender Virgin.
There
you have it, ladies and gentlemen – the legend of Rara Jonggrang! Anyway, I
still love the carvings on the temple walls and the beautiful scenery
surrounding the temple. Still a beautiful, rustic looking and opulent building.
However, I did not feel as peaceful here as I was in Borobudur. This, I’ve
gotta admit! Somehow, this place seemed so “hectic, wild and sorta stormy”. I
felt the “unrest feeling “ and the sorta “war “ feeling as I moved around the
temples. Maybe it is just me as the rest did not feel a thing. Anyway, the lush
greenery surrounding the temple is what made me relaxed a lot. I guess, when you have
a legendary story like this, you can’t help but feel awkward but other than
that, it is a magnificent temple indeed. A sight to behold, actually. There are some very strategic places for photography and everything seemed to fall in place. The magnificent towers ,as I would call it, were really a sight to behold. The architecture was superb and I really can't imagine how it was done. Stone by stone, layer by layer, carvings by carvings.....it was really marvelous. 
Candi
Prambanan looked so strong, dynamic and construction technology seemed so
surreal. It is really tall and you can imagine the work that went into building
this temple – natural or supernaturally. Anyway, the mystic and intriguing
mystery makes a trip to this temple a worthwhile treat indeed.
Yeah, what's the obsession with slender virgin , you may ask, right? Well, it is a Javanese thingy lar..... Yup, the people in Jogja seemed slim indeed....so are their chicken, bebek (ducks), fish and angkringan food too...hahahahahahahahhahahahaha.....
Both Candi Borobudur and Candi Prambanan had not disappointed me and I am truly amazed by it all - the buildings, the architecture, the history, the culture and the myth too. I am looking forward to a great time in Jogja!~
 |
| Originally, Candi Prambanan should look like this! Magnificent! |
No comments:
Post a Comment