Know about the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia: Prambanan Temple

By Pragya Jha

Name of the temple: Prambanan Temple

Other names: Loro Jonggrang, Sewu Temple, Bubrah Temple, Lumbung Temple,

Candi Prambanan (Candi = temple)

Location: Central Java, Indonesia

Built in: 10th century

Dedicated to: Trimurti (Hinduism)

Temples are places of worship. In India temples are an integral part of Hindus faith. But are these structures only confined to India? Not really! Faith and religions don't have any boundaries. Prambanan Temple also known as Roro Jonggrang in Indonesia is one of the most beautiful temple in the world. It is the biggest structure in java which has three main temples dedicated to Hindu deities namely Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma who are considered as a symbol of Trimurti according to Hindu belief.

History

The construction of Prambanan Temple commenced with Rakai Pikatan of Mataram Kingdom. Initially, the temple was dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva which was further expanded by the successive kings. At its bloom, there were 240 temples which were eventually abandoned by either by the eruption of nearby Mt. Merapi or by political struggle. In 6^th century, an earthquake led to the collapse of Prambanan Temple.

The temple was rediscovered by the Dutch. Surveys and excavation were done but formal restoration began in the year 1930. Much of the original work was stolen therefore the temple was rebuilt with only 75% of the original material that was available. Restoration work is still going on at the Prambanan Temple.

Story

As per the locals, belief, there is a story associated with the temple, a man named Bandung Bondowoso wanted to marry a beautiful princess named Loro Djonggrang. The king agreed to his request but the princess did not want to marry him. To avoid his marriage proposal she cleverly put a condition in front of him. She told him that she would marry him only if he builds 1000 temples before sunlight. With the help of genies and some magical powers, Bandung completed 999^th and was about to win the princess. With time running out, the princess asked the villagers to pound rice and light a fire in order to wake the roosters. Nandung felt cheated and he decided to turn the princess into stone. A statue of her graces the main temple, which explains the Javanese name for the temple – Rara Jonggrang, meaning "slender maiden." In addition, a nearby temple is named Candi Sewu – "a thousand temples."

Related Article: 5 most famous Hindu Temples in South East Asia

Worship of Gods

Prambanan Temple is dedicated to the Trimurti. The biggest temple which is 47 meters high is devoted to Lord Shiva- the destroyer and the other two temples which are placed left and right side of the big temple are devoted to Brahma-the creator and Vishnu-the sustainer. In 1991, Prambanan was declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Activities

There is an open theater which hosts the performance of Ramayana Ballet. In the rainy season, the shows are shifted indoor to the Trimurti Theater. At full moon, during May to October Ramayana Ballet is performed in classic Javanese style. Over 250 dancers perform dance drama on outdoor stage.

Prambanan Temple is an example of Indian culture that is prevalent abroad. The temple is an icon of Indonesia's cultural heritage.

Pragya Jha is a student of Journalism and Mass Communication, New Delhi. Twitter:@pragya1527