Barabudur or Borobudur, A Sacred Buddhist Monument

Welcome to Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The Indonesian government has designated Chandi Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, and also a priority tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.

Chandi Borobudur attracts extraordinary enthusiasm to visit and explore several narrative sources in thematic tours, with the aim of getting to know more closely the history, architecture and fine arts of this building. A friendly tour guide, Pamong Carita will accompany you on this interesting opportunity, providing narratives and explanations as a form of appreciation for the study and participation in maintaining, protecting and preserving ancestral cultural heritage.

Tours and visits with the aim of getting to know Borobudur more closely, studying history, admiring the splendor and beauty of architectural artistic value. Exploring the history and environment around Borobudur Temple which is a form of appreciation and participation in maintaining and protecting world cultural heritage sites.

Welcome to Borobudur Temple

Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur is a Mahayana Buddhist temple built in the 9th century, consisting of six square terraces and three circular terraces, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur

is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

Chandi Borobudur

A Mahayana Buddhist temple, built in the-9th century, during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty, designed in Javanese Buddhist architecture, combining indigenous Indonesian culture, namely ancestor worship, with the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.

The monument represents the natural world, as a sacred place to honor Buddha and serve as a pilgrimage site to guide humanity from the realm of worldly desires to enlightenment and supreme wisdom, in accordance with Buddhist teachings.

The monument consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular terraces, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

Chandi Borobudur is located right on a hill and is built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. To the east are Mount Merbabu and Merapi. Looking to the north, approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur is the Tidar hill, and to the south it is bordered by the Menoreh hills. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers, namely Progo and Elo, which are located to the east of Chandi Borobudur and Chandi Pawon.

Barabudur or also known as Borobudur, is a sacred Buddhist temple. Mentioning the name of the Borobudur temple, comes from two words, namely the word 'bara' comes from the word 'monastery' which means a place of worship for Buddhists or temple, and the word 'budur' comes from the Balinese word 'beduhur' which means 'above' or 'hill'. So the meaning of the words 'biara and beduhur' changed to Bara Budur, because the sound shifted to Borobudur, which means temple or monastery on a hill.

Borobudur is a Mahayana Buddhist temple was built in the-9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty. This magnificent building is designed with Javanese Buddhist architecture, which combines native Indonesian culture, namely ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of achieving Nirvana. Borobudur is a model of the universe and was built as a sacred place to glorify Buddha as well as functioning as a place of pilgrimage to guide humanity from the realm of worldly desires to enlightenment and highest wisdom in accordance with Buddhist teachings.

Pilgrims, entering from the east side begin the ritual, walking clockwise, ascending steps through the three levels of the spiritual realm in Buddhist cosmology. The three levels are Kamadhatu (the realm of lust), Rupadhatu (the realm of form), and Arupadhatu (the realm of intangibility). Pilgrims walk through a series of passages and stairs, viewing 1,460 relief panels carved into the walls and balustrades.

According to history, Borobudur was abandoned around the 14th century and was first rediscovered by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, a Governor-General of Java. History states that during its initial construction, Borobudur was a sacred Buddhist building, used as a place of worship and religious processions, with the goal of enabling Buddhists to attain the highest level of perfection, nirvana.

Early History of Borobudur

Borobudur Temple is the largest monument in Indonesia. Many historians have put forward theories about the origins of Javanese cultural civilization, including Borobudur, particularly during the Hindu-Buddhist period. The arrival of Indian culture in Indonesia had a significant influence on religious life and the background of the kingdoms that ruled Java at the time. Among the Indian cultures that arrived in Java, several theories have been put forward by many historians.

Borobudur is a Mahayana Buddhist shrine, a masterpiece of the past, is a legacy of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom, which ruled Java around the 8th-9th centuries AD. Its existence is known from the discovery of several inscriptions. These ancient Javanese inscriptions are used as sources for historical narratives. Generally, these inscriptions are carved into stone and written in Sanskrit or Old Javanese. Some of the inscriptions found are located in the area around Borobudur.

Based on a comparison of the script type inscribed on the hidden foot of the Karmawibhangga relief with the script commonly used on royal inscriptions from the 8th and 9th centuries, this period corresponds to the period between 760 and 830 CE, the peak of the Sailendra dynasty in Central Java, which was then influenced by the Srivijaya Empire. Borobudur took over 100 years to construct and was finally completed during the reign of King Samaratungga in 825 CE.

There is conflicting information regarding whether the ruling kings of Java were Hindu or Buddhist. The Sailendra dynasty is known to have adhered to Mahayana Buddhism, but the discovery of the Sojomerto inscription suggests that they may have initially been Shaivite Hindus. During this period, various Hindu and Buddhist temples were built on the Kedu Plain.

According to the Canggal Inscription, in 732 AD, the Shivaist king Sanjaya ordered the construction of the sacred Shiwalingga temple on the hills of Mount Wukir, located only 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Borobudur. The Borobudur Buddhist temple was built around the same time as the temples on the Prambanan Plain, although Borobudur is estimated to have been completed around 825 AD, twenty-five years earlier than the construction of the Shivaist Prambanan temple began in 850 AD.

