The world’s largest Buddhist monument
At the centre of the island of Java, Indonesia, close to yet another active volcano (Mt. Merapi) lies the Borobudur Temple, one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world. Next to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar it is one of the places you don’t want to miss when traveling Southeast Asia.
Nirvana meets ancestor worship
This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 8th and 9th century throughout a period of about 75 years. No one yet knows with certainty why or by whom it was built. It represents a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place of Buddhist pilgrimage and education. The design of the temple blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining the Nirvana.
The three worlds
The pilgrims walk around the monument and up top symbolically walking through three worlds. They start at the base of the monument in the earthly world of desire progressively moving to higher states of consciousness as they walk upwards. After passing the world of forms they finally emerge in the world of formlessness represented by the three upper terraces with 72 stupas each containing a statue of the Buddha.
Buddha’s life and teachings
Passing an intricate system of stairways and corridors the story unfolds on the 1460 narrative stone reliefs on the walls. The story is the one of Buddha’s life and teachings (the Dharma) leading one to Enlightenment as the final and ultimate goal in Buddhism.
Mysterious abandonment
The temple was mysteriously abandoned by the 16th century and subsequently hidden under volcanic ash and jungle until it was uncovered by the English Lieutenant Governor in 1814. The temple has 504 statues of Buddha including 72 sculptures of a seated Buddha within a stupa.
How to get there:
The nearest and most convenient place to start is from the town of Yogyakarta which lies some 40 km from the temple. You can take a public bus, a taxi, rent a scooter or take a tour package to get here, but if you have time to spare I would recommend spending the night. Then you can really experience the vibe and energy of the place. And take night photos of the temple of course :). You can also combine it with visiting Prambanan temple and Mt. Merapi either from Yogya, Bali or Jakarta.
When to go
April – August the weather is most pleasant though dry season lasts throughout October.
What to do
Enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset; Hire a guide to have the full experience; Spend the night in Manohara hotel.
Top tip:
Manohara hotel is the only hotel which is located inside the area of Borobudur Temple and if you stay here you can get in before the regular opening time. That means you can have sunrise view without the crowds. If you are photographer then this is a must.
