A very short holiday in
Jogjakarta in Indonesia gave me an experience I was a bit unprepared for.
Jogja as it is known locally, is renowned for Jawanese fine art, Batik, silver filigree work, etc. This city is also famous for
two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Candi Prambanan and Candi Borobudur, both dating between 8th & 10th Centuries.
The main structures of Candi Prambanan complex |
Candi Borobudur is a majestic Mahayana Buddhist
temple built around & over a hillock, with the hillock forming the core. The open temple
has 9 levels symbolizing the spiritual evolution of human from the
lowest levels towards Moksha depicted by the empty big sealed stupa at the summit.
This temple apart from plenty of relief panels has 504 Buddha statues. Each group of these statues facing a particular direction have a specific hand mudra. Structurally and architecturally it is indeed a wonderful case
study allowing for perfect water drainage during rains, prevention of the
structure crumbling due to erosion of the underlying hillock and so on..
A few details caught my
attention at these two historical sites.
Candi Borobudur |
This experience brought me
up close and personal to the strong reach of Hinduism & Buddhism in a
predominantly Islamic state thousands of miles away from India, more so during an era when technology, communication and
transportation were not as advanced as it is today. Also, it was heartwarming how
these two temples are respected and held sacred by the people of this city, named after Ayodhya, irrespective of their race and religious leanings.
I so enjoyed reading your visit to Jogjakarta in Indonesia. It's truly fascinating to read about the far-reaching effects of India's culture. Must have been a lovely trip indeed. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words Sundari. It indeed was a good trip. :)
Deletewow...just wow! thanks for this virtual trip. loved your descriptions and the photos.
ReplyDelete