Borobudur Temple | Sacred travel destinations in Indonesia
Indonesia: Borobudur Temple|Sacred destinations
The Borobudur temple is one of the world’s most complex buildings and its creation is shrouded in a secret without any written records or its purpose bound forever to remain a mystery. From the distance the temple resembles a big lotus flower bud ready to bloom, effortlessly floating on a lake, a single stupa build from volcanic rock, in the form of a giant Buddhist mandala when viewed from above, simultaneously representing the Buddhist cosmology and complex nature of human mind.
The Borobudur temple was built around 750 AD by the kings of the Sailendra Dynasty about 400 years before Cambodia's Angkor Wat or European Cathedrals, possibly to enhance the image of Buddhism as Hinduism was growing in strength across the Indonesian archipelago.
The Borobudur temple structure consists of a series of open-air passageways that radiate around a cosmic axis, and ten mounting terraces corresponding to successive stages and forms Siddhartha assumed, before achieving Buddha-hood.
Surreal in its existence, seamlessly blending Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufi-influenced mystical Islam, Borobudur is bound to cast a spell on the visitors and pilgrims. The Buddha statue in an open stupa is oriented to gaze toward the sacred volcanos.
Over 500 Buddha statues grace the temple with their presence distributed over nine stacked platforms (the number nine is mystic in Buddhism), six square, and three circulars, the top is crowned by a central dome signifying the Nirvana.
Around 16th century A.D., the Borobudur temple was left slowly to decay on its own for the reasons unknown. Volcanic eruptions deposited ash in the fertile soil, supporting the rapid growth of lush jungle, slowly engulfing temple in the tight grip of canopies. A poetic cycle of never-ending creation (Brahma), destruction (Shiva), and preservation (Vishnu).
Moving past the base of the Borobudur Temple through the four galleries, the devotee emerges onto the three upper terraces, encountering 72 stupas, each containing a three-dimensional sculpture of a Buddha enclosed within a stone latticework.
The Borobudur temple represents the ten levels of a Bodhisattva's life which one must develop to become a Buddha or an awakened one. Devotees start their journey at the base, traversing clockwise along walkways, which gradually ascend to its uppermost level, physical movement symbolizing the non-physical—or spiritual— the path of enlightenment.
The temple was re-discovered in the 19th century by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the British governor of Java. Who, after hearing tales about the mystical sanctuary, hidden deep within the island, organized excavation to uncover the temple, bringing Borobudur back into the light and damaging it in the process, as the temple began to deteriorate when exposed to the elements.
Furthermore, stones were removed and used as building materials by nearby villages and Buddha heads sold to art collections around the world.
Links | Information|Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur
http://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/History_and_Religion/sub6_1a/entry-3941.html
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/one-greatest-monuments-world-who-built-it-strange-origins-borobudur-and-lost-021609
If by any chance I have omitted your website as the source of reference, please accept my apologies and please email me, so I'm able to make necessary corrections, after all, I'm just a human........
Mentawai Tribe | Siberut Island: Journey and Adventures in the Rain Forest
Mentawai tribe inhabit the small island of Siberut, located off the Sumatran coast. Mentawai culture is considered to be one of the oldest among indigenous Indonesian societies.
After getting necessary provisions in Muara Siberut, we started crossing the jungles and rivers to get into the heart of Mentawai settlements. The Mentawai tribe consists of around 64,000 members and is known for their distinctive body art and practice of sharpening their teeth, which they believe makes them more attractive.
December is a wet season in Indonesia and our trek was accompanied by heavy monsoon rain, in between villages we took breaks from a torrential downpour to secure camera gear before walking back into a rain.
Rain-swollen river got too deep for the comfort of our shaman and he got a bit of help during the crossing.
The main subsistence of the Mentawai is farming, together the members of the tribe raise pigs and harvest fruit, sago palm, yam, taro, rice, banana, papaya, sugar cane, vegetable, and various medicaments.
Kelelawar goreng, a fried bat, is a true local delicacy.... an honest attempt was given.
Mentawai mostly live in small settlements along the river banks, commuting back and forth using a dugout canoe.
After gaining independence, the Indonesian government launched a campaign to modernize the Mentawaians. Traditional cultural practices such as shamanism, tattooing, tooth filing, and the wearing of loincloths were forbidden. Several Mentawai clans retreated into the remote interior of Siberut to escape the modernization in an attempt to retain their original culture.
Behind the scenes
