Prambanan Temple: The Majestic Hindu Heritage in Yogyakarta

Built in the 9th century AD, Prambanan Temple is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one of the most magnificent in Southeast Asia. The entire Prambanan temple complex is located in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, but its administrative entrance is in Central Java, making it a two-site temple.

The temple, also known as Rara Jonggrang, is dedicated to the Trimurti, the three main deities of Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Prambanan Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, features a tall and slender structure, consistent with typical Hindu temple architecture.

History of Construction

The construction of Prambanan Temple was initiated by Sri Maharaja Rakai Pikatan, as a rival to the Buddhist Borobudur Temple. The temple complex was continuously refined and expanded by the Hindu Sanjaya family, and then by the Mataram kingdom, which transformed it into a grand temple, hosting various important royal ceremonies. Around the 930s, the kingdom's capital relocated, and as a result, the Prambanan Temple was neglected, gradually deteriorating and ultimately collapsing.

Rediscovered

In 1733, the temple was rediscovered by the Dutch, attracting international attention during the British occupation of Java. Despite orders for further investigation, the ruins remained neglected until decades later, when, in 1855, Dutch officials ordered the removal of stones and soil from the temple's walls.

A massive demolition was carried out, and the temple stones were haphazardly piled along the Opak River. The statues and reliefs were taken by the Dutch and used as garden decorations, while the local population used the temple stones for building materials and house foundations.

Restoration Work Underway

Temple restoration began in 1918, but serious efforts only began in the 1930s. During the period 1902-1903, parts of the temple that were vulnerable to collapse were repaired, and then, from 1918-1926, systematic maintenance was carried out in accordance with archaeological principles.

Restoration efforts continue to this day. The restoration of the Shiva temple, the main temple of the temple complex, was only completed in 1953 and inaugurated by President Sukarno.

Some parts of the temple were restored using new stone, as many of the original stones were stolen and reused elsewhere. A temple will only be restored if at least 75% of the original stone remains, so many smaller temples were not rebuilt, and only their foundations remain.

After a major restoration in the 1990s, Prambanan Temple once again became a center of Hindu worship on the island of Java. The Prambanan Temple Complex consists of a total of 240 large and small temples, of which only 18 remain, the rest being mere piles of scattered stones.

Prambanan Temple Today

In the early 1990s, the government relocated the markets and villages that had sprung up around the temples, cleared the surrounding villages and rice fields, and then restored them into an archaeological park. This archaeological park covers a large area along the southern side of the Surakarta-Yogyakarta highway, encompassing the entire Prambanan Temple complex.

In 1992, the Indonesian government established a state-owned enterprise called PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko. This agency is tasked with managing the archaeological parks at Borobudur, Prambanan, Ratu Boko, and the surrounding area.

Across the Opak River, the Trimuri stage complex and performance hall were built, which regularly hosts Ramayana Ballet performances. Ramayana Ballet is a Javanese palace tradition that is hundreds of years old and is usually presented at the palace, starting to be performed in Prambanan during the full moon since the 1960s.