TRAVEL
FEBRUARY 23, 2021
the magic of Borobudur temple
The magic of Borobudur temple atmosphere will amaze everyone visiting this largest Buddhist site.
Borobudur temple is a Buddhist temple located in the Kedu Valley, in southern part of Central Java, near Magelang, in Java island, Indonesia. It was built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD. Instead of being built on a flat surface like general design of structures like other temples, Borobudur is built on a natural hill and has been standing there for many centuries. But still, the construction techniques is similar to other temples in Java.
The are two rivers between the temple, Elo and Progo and two twin volacones of Merbabu-Merapi and Sundoro-Sumbing.
It is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar they are one of the great archeological sites of Southeast Asia. The name itself was first written in Raffles’s book on Javan history.
The construction of this great temple was estimated around 800 AD during the peak of the Syailendra Dynasty as the ruler of Mataram Kingdom in Central Java. The exact date is not available for there is no written record of the initial construction of this temple.
Governor Thomas Stamford Raffles from British ordered to uncover the site in 1814. He sent Herman Cornelius to reveal the monument. Raffles then was considered as the one who brought Borobudur to the world’s attention.
For Buddhist, they believe that the closer you are to Heaven, the closer you are to the gods. This magnificent temple has five giant square terraces along with three circular platforms on top of them and at the very top of it standing the spectacular center stupa.
This is the central dome and there are 72 Buddha statues around the central dome. Each of them are located inside a perforated stupa. Borobudur has 10 levels floor with 42 meter height. Each level represents every stages of human life.
The biggest restoration of the temple began in 1975 when UNESCO and the Indonesian Government did the project for as long as seven years. Five other countries also did the funding for this effort resulting the temple back to its original glory in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after then.
The Buddhist reliefs in Borobudur are one of the largest in the world.
The nearest big city around the temple is Jogjakarta. If you stay in Jogja during your holiday trip you could visit the site in some ways. There are many travel agents in the city offer their transportation service with various price.
You can rent a car or motorcycle if you like. Or you can use public transportation from Malioboro street, located at the heart of Jogjakarta and very famous for tourist shopping location, which is far more cheaper – IDR 25.000 for one person.
The public transportation is a bus with route to the temple. For some this could be less comfortable but if you are in tight budget, this option is a good one to consider.
Arriving at the temple complex you are going to pay 30.000 IDR for one person with minimum age 6 years old to enter the site. Below that age it is 15.000 IDR. Please be aware that this price could be different in reality from time to time.
There are also some photographers around the complex. They offer their service to take pictures to all tourists using DSLR cameras. Usually it costs IDR 20-30.000 for one photo. But could be higher during the holiday seasons. It is always wise to negotiate the price whenever possible.
In Borobudur you can also find the three levels of Buddhist cosmology. When you step your foot on the temple stone make sure you can complete these three stages. The first one is the world of the desire of Kamadhatu, it is the lowest level of human’s spirit. Up next is the world of forms or called Rupadhatu. The last one is the highest and purest form of spirituality, that is the world of formlessness or Arupadhatu. When you have accomplished all three of them you can say that you have experienced the magic of Borobudur temple perfectly.
If you have plan to climb up to the top you better do it early in the morning for it usually gets packed during the day.
For accommodation near the temple you can choose it from a cheap motel to comfort hotel rooms. Or if you are looking for a beautiful spot for your Instagram and Facebook pictures you can find it around the site.
One new place that is popular for tourists recently is Svargabumi Borobudur. It is located in Magelang and has great view for taking pictures and put it on your social media photo collection.
It is located 3 km from Borobudur, precisely right in the middle of paddy field between Dusun Ngaran and Dusun Gopalan, Ngadiharjo, Borobudur village. It open everyday except Thursday with the opening hour between 8 AM to 3 PM and the entrance fee for adult is IDR 30.000 and IDR 15.000 for children.
And last thing is, always remember to stay safe and obey the health protocols during this global pandemic for your own safety. Happy travelling.
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