The construction of Buddhist temples, including Borobudur, was made possible by Sanjaya's heir, Rakai Panangkaran, granting Buddhists permission to build temples to show their respect. Panangkaran granted the village of Kalasan to the sangha (Buddhist community) for the maintenance and financing of the Kalasan Temple, built to honor the Bodhisattva Goddess Tara, mentioned in the Kalasan Inscription of 778 AD.

This indicates that in ancient Javanese society, religion was never a source of conflict. For example, Hindu kings could support and fund the construction of Buddhist temples, and vice versa. However, it is suspected that there was a rivalry between two royal dynasties at the time: the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty and the Shiva-worshipping Sanjaya dynasty. The Sanjaya dynasty ultimately emerged victorious in a battle in 856 AD at the Ratu Boko hills.

There is also uncertainty regarding the Chandi Lara Jonggrang in Prambanan, which is believed to have been built by the victorious Rakai Pikatan as the Sanjaya dynasty's answer to rival the splendor of Borobudur, owned by the Syailendra dynasty. However, many believe that there was an atmosphere of tolerance and peaceful togetherness.

History Past of Borobudur

These buildings remained unused for several centuries, regardless of when exactly they lost their significance to the community. These buildings had to be rediscovered, but they were never completely lost to the people’s memory.

Step forward to the general assumption is Chandi Borobudur, when its fell into disuse since the people had change the background to Islam in the fifteenth century. But it is possible that mostly the monuments in Central Java were abandoned as early as the tenth century when the kingdom in central Java had moved their teritory to East Java.

One question that arises is why Borobudur was abandoned. However, in this case, the building was no longer active because it had long been a sacred place for Buddhists. It is unknown exactly when Borobudur Temple was abandoned. One common assumption is that the temple fell into disuse after the community converted to Islam in the 15th century. However, it is possible that most of the monuments in Central Java were abandoned in the early 10th century when the Central Javanese kingdom moved its territory to East Java.

The eruption of volcanoes, the activity had a seriously impact which affected people's lives at that time. History mentioned about the impact of the eruption has occurred on the Liangan site. The site located in Liangan Village, and belong to the city of Ngadirejo District in Temanggung Regency, which was a residential site during the Old Mataram. The Liangan site is no longer an inhabited, the area was abandoned because of the volcanic eruption. It was not from the active Mount Merapi, but due to the eruption occurred to the Liangan site had been buried in volcanic ash material from the eruption of Mount Sindoro. In research and excavation, this site was discovered in 2008, having been buried in volcanic ash as thick as 9 meters.

Archaeologists mention Borobudur monument, abandoned by Buddhists, and the sacred building buried within a hill. This is related to the historical relocation of the kingdom's center from Central Java to East Java. Regarding the location of the Mataram Kingdom in Central Java, this is possible because it is situated at the center of several volcanoes: Mount Merapi, Mount Merbabu, Mount Sindoro, and Mount Sumbing. Mount Merapi is still active, and its volcanic activity has serious consequences.

History states that when Borobudur Temple was abandoned and no longer used by Buddhists, it cannot be known for certain, but the explanation for this is more related to the move of the Ancient Mataram kingdom which was in power at that time to East Java.

Soekmono explained that during Rakai Kayuwangi's reign, the Mataram Hindu people experienced various difficulties. The power of Sanjaya and Syailendra in Central Java built large and magnificent sacred religious buildings, but weakened the energy and income of the people, because prioritizing the greatness of the king had suppressed the lives of the people.

The move of the center of the Ancient Mataram kingdom from Central Java to East Java resulted in cult buildings such as the Borobudur Temple being no longer used because their adherents abandoned them. The existence of Borobudur Temple disappeared and was not recorded in history for almost 800 years until it was finally rediscovered.

Borobudur was neglected and abandoned for approximately 800 years and was buried under layers of soil and volcanic ash, so that at that time the Borobudur temple building was inside a hill. The real reason for its abandonment is still not known for certain since when this sacred building was no longer a religious center for Buddhists.

According to ancient Javanese historical narratives, in the period between 928 and 1006, King Mpu Sindok moved the center of the Medang kingdom to the East Java area after several volcanic eruptions, however, several sources suspect that it is very possible that Borobudur began to be abandoned during this period.

The sacred building of Borobudur began to be mentioned around 1365, by Mpu Prapanca in his book Nagarakretagama, written during the Majapahit kingdom, which mentioned the existence of a "Vihara in Budur". Apart from that, Soekmono (1976) also said that this temple began to be completely abandoned since the local population converted to Islam in the 15th century. Borobudur Temple, through folklore as evidence of past glory, has become a superstitious story, associated with misfortune and suffering.

Two Javanese Chronicle books written in the 18th century mention bad luck regarding the Borobudur building. According to Babad Tanah Jawi, it explains the bad luck of the Mataram Sultanate in 1709. It mentions the "Redi Borobudur" hill. In the Babad Mataram, it explains about visiting this temple in 1757. Explains the taboo about visiting the Buddha statue in the perforated stupa.

