Prambanan Temple The Most Beautiful Temples In Southeast Asia

Prambanan Temple The Most Beautiful Temples In Southeast Asia

Prambanan Temple or Rara Jonggrang Temple is the largest Hindu's temple complex in Indonesia, which was built in the 9th century AD. The temple is dedicated to Trimurti, the three main Hindu gods are Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, and Shiva the god of destruction. Based on the inscription Siwagrha original name of this temple is Siwagrha (Sanskrit which means 'House of Shiva'), and indeed in garbagriha (main room) temple dwells Mahadeva Shiva statue as high as three meters showed that the god Shiva in this temple are preferred.

The temples located at village of Prambanan, Java, about 20 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, 40 kilometers west of Surakarta and 120 kilometers south of Semarang, just on the border between the provinces of Central Java and Yogyakarta.

This temple including on UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest Hindu's temple in Indonesia, and one of the most beautiful temples in Southeast Asia. Architecture of the temples is tall and slender form in accordance with Hindu architecture in general as the main temple of Shiva temple has a height reaching 47 meters in the center of the complex cluster of towering temples smaller. As one of the grandest temples in Southeast Asia, Prambanan temple is the main attraction of tourists from around the world

The entrance to the building complex is located at the four corners of the wind direction, but the building is facing to the east, the main entrance of the temple is the east gate. Prambanan temple complex consists of:

3 Trimurti Temples: Shiva temple, Vishnu temple, and Brahma temple
3 Wahana Temples: Nandi temple, Garuda temple, and Geese temple
2 Apit Tempels: located between rows of Trimurti temples and temples rides in the north and south
4 Kelir Temples: located at the 4 corners of the wind just inside the entrance to the inner courtyard   or the core zone
4 Patok Temples: located at the 4 corners or pages in the core zone
224 Perwara: arranged in 4 rows of concentric with the number of rows of the inner temple to outer: 44, 52, 60, and 68
So there are 240 temples in the complex of Prambanan.


Originally there were 240 big and small temples in Prambanan temple complex. But now only 18 temples; ie 8 main temples and eight small temples in the core zone and 2 ancillary temples. Many ancillary temples are not restored, of 224 ancillary temples only 2 that have been restored, which left only a pile of stones scattered about. Prambanan temple complex consists of three zones: first is the outer zone, second the middle zone is made ​​up of hundreds of temples, the third is in a zone which is the holiest spot zone eight main temples and eight small shrines.

Sectional plan Prambanan temple complex is a square of land consists of three sections or zones, each zone is restricted page wall andesite. Outer zone is characterized by a square fence on each side along the 390 meters, with the orientation of the Northeast - Southwest. Unless the remaining southern gate, the other gates and walls of the temple, there are many missing. The function of the outer courtyard is certainly not known; possibility of park land is sacred, or dorm complex Brahmin and his disciples. Maybe once the building standing in the outer courtyard is made of wood, so it had rotted and destroyed.

Prambanan temple architecture guided by the traditions of Hindu architecture which is based on the book Wastu Literature. Plan temple follows the pattern of the mandala, while the towering form of the temple is a typical Hindu temple. Prambanan real name Siwagrha and designed to resemble the home of Shiva, which is the shape of the sacred mountain Mahameru, where the gods dwell. The entire temple complex is modeled on the concept of the universe according to Hindu cosmology, which is divided into several layers of the realm, nature or Loka.

Such as Borobudur, Prambanan temple also has a level zones, ranging from the less holy to the most holy zone. Despite the different names, each of these Hindu concept bears some resemblance to the Buddhist concept of essentially the same.

At the time of restoration, just below the Shiva statue in the main hall there is a Shiva temple in the bottom wells contained pripih (stone box). The well is deep and 5.75 meters pripih stone coffin was discovered on charcoal pile, soil, and animal bones of the victims. In the pripih there are sacred objects such as gold leaf inscribed with characters Waruna (god of the sea) and Parwata (mountain god). In this stone casket contained sheets of copper mixed with charcoal, ash, and soil, 20 ancient coins, a few grains of gems, glass, pieces of gold and silver sheets, shells, and 12 sheets of gold (5 of them in the form of turtles, dragon (cobra), padma, altar and egg).

Ramayana and Krishnayana
The temple is decorated with a narrative that tells the Hindu epics; Ramayana and Krishnayana. This story relif inscribed on a wall in the hallway gallery balustrade that surrounds the three main temples. Relief is read from right to left to move clockwise around the temple. This is in accordance with the ritual circumambulation, the ritual surrounding the shrine clockwise by pilgrims. Ramayana The story begins on the east side of Shiva temple and continued to Brahma temple temple. Vishnu on the balustrade of the temple there is a relief Krishnayana narrative that tells the life of Krishna as one Awatara Vishnu.
Relief Ramayana describes how Shinta, wife of Rama, was abducted by Ravana. Commander nation Vanara (monkey), Hanuman, come to Lanka to help Rama find Shinta. This story is also featured in the Ramayana, the Javanese wayang performances are staged regularly at Trimurti open stage every night of the full moon. Trimurti stage background is a magnificent view of the three main temples are illuminated by light.

Lokapala, Brahmins and Gods
Across narrative relief panels on the walls of the temple along the gallery decorated statues and reliefs depicting the gods and sages brahmin. Lokapala statues of the gods, the god of winds heavenly guards can be found in the Shiva temple. While the statues of the authors of the Vedas Brahmins are at the Brahma temple. In the temple there are statues of gods Vishnu flanked by two apsaras or celestial nymphs.

Prambanan panel: Lions and Kalpataru
On the outer wall of the temple door decorated by rows of niches (niche) that holds the stone lions flanked by two panels depicting the life Kalpataru trees. The tree is sacred in Hindu-Buddhist mythology considered trees that can meet the expectations and needs of people. At the foot of Kalpataru tree is flanked by a pair kinnaras-Kinnari (magical animal-headed human bodied birds), or a couple of other animals, such as birds, deer, sheep, monkey, horse, elephant, and others. Kalpataru is flanked by lion pattern typical pattern found only in Prambanan, because that's called a "panel Prambanan".