January 23rd, 1968
Wonders of Indonesia - The Temple Complex of Candi Borobudur
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By Todung Siregar, Kompas Travel and History Correspondent
In a new series, our correspondent Todung Siregar travels across Indonesia, to sites of great national and international historic significance.
There are few countries as beautiful as our Indonesia - a land of tens of thousands of islands, and a hundred million citizens. From the mountains of Irian to the coasts of Aceh, from Kalimantan to Bali, we are inheritors of a history and biodiversity unique in the world. The New Order that our esteemed government has founded has thus far been focused on the threat of terrorists and subversives within our young republic.
But the protection of our archaeological and biological heritage is, thankfully, back on the agenda. Thanks to the efforts of renowned archaeologist Dr R Soekmono, the wonders of the ancient site of Candi Borobudur may be restored to their former glory. Over the past few weeks, I have been privileged to travel with the professor to the ancient Buddhist site over a thousand years old, deep in the heart of Java.
It was not an easy feat to arrive at Borobdur, but the long journey was made pleasant by the eagerness and passion of the good archaeologist. Borobdur was, he said, built by the Shailendra Dynasty around 800 AD; a great monument towering over an ancient lake bed. Once, ancient kings and pilgrims from across Asia would have travelled here. With investment, Professor Soekmono assured our group of journalists and enthusiasts, it might become as great a wonder to behold from afar as it once was. In 1965, Indonesia already applied to UNESCO for assistance in funding the restoration work.
The ancient temple complex imagined in it's heyday.
Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple site in the world, and at least 1200 years old. Consisting of nine stacked platforms, topped by a central dome, the temple is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa. These reliefs show many different features - from stories of the life of the Buddha, to valuable indications of the history and heritage of the Indonesian people through history, before the arrival of Islam.
Indonesian soldiers of the Shaihendra seen on one relief; on another, the famed Indonesian weapon, the keris, is shown.
Buddhist religious iconography, displaying punishment for sins in the afterlife.
Approximately 40 kilometres northwest of Yogyakarta and 86 kilometres west of Surakarta, Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. Once known as the
garden of Java, the region is incredibly fertile, and was considered sacred by the Indonesian people in prehistory. Professor Soekmono was quick to remind me of further evidence for this "sacred landscape"; the temple of Borobudur is aligned with the nearby temples of Pawon and Mendut in a straight line running east-northeast.
Fragments of Ancient Indonesia
During our journey around the breathtaking reliefs of Borobudur, I had the opportunity to see for myself many representations of our ancient past. The Indonesians who built this complex shared much in terms of blood, language, culture and way of life with modern Indonesia. A maritime people, they came to prominence through both their proud maritime traditions, and cultivation of the Kedu Plain, sparking a cultural renaissance.
Initially vassals of the Sriwijaya kingdom which ruled much of Indonesia intermittently during the period, by the 9th century, the Shailendra Dynasty who built Borobudur had in 800 AD become the rulers of that realm. They sailed from east to west, north to south, entertaining missions from China and India, and greatly advancing the settlement of the islands. Indeed, they conquered regions of Vietnam and Cambodia, bringing Indonesian civilisation to a renewed peak.
The Shailendra court, as seen on the walls of Borobudur. The king and queen sit surrounded by their subjects.
At the trading crossroads of Asia between India to the west, and China to the north, they were masterful sailors,
traders, and builders. The catastrophic Chola raids from India brought the dynasty's golden age to an end, but our inheritance owes much to their ancient glory.
An Unsteady Future
Unfortunately, as the professor points out, subsidence and decay threaten the complex as much as trophy hunters and looters. Many ancient Buddha statues have been decapitated, while the thousand-year-old drainage system is likewise in danger.
"Much as Ankor Wat on the Asian mainland is a symbol of ancient pride that the world must maintain, so too must we maintain Borobudur as a symbol of Indonesia's hallowed past."
The vehicle of Indonesia's history - the seagoing trading ships of the Shailendra, shown on a relief at Borobudur.
I was saddened to leave the complex, when we did. But sources close to the government I spoke to since my return indicate a renewed appreciation of the importance of the monuments. Perhaps soon, Indonesian and world experts might cooperate on attracting visitors from across the globe to our archipelago. With the enthusiasm of Professor Soekmono, it is not an impossible task.
