Located on the island of Java, amidst villages and rice paddies, the Prambanan Temple is one of Indonesia’s most famous temples. It is actually a group of temples and shrines, visible even from a distance. This is mainly due to the height of the largest temple, Shiva, which is over 30 meters (100 feet) tall. The Prambanan complex is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, as well as one of the most magnificent.
Archaeologists believe that construction of the Prambanan Temples began in the middle of the ninth century. According to one inscription found, dated 856 B.C., the King Rakai Pikatan of the Sanjaya dynasty built the first temple, a temple to the god Siva. The Mataram kings later enlarged this temple and developed the Prambanan Temple complex.The Sanjaya dynasty had control over the island for approximately 100 years. In the 10th century, they abandoned Prambanan Temple and moved their base to East Java. The reason they moved is unclear although some historians believed the eruption of Mount Merapi might have been the cause.
In the 16th century, before the discovery of the site, a major earthquake destroyed many of the temples and left much of the area in ruins. Archaeologists first located the Prambanan Temples in 1733. It was not until 1885 that scientists started to clean the site and expose the temples. In May 2006, another earthquake again damaged the site. However, restoration is still taking place today.
The compound consists of 237 temples placed within three concentric squares that radiate out in size. The central square contains 11 temples, with the largest being Shiva. On either side of Shiva are temples honoring the Hindu gods Vishnu and Brahma. Each of these temples faces east. Three smaller temples sit in front of these large temples, honoring the animals that transport these gods. They include the bull for Shiva, the sacred swan for Brahma and the eagle for Vishnu. These three temples face west.
The second square radiates out from the central square. It contains 244 smaller temples, all designed to look the same. Builders arranged these guardian temples in four rows. The first row holds 68 temples, the second row holds 60, the third row holds 52 and the fourth row holds 44. The third square, which surrounds the second square, is absent of any religious artifacts. Archaeologists believe pilgrims and priests used this area to prepare their offerings.
Bas-relief carvings cover the exteriors of the temples in the central square. This is especially true of the main temple, Shiva, which is famous for its 62 relief carvings of the Ramayana epic, popular among Hindus.
In addition to viewing the various temples and their artwork, visitors are encouraged to visit the open-air theatre located west of the Prambanan Temple. The theatre has ballet renditions of the famous Hindu legend of Ramayana. The performance takes place in the evening during the time of the full moon from May to December, and is well worth the visit.
After so many years of neglect, the Prambanan Temple is now a magnificent example of Indonesia’s culture. It is a stop that should be included in everyone’s venture to the island of Java.
http://www.touropia.com/explore/indonesia/prambanan/
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