Prambanan Temple

A. Overview

Prambanan is the biggest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and South East Asia. Prambanan is also known as Rara Jonggrang Temple. It was built at around 850 BC by Sanjaya Dynasty.

Prambanan occupies as wide as 39,8 acres of land. In 1991 it was contended by the UNESCO World Wonder Heritage. Soaring to 47 meters or 5 meters higher than Borobudur Temple, Prambanan looks dauntless and sturdy. This agrees with the purpose of its establishment, to show the glory of Hindu civilization in Java.

How come it is called Rara Jonggrang Temple? The Javanese people believe a legend that explains it. Once, a prince named Bandung Bondowoso fell in love with princess Rara Jonggrang. The princess rejected his marriage proposal because he had killed King Boko and ruled her kingdom. Bondowoso insisted and she was forced to bond in a marriage. But she posed an impossible condition: he must build her a thousand temples in one night and must be done by dawn. Bondowoso called out supernatural spirits to assist him. Knowing this, the princess woke the palace maids and the village women to begin pounding rice and set a fire in the east of the temple as if the sun was about to rise. The prince managed in building his 999 temples when the cocks began to crow. The supernatural spirits returned into the ground and Bondowoso failed to make the last temple. Furious about the trick, he cursed Roro Jonggrang into the one thousandth and most beautiful statue.

B. Features

Prambanan temple is the manifestation of Hindu civilization in Java. It is apparent in the temple structure which represents the core of Hinduism called Trimurti. Prambanan complex has 3 main temples at the main yard, Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva Temples. The three temples are the symbols of Trimurti in Hinduism. Each temple has a supplementary temple namely Nandini for Shiva, Angsa for Brahma and Garuda for Vishnu. In addition, there are two candi apit (literally means intercalated temple), 4 candi kelir (backdrop temple), and 4 candi sudut (corner temple). Meanwhile, the second yard has 224 temples.

The other must-see feature is the beauty of the relief on the temple wall. Ramayana story becomes the main relief here. However, there is another sophisticated relief namely the kalpataru tree which in Hinduism is considered as the tree of life, eternity and nature harmony. At Prambanan Temple, the relief of kalpataru tree is portrayed flanking a lion. The tree explains the 9^th century Javanese wisdom in managing their environment.

Visitors who want to satisfy their curiosity about the history of Prambanan Temple can visit a museum in this complex. In this museum, visitors can watch the complete audio visual footage of the history of Prambanan from its discovery to its latests renovation. For visitors who take their family along, Prambanan temple provides a playing ground for children and mini carriages to take them around the resort.

One of the tourist events worth watching is the Ramayana Ballet. The Ramayana Ballet is a performance which combines various Javanese arts such as dance, play, and music in one stage and one moment to present Ramayana story, a legendary epic written in Sanskrit by Walmiki. The Ramayana story is a translation of the relief on Prambanan Temple. It resembles the story which rooted Indian oral tradition. The long and tense plot is summarized in four episodes, namely: Sinta kidnapping, Anoman Mission to Alengka, the death of Kumbakarna and Rahwana, and the reunion of Rama-Sinta. The ballet has been performed every full moon night since 1960s.

C. Location

Prambanan Temple is located at Prambanan Village which is administratively divided into two regions: Sleman Regency of Yogyakarta Province and Klaten Regency of Central Java.

D. Access

Its strategic location on the sidewalk of Yogyakarta-Solo high road makes Prambanan Temple accessible from either Solo or Yogyakarta. From Yogyakarta, tourists only need to pay Rp 4.000,- for the bus fare to get to the location. From Solo, it takes Rp 6.000. Visitors who depart from Klaten can choose from many options of transportations. They can take the Yogyakarta-Solo bus or Klaten Bus Station – Prambanan bus. Both are accessible.

E. Ticket

There are different entrance tickets for the local and foreign tourists. Local visitors are charged with Rp 8.000, while foreign tourists are charged with US$ 10. Prambanan Temple opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm.

 

F. Accommodations and Facilities

There are several supporting accommodations and facilities around the temple complex, such as hotel/ inn, restaurant/ food court, souvenir shop, phone booth, and internet café. In addition, tourists can easily find guides to take them for a tour around the complex to get the picture of the granduer of Javanese-Hindu Civilization with Prambanan Temple as the main monument.

Text by Afthonul Afif

Translation by Apri Widiastuti

 

 

If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
Website : www.maharatu.com

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