Prambanan - A Short Story

Memiliki kecantikan luar biasa tidak membuat segalanya berjalan dengan mulus. Mungkin itu kalimat yang tepat untuk kompleks Candi Prambanan yang merupakan kompleks candi Hindu terbesar di Indonesia, serta sering pula disebut-sebut sebagai kompleks candi tercantik di Indonesia.

Sometimes, a beauty is not a guarantee to make everything goes well. It seems like the right statement to describe Prambanan Temple complex, which is the largest and also called the most beautiful Hindu temple complex in Indonesia.

Dibangun di abad ke-9 Masehi, kompleks ini didedikasikan untuk tiga dewa utama dalam agama Hindu yaitu Brahma, Wishnu dan Siwa. Kompleks ini pertama kali dibangun pada masa Sri Maharaja Rakai Pikatan Mpu Manuku, raja keenam Kerajaan Mataram Kuno dan kemudian bangunan-bangunan dalam kompleks candi terus ditambah oleh raja-raja berikutnya.

Built in the 9th century, this complex was dedicated to the three main gods in Hinduism; Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The first construction was during the era of Sri Maharaja Rakai Pikatan Mpu Manuku, the sixth king of Ancient Mataram Kingdom. The next kings continued building more in the temple complex.

Around 18 Century, Photo from Library Of Congress

Di masa tahun 930-an, pusat kerajaan berpindah sehingga kompleks Candi Prambanan terlantar dan mulai rusak. Selain itu, beberapa gempa bumi yang menggetarkan area Jawa Tengah juga merusak sebagian besar bangunan candi. Saat kembali ditemukan oleh peneliti di abad ke-17, puncak-puncak candi ini telah rusak. Namun penggalian dan pembokaran yang dilakukan justru semakin merusak candi, selain itu banyak warga saat itu yang belum mengerti akan nilai sejarah Candi Prambanan sehingga banyak batu candi yang diambil untuk digunakan sebagai fondasi bangunan lain.

In the 930s, court of the kingdom shifted and Prambanan started being abandoned. Several earthquakes that struck Central Java also got most part of the temple suffered damage. When researchers rediscovered in the 17th century, the top of the temple been broken down and the excavation and demolition even caused more damaged. Sadly, the local people had no concern about history of Prambanan, it made lots of temple stones been taken for another building foundation as their own benefit.

Aerial view of Candi Prambanan, photo by Barry Kusuma

Pemugaran candi baru dilakukan di abad ke-19 dan rampung pada tahun 1953. Kerusakan candi terjadi lagi di tahun 2006 akibat gempa yang berpusat di Bantul. Kini kompleks Candi Prambanan masuk dalam Situs Warisan Dunia dalam daftar UNESCO dan merupakan destinasi favorit turis mancanegara. Mengunjungi kompleks Candi Prambanan di sore hari menjelang matahari terbenam adalah waktu yang terbaik. Struktur dan relief candi semakin terlihat indah saat menguning diterpa sinar matahari senja.

The restoration began in the 19th century and finished in 1953. Damage reoccurred caused by earthquake centered in Bantul in 2006. Now, Prambanan becomes the World Heritage List of UNESCO and favorite destination of many foreign tourists. Late afternoon before sunset is the perfect timing to visit Prambanan. The temple’s structure and reliefs turn into yellow beautifully as it exposed to the twilight.

Aerial view of Candi Prambanan, photo by Barry Kusuma

Mengetahui sejarah panjang kompleks Candi Prambanan akan membuat kita lebih menghargai situs ini. Bahwa tanpa kepedulian pada nilai sejarah, kecantikan apapun akan pudar dan kita hanya akan mengetahui bahwa "pernah" ada kompleks candi Hindu terbesar. 

Knowing the history of Prambanan will make us more appreciate this site because without any respect to the value, any beauty will fade and all we know that the largest Hindu temple complex “was” there.

@marischkaprue - a beautiful life she's living in

Photos by Ferry Rusli, me, Barry Kusuma & William Henry Jackson (doc Library Of Congress)

NOTES:

WHERE

Kompleks Candi Prambanan berada di Desa Bokoharjo, Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta.

