Prambanan Temple

Prambanan is a collection of massive Hindu temples (candi) built by the Mataram Kingdom, rulers of central Java and defeaters of the Sailendra Dynasty. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, in almost any other country a magnificent ancient monument on the scale of Prambanan would quickly be designated a national symbol. In Indonesia though it is somewhat overshadowed by the even more awe-inspiring nature of nearby Borobudur nearby. The two sites are quite different in style with Hindu Prambanan being a collection of sharp, jaggedly sculpted towers in contrast to the vast horizontal bulk of Buddhist Borobudur. 

There are 237 temples in the complex but many of them have deteriorated or been looted leaving just scattered stones. There are three zones:

• The outer zone is a large open space that was once bounded by a large wall (long gone). The function of this space is disputed but was probably either a park/relaxation garden or the site of an ashram for temple priests.

• The middle zone consists of four rows of 224 identical, concentrically arranged shrines. Most of these are in ruins but a few have been fully restored. These shrines are called Candi Perwara (guardian temples). There are several theories about the design and use of these shrines. Some believe that each of the four rows represent a level of the Mataram caste system and each was designed to be used by one caste only. Other theories include that these were designed to recieve submissive offerings to the king or that they are simply beautifully designed places for meditation.

• The inner zone contains eight main temples and likewise, eight small shrines. This is certainly the holiest of the three zones and is a square elevated platform surrounded by a wall with gates corresponding to each of the four cardinal points. The three main inner shrines are dedicated to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper and Shiva the Destroyer. 

In the early 1990s the government removed the market that had sprung up near the temple and transformed the surrounding villages and rice paddies into an archaeological park. The park covers a large area, from Yogyakarta-Solo main road in the south, encompassing the whole Prambanan complex, the ruins of Lumbung and Bubrah temples, and as far as the Sewu temple compound in the north. In 1992 the Indonesian government created a State-owned Limited Liability Enterprise (PERSERO) of PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, dan Ratu Boko. This enterprise is the authority for the park management of Borobudur Prambanan Ratu Boko and the surrounding region.

The open-air and indoor stages on the west side of the temple right across the Opak river, were built to stage the Ramayana ballet. This traditional Javanese dance is the centuries old dance of the Javanese court, performed every full moon night in the Prambanan temple since the 1960s. Since then, Prambanan has become one of the major archaeological and cultural tourism attractions in Indonesia.

After the reconstruction of the main temples in 1990s, Prambanan once again reclaim its status as an important religious center for Hindu rituals and ceremonies in Java. The religious significance revival of Prambanan was due to Balinese and Javanese Hindu communities in Yogyakarta and Central Java that annually perform their sacred ceremonies in Prambanan, such as Galungan, Tawur Kesanga, and Nyepi.

The temple was damaged during the May 2006 Java earthquake. Early photos suggest that although the complex was structurally intact, the damage was significant. Large pieces of debris, including carvings, were scattered over the ground. The temple has been closed to visitors until the damage can be fully assessed. The head of Yogyakarta Archaeological Conservation Agency stated that it would take months to identify the precise extent of the damage. However, some weeks later in 2006 the site had been re-opened for visitors. As of 2009, the interior of most of the temples remains off-limits for safety reasons. [source : Prambanan]

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White Sand Beaches of Karimunjawa Islands

Karimunjawa is an island chain stretching in a northwesterly direction 83 km from Jepara. Central Java. This archipelago is a cluster of 27 islands in the java sea. Only seven of the islands are inhabited. The reefs are a mixture of fringing, barrier, and patch with bottom depths ranging from 15 to 40 meters. 

The name of Karimunjawa is taken from Javanese language 'Kremun kremun saking tanah Jawi' addressed by one of Wali Songo (the Nine Saints who had introduced Islam in Java) to describe how far this mini archipelago from Java, to be exact from Semarang and Jepara. Stands from 27 islands, this mini archipelago became marine national park and it's like a treasure for those who love marine life. Here can be found protected coral reefs (very colorful plateaus and plains in deep and shallow waters), secluded and tranquil white beaches, pelican and hornbill, sea grass and kinds of sea creatures, from crabs, anchovy, starfish, sharks, stingray, jellyfish, red snappers, etc.

The Marine National Park Karimun Jawa is 110,000 ha and lies 90 km north east of Jepara in Central Java. We will find mangrove forest and beach forest. The park is named after the largest island Karimun Jawa. The vegetation consists mainly of mangrove and beach forest, although there is some lowland rain forest on Karimun Jawa. Most of the islands are surrounded by sandy beaches and fringing coral reefs. Fresh water is confined to a few small wells and forest streams on Karimun Jawa. A number of endemic animals live on the island while on the beaches sea turtles lay their eggs. The average tidal range is 92 cm.

The archipelagic Karimunjawa, thought not as known the Marine reserves near Ambon and Manado, has unexpectedly good beaches, reefs and lovely sea scopes. Corals seem to blossom in to gardens, with an Amazing variety of form and color fishers and marine plants. It lies 90 km away from Jepara and can reached by "KM. Adison I & KM Kota Ukir" boat, the only ferryboat connecting Karimunjawa and Jepara. The resort offers stunning dives and snorkeling trips for all sorts of divers from novice to experience. Fringing reefs, atolls, wrecks and an excellent variety of different species make diving in Karimunjawa an unforgettable adventure. [source : Karimunjawa]

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Borobudur

Borobudur, or Barabudur, is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

Relief in Borobudur

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades. 

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak (Indonesian: Waisak) at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction. [source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur]

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Borobudur Aerial View

Borobudur Night View

Merapi Volcano as Background

Sunrise at Borobudur