Prambanan Temple

Prambanan temple is extraordinarily beautiful building constructed in the tenth century during the reign of two kings namely Rakai Rakai and Balitung Pikatan. Lift up to 47 feet (5 meters higher than Borobudur temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the founder to show Hindu triumph on the island of Java. This temple is located 17 kilometers from the city, including an area that now functions as beautiful park.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. As the story says, there was a man named Bandung Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang Bondowoso asked him a temple with statues in one night in 1000. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked residents of the pound of rice and set fire to look like morning had broken. Feeling cheated, cursed Bondowoso completed 999 statues Jonggrang as being the thousandth statue.

Prambanan temple has three major temples in the main courtyard, namely Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva temples. These three temples are symbols of Trimurti in Hindu belief. All face east. Each main temple has accompanying temple facing west, namely Nandini for Shiva, Angsa of Brahma, and Garuda for Vishnu. In addition, there are two temples side, four temples temples and 4 corner kelir. In the second area are 224 temples.

Enter the temple of Shiva, the highest temple and is in the center are four bedrooms. A master bedroom contains a statue of Shiva, 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 previous title.

In the Vishnu temple, north of the temple of Shiva, is one piece with the statue of Vishnu in it. In Brahma temple, south of the temple of Shiva, is only the place and the statue of Brahma in it.

Attractive accompanying temple is Garuda temple that is close to Vishnu temple. This temple keeps a history of half-bird human being named Garuda. Garuda is a mystical bird in Hindu mythology. The figure is golden body, white face and red wings, its beak and wings like eagles. It is assumed that the figure is Hindu adaptation of Bennu (means "up" or "bright") that is associated with the god of the Sun or Re in Old Egypt mythology or Phoenix in ancient Greek mythology. Garuda succeeded in saving his mother from the curse of Aruna (Garuda's handicapped brother) by stealing Tirta amerta (sacred water of the gods).

His ability to save the mother has received much admiring at the time, and is used for different purposes. Indonesia to use the bird symbol of the country. Other land uses the same symbol is Thailand, where the same reason, but in a different form of adaptation and appearance. In Thailand, Garuda is known or Krut Pha Krut.

Prambanan also relief panels depicting the story of the Ramayana. Experts say the survey is similar to the story of Ramayana that is told orally from generation to generation. Another major interest is Kalpa Taru tree that - in Hindu - wood as the tree of life, eternity and harmony of the environment. In Prambanan, relief Kalpa Taru tree describes flanking a lion. The presence of trees makes experts consider that Javanese society in the ninth century had wisdom to manage their environment.

Just like Garuda, Kalpataru tree is also used for various purposes. In Indonesia, Kalpataru is used as the logo of the institution of the environment in Indonesia. Some intellectuals in Bali even develop "Tri Hita Karana" concept of environmental conservation seeing Kalpataru relief in this temple. The tree of life also is the Gunung (the puppet used as an opening of the puppet wayang kulit or traditional). This shows that the signs of relief of Prambanan were widely known throughout the world.

If you see the relief in detail, you will see many birds in them, are real birds we see on Earth right now. Relief panels of birds are so natural that biologists can identify the sex. One of them is the relief of yellow-headed parrot, Crest (Cacatua sulphurea) that cites unanswered question. The reason is that the bird only exists in Masakambing Island, an island in the Java Sea. Then the bird does not exist in Yogyakarta? No body has been able to unravel the mystery.

You can find many more things in Prambanan. You can see the relief of the Ramayana based on oral tradition Wiracarita. If you feel tired of enjoying the relief, you can take a rest in the beautiful garden in the complex. Since September 18, 2006, you can enter zone 1 area of ​​Prambanan temple. The damage caused by the earthquake of May 27, 2006, was rebuilt. Enjoy the temple of Prambanan.