Prambanan Temple

The Greatest Hindu Cultural Heritage and the Love Tragedy of Loro Jonggrang

History

The beauty enchantment of Prambanan Temple as the greatest Hindu cultural heritage in Indonesia, seen not only from its incredibly architecture and layout, but also its unique and awesome history and legend. This temple was built around year of 850 AD by one on this kings; Rakai Pikatan, the second king of Mataram dynasty I or Balitung Maha Sambu from Sanjaya dynasty. This candi then left abandoned as the centre of kingdom in Java was moved to East Java caused by the Merapi Volcano huge eruption in around year of 950 AD.

After all, in the year of 1733, this temple was discovered by a Dutch, C. A. Lons and started cleaned up by Jan Willem IJzerman in the year of 1855. Not so long further, Isaäc Groneman did the major dismantling but he just piled up the temple stones carelessly along the Opak rivers. Then Theodoor van Erp did the reconstruction and continued by the Paleontology Department (Oudheidkundige Dienst) under P. J. Perquin in a more methodical and systematical way. In the year of 1926, continued by De Haan until the rest of his life. And in the year of 1931, was substituted by Ir. V. R. van Romondt until year of 1942 when he gave this reconstruction leadership to the pioneers of Indonesia until year of 1993.

In the year of 1991, UNESCO had been list Prambanan to the World Wonder Heritages list. This is also means that this temple complex is protected and having privileges during war.

Specialty

Prambanan Temple complex had 47 m high three main buildings with a very beautiful architecture. Those three buildings symbolize Trimurti, a gospel about the three greatest Gods consist of Shiva Temple (God of Destroyer) in the middle, Brahma Temple (God of Creator) in the south, and Vishnu Temple (God of Preserver) in the north. Then in front of these main temples, there are smaller temples symbolize the vehicle of these Trimurti. Those are Nandi Temple (buffalo) the vehicle of Shiva, Swan Temple the vehicle of Brahma, and Garuda Temple (eagle) the vehicle of Vishnu. We can also watch and learn about the Ramayana story which its reliefs are clockwise inscribed on the fence wall ledge of Shiva Temple and continued on Brahma Temple. While the fence wall ledge of Vishnu Temple inscribed with the reliefs of Krisnayana story. After all, this temple complex is surrounded by more than 250 different sized temples called perwara.

Prambanan Temple couldn’t be apart from the Loro Jonggrang legend which is believed by surrounded people as a full of tragedy love story which underlying the establishment of this temple. Once upon a time, in Prambanan area there were two Hindu kingdoms; Pengging Kingdom and Boko Palace Kingdom. The rich and prosperous Pengging Kingdom was led by a very kind, fair, and wise king named Prabu Damar Moyo who has son named Bandung Bondowoso.  While the Boko Palace Kingdom which is still located in Pengging Kingdom territory was led by a very cruel king in giant form called Prabu Boko. Prabu Boko has an unbelievable beautiful like princess from fairytale daughter named Princess Loro Jonggrang. Prabu Boko wanted to do the rebellion and overcome the Pengging Kingdom, so there was a fierce fight between Prince Bandung Bondowoso against Prabu Boko. Because of his sacred strong, Prince Bandung Bondowoso could defeated and killed Prabu Boko. As Prince Bandung Bondowoso arrived in Kraton Boko, he was shock to see the unbelievable beauty of Princess Loro Jonggrang that make him wanted to marry her immediately. Princess Loro Jonggrang did not want to marry someone who killed his father, thus she requested requirement; Prince Bandung Bondowoso has to make her 1000 temples only in one night. So Prince Bandung ordered the spirits to build the 1000 temples, but in the other side Princess Loro Jonggrang wanted to mess up Prince Bandung effort. She asked the girls around Prambanan to pound rice and burn rice straw in order to make it light like when the morning comes, and make the rooster crow. Heard the rooster crow and people pound rice and see the light in the east, the spirits stop build the temple and trickle full of scared. Then Prince Bandung called Princess Loro Jonggrang and asked her to count the finished temples where they were only 999. So she did not want to marry him. Because felt like being cheated and toyed, Prince Bandung was very angry as he cursed Princess Loro Jonggrang; “Hey Loro Jonggrang, the 1000 temples lack one, so to complete them, you will be the thousandth temple.” Princess Loro Jonggrang then turned into the last stone statue. The stone statue of Loro Jonggrang is still there on Candi Prambanan and we still can see it until recently.

This legend story can completely watched in the Museum building inside the Prambanan Temple complex area. There is also Audio Visual Room which plays the 15 minutes short movie about the complete history of the discovery of Prambanan Temple until the reconstruction and post-reconstruction process. This Museum also display its collection of archeology stuffs as well as the ancient Mataram kings jewelry which is discovered in Wonoboyo, Klaten, included the Lingga statue of God of Shiva as the symbol of fertility.

Location and Facility

Pambanan temple is located in the km. 17 Jogjakarta-Solo main streets, about 20 km in the east of Jogjakarta, 40 km in the west of Solo, and 120 km in the south of Semarang. This temple lies in the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta province, exactly in the Prambanan village which its area divided under Sleman and Klaten region. The facilities and accommodations around Prambanan Temple complex are very complete. Every informations related to Prambanan Temple as well as various souvenirs, tourism books, and also books about potential tourism object in Jogjakarta and Central Java can be easily found in Prambanan Temple Information Centre. There are also series of mini train that could take us around Prambanan Temple Tourism Park area until Sewu Temple. After all, Prambanan Temple Tourism Park area has also a very fresh and comfortable Children Playing Park area. The common people can also use the Rama Shinta Campground which is located inside this area to hold events like meeting, family gathering, birthday party, graduation party, or the wedding reception. It is also not difficult at all to find the hotels/inns/restaurants/cafes, gas stations, as well as the communication tools like telephone café and internet café around Prambanan temple complex. The ticket price to enter Prambanan Temple for locals or KITAS holders are Rp. 15.000,- (weekdays) and Rp. 17.500, - (weekends). While for general foreigners are US$ 13, and foreign students are US$ 7.

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