Prambanan Temple

Prambanan Temple

 

                The Prambanan Temple, which is well known as the temple of Lara Jongrang, is one of the cultural inheritances from the ancestors of Indonesian people having worldwide international value. The Prambanan Temple is to be the biggest Hindu Temple in the world. This temple has been known well all over the world since many years ago. Lots of local as well as foreign visitors have come for a close look at the temple.

 

                Prambanan Temple, which is located in the village of Karang Asem, the ward of Bokoharjo, the Prambanan district of Sleman Regency of Yogyakarta Province, was built by Rakai Pikatan, the second king of Mataram dynasty in 850 AC. Recently, all of the land around the temple that covers not less than 20 hectares has been freed from the inhabitants. Today, in his vast land has been built an open theater, an indoor theater, offices, an archeological museum, a parking area, a cafeteria, a souvenirs shop, asphalt road, and all other means supporting tourism.

 

                The ornamental motifs chiseled in the Lara Jonggrang temple are very luxurious and various: Prambanan motifs, flora motifs, and fauna motifs. The carving of the Prambanan motifs are located between the flower frame and the upper frame of the balustrades at the outside part of the foot of the temple. This motif is one of the special characteristics found in Lara Jonggrang temple and none of the kind is fount in other temples in other country.

 

                The very fine carving with extra ordinary imagination has totals 135 panels surrounding each of the balustrades in each temple. They can be classified as follows:

 

1) Siva temple                   = 32 panels.

 

2) Brahma temple            = 23 panels.

 

3) Vishnu temple             = 23 panels.

 

4) Nandi temple               = 19 panels.

 

5) Temple A (eagle)        = 19 panels.

 

6) Temple B (goose)       = 19 panels.

 

                The flora motifs of the motifs from the world of plants are numerous on the foot as well as the body of temple. Those motifs are especially the leaves of the tree, which are depicted in naturalistic idealized form.

 

                The fauna motifs or the animal world motifs are only found on the foot of the Siva, Vishnu, Brahma, Wahana, and Apit Temples. In this depiction, the fauna motifs are naturalistic. The kind of animals depicted are goose, dog, hen, squirrel, crocodile, hawk, fish, elephant, tiger, reptile, cockatoo, horse, snail, crow, crab, dove, parrot, deer, cow, rat, lion, and snake.