OPENING HOURS
6:00 - 17:00

ADMISSION FEE

Umum Rp. 30.000,- ,Anak-anak (di bawah 6 tahun) Rp. 12.500,-

Wisatawan asing: 18 USD

PS: Trip ke kompleks Candi Prambanan ini merupakan salah satu agenda Kementrian Pariwisata Indonesia yaitu International Bloggers Trip to Indonesia untuk mempromosikan pariwisata Indonesia pada dunia. Lihat lebih banyak destinasi Indonesia di website Indonesia Travel.

PS: Trip to Prambanan Temple complex is part of the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia agenda, which is the International Bloggers Trip to Indonesia in order to promote Indonesia tourism to the world. See more destinations in website Indonesia Travel.

RELATED STORIES:

• Light Up The World Heritage: Prambanan

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A Piece of Africa in Java: Baluran National Park

Bayangkan padang savanna yang luas, langit yang biru dan binatang yang bergerombol. Tinggal di kota besar, pemandangan seperti itu adalah pemandangan langka, mungkin anda sudah bosan melihat gerombolan manusia di pusat kota, deretan gedung tinggi menjulang dan langit yang tertutup polusi asap kendaraan.

Imagine a vast savanna, the blue sky and group of animals. For those living in a big city, these sights are rare. We probably tired of seeing too many people on the street or shopping malls, row of tall buildings and grey polluted sky.  

When the soul is leaving

"Africa Van Java," sebutan bagi area taman nasional yang terletak di Kecamatan Banyuputih, Kabupaten Situbondo ini. Untuk mencapai "Afrikanya Indonesia" ini anda tidak perlu keluar dari Pulau Jawa karena justru di ujung Jawa inilah anda dapat melihat savanna bagaikan di Afrika.

"Africa Van Java,"  that's what people called this national park in Banyuputih District in Situbondo. To get this "Africa in Indonesia" you even don't have to get out of the main island in Indonesia since its situated at the tip of east Java. Here, you can feel savanna which sometimes might feels like Africa.

Berkendara ke Taman Nasional Baluran cukup menyita waktu. Namun anda tidak akan menyesal, setidaknya saya sama sekali tidak menyesal saat melihat savanna ini meski belum memasuki waktu musim kering yaitu waktu terindah Taman Nasional Baluran dimana anda akan merasa seperti di Afrika.

Driving to the Baluran National Park is quite time-consuming. But you will not regret it, at least I do not regret the moment I arrived, seeing this savanna, although during my visit it wasn't dry season yet. It would be totally different and beautiful during the dry season and that is when people say you'll feel like you're in Africa.

Monkey business

Feels like God open the door to heaven, magical!

Nama baluran berasal dari nama Gunung Baluran yang ada di area ini. Jika sampai di lokasi ini jangan lupa untuk trekking sedikit ke menara pandang karena dari sana anda dapat melihat pemandangan luas Taman Nasional Baluran, lengkap dengan gerombolan banteng yang jadi penghuni tetap area ini.

The name "Baluran" came from the mountain in this area with exactly the same name. When you're here, don't miss trekking to the viewing tower where you can see wider view of Bekol savanna, with group of bulls which are the permanent resident of this area.

They're going home :)

Tidak hanya banteng, saat sore hari saya terpesona dengan senja yang seakan "memanggil" monyet-monyet di taman nasional ini untuk "pulang." Iringan binatang ini dengan latar belakang senja sangat indah, rasanya seperti ada di Afrika, meski saya sejujurnya belum pernah kesana.

Not only bull, during the afternoon I was fascinated with the dusk which seems "calling" the monkeys to "go home." These animals with sunset as background, it does feels like I was in Africa, even though honestly I haven't been to the wild in Africa.

So, do you wanna get wild?

@marischkaprue - from Baluran to Africa (someday)

Photos by Ferry Rusli & me

NOTES:

• Terdapat Trip Organizer yang menyediakan open trip ke Taman Nasional Meru Betiri seperti Fun Adventure, 3 Days trip biasanya dengan harga Rp. 899.000,- 
• There are Trip Organizer which provide open trip to Meru Betiri National Park. Fun Adventure 3 days trip usually cost Rp. 988.000,- 
• Contact Fun Adventure di +6281 23410 5848 
• Contact Fun Adventure  +6281 23410 5848 

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Sunset is the Beginning. Sukamade Beach, East Java.

Jalan setapak merupakan pintu untuk memasuki Pantai Sukamade di Taman Nasional Meru Betiri, Jawa Timur. Berjalan kaki sekitar 10 menit melewati hutan hujan tropis dan anda akan memasuki area pantai dengan garis pantai melengkung dan luas dengan bukit di sisi kanan pantai saat masuk ke area ini.

The path is an entry to Sukamade beach in Meru Betiru National Park, East Java. Walk about 10 minutes past the tropical rain forest and you will enter the beach area with wide curved coastline and hills on the right side of the beach entrance.

newborn troopers

Pantai Sukamade menjadi lokasi pelepasan tukik, di pantai ini penyu datang di musim-musim tertentu untuk bertelur dan kemudian sebagian telur ini dipindahkan ke area penangkaran agar kemungkinan hidupnya lebih tinggi.

Sukamade became the location to the release of the sea turtle hatchlings, the sea turtles come to the shore at certain seasons to lay their eggs. Then, the conservation officer will take some and transferred to the breeding area for bigger chance of survival.

Capturing the moments

Datanglah ke pantai ini di saat sore hari. Melepas tukik dan melihat langkah-langkah kecil bersemangat dari makhluk yang mesti menghadapi kerasnya hidup di usia sangat dini. Jejak-jejak tukik kecil menggurat pantai yang berkilau terkena air laut dan sinar matahari yang pergi perlahan.

Just come to the beach in the afternoon. Releasing the hatchlings and seeing small steps of this tiny creatures that must face the hard life since their very early age. Traces of tiny hatchlings draw the sparkling beach from the sea water and sunlight which going away slowly.

come on, keep on moving little fella!

You're almost there!

Real life start now

Kami menikmati momen menyemangati tukik kecil dan terkadang melihat elang laut yang berpatroli di atas dan sesekali menukik tajam ke pesisir laut memangsa tukik yang tidak beruntung. Wildlife talking, kami hanya dapat menyaksikan dari pantai momen-momen tersebut.

We enjoy the moment we encourage small hatchlings and sometimes we saw eagles patrolled the sea then sometimes dip steeply to the sea coast to prey on those unlucky hatchlings. Wildlife talking, we can only watch from the shore.

Look at the glowing sea water!

Saat tukik telah menggapai laut dan jejak-jejak kecil mereka terhapus, matahari kembali membuat goresan-goresan indah di langit. Saya kembali melihat langit "dilukis" oleh yang kuasa. Momen indah di penghujung hari.

When those hatchlings have reached the sea and their small traces erased, the sun re-create the beautiful scratches in the sky. I, again saw the sky "painted" by the mighty power. Beautiful moments at the end of the day.

Bagi kita sunset adalah penghujung hari, bagi tukik-tukik ini sunset di Pantai Sukamade ini adalah awal hidup yang penuh perjuangan. Godspeed little fellas!

For us sunset is the end of the day, for this small hatchlings, Sukamade beach's sunset is a starter for their life which full of struggles. Godspeed little fellas!

@marischkaprue - her eyes on Indonesia's beautiful beautiful sunset

Photos by Ferry Rusli

NOTES:

• Pantai Sukamade terletak di Taman Nasional Meru Betiri, Jawa Timur
• Sukamade Beach located at Meru Betiri National Park, East Java.
• Terdapat Trip Organizer yang menyediakan open trip ke Taman Nasional Meru Betiri seperti Fun Adventure, 3 Days trip biasanya dengan harga Rp. 899.000,- 
• There are Trip Organizer which provide open trip to Meru Betiri National Park. Fun Adventure 3 days trip usually cost Rp. 988.000,- 
• Contact Fun Adventure di +6281 23410 5848 
• Contact Fun Adventure  +6281 23410 5848 

My partner in almost anything!

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