In the period 1811 to 1816, Thomas Stamford Raffles was appointed Governor General, and had an interest in Javanese history and antique objects of ancient Javanese art, as well as making notes on the history of Javanese culture. During his inspection visit to Semarang in 1814, he was told about a large building near the village of Bumisegoro. Then due to his absence, ordered H.C. Cornelius, a Dutch engineer, to investigate the existence of this building.

In two months, Cornelius and 200 people cleaned the Borobudur buildings from bushes and layers of soil. Due to the threat of landslides, the work could not continue, then what was done in the work was reported to Raffles, including submitting various sketch drawings of the Borobudur temple. Raffles is credited with rediscovering buildings that were once lost.

Hartmann, a Dutch East Indies government official at the Kedu Residency, continued Cornelius' work in 1835. Finally all parts of the building were visible. His interest in Borobudur is more personal. Hartmann did not write a report on his activities, so rumors circulated that he had found a Buddha statue in the main stupa. In 1842, Hartmann investigated the main stupa although what was found remains a mystery as the interior of the stupa was empty.

Step forward to the general assumption is Chandi Borobudur, when its fell into disuse since the people had change the background to Islam in the fifteenth century. But it is possible that mostly the monuments in Central Java were abandoned as early as the tenth century when the kingdom in central Java had moved their teritory to East Java.

Borobudur

The building was left to its fate for several centuries, regardless of the exact time at which the year it lost to their significance in a society, they had in any case to be rediscovered, but they have never been completely lost to the people’s memory.

View of the rural areas of Borobudur

The beauty of the ancient Javanese rural landscape, the way of life in the rice fields of Borobudur. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Photo arisguide.

Environment of Borobudur

In the past, Java was considered a remote and uninhabited island. It was said that this island floated in the ocean, requiring support and a nail to the center of the earth before it could be inhabited. A large nail, which later became a small hill, called Bukit Tidar, was located to the north. Borobudur Temple, located only about fifteen kilometers south of Bukit Tidar, was built.

It is said that the area around 'Paku Jawa', which is better known as 'Kedu Plain', is the area that forms the geographical center of this island. It is famous for its extreme soil fertility, and very diligent people, explaining why this island is often called the "Garden of Java". The lush and green Kedu plains, an area that is almost all its territory surrounded by rows of mountains and hills, seem to provide beauty and beauty to the natural landscape. There are two pairs of volcanoes that tower high into the sky, namely Mount Merapi and Merbabu in the northeast, and Mount Sumbing and Sindoro in the northwest.

Looking to the west and south the plain is bounded by a long chain of hills, which form solid rocky foothills of infinite shape. Therefore, explaining the Menoreh hill range, the word menoreh means tower.

The southeastern corner of the plain is the only one unobstructed by a mountain range; At this point, the Menoreh chain turns south before reaching the foot of Merapi. And it is through this route that the waters of the Kedu region leave the plains and flow into the Indian Ocean. The Kedu Plain is intersected by two main rivers in this region, namely Progo and Elo, both of which flow almost parallel from north to south.

The fertile and green Kedu Plain, is an area where almost the entire area is surrounded by mountain ranges that beautify and beautify the view, with two pairs of volcanic mountains towering high into the sky, namely: Mount Merapi and Merbabu in the northeast, and Mount Sumbing and Sindoro in the west. Looking to the west and south, the plain is covered by a series of long hills, which form a rocky horizon with towering peaks. Therefore it mentions the 'Menoreh Range' (menoreh is an abbreviation of the word meaning 'tower').

Captured by the slopes of the southern ridge of the plain, the two rivers flow together, after which the Progo river carries its waters to the sea along the Menoreh mountains turning south. The area around the confluence of the Progo and Elo rivers was a sacred and very important place in ancient times.

Most of the sacred buildings on the Kedu plain were founded here. Hindu and Buddhist holy places, so to speak, are packed together in a radius of less than three kilometers from the confluence point of the two Kedu rivers. From west to east, the main Buddhist sacred buildings in this area are: Chandi Borobudur, Chandi Pawon, Chandi Mendut, and the Chandi Ngawen complex which consists of five structures.

The first three reserves are assumed to have formed one complex as well; although standing at a considerable distance from each other, a straight line drawn from Chandi Borobudur to Chandi Mendut via Chandi Pawon shows the unity of the triad. This kind of layout, however, is not found at Borobudur. Chandi Mendut is about three kilometers from Chandi Borobudur, while Chandi Pawon is about half that distance.

Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut are in a straight line

Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut are imaginary corridors, roads connecting three temples. Chandi Mendut is about three kilometers from Chandi Borobudur, while Chandi Pawon is half that distance. Source: Chandi Borobudur Scouting Technique arisguide. arisguide's photo.

According to oral tradition, the triumvirate was once connected by a paved procession path, flanked by ornately decorated balustrades. Several carved stones found in a field to the east of Borobudur village several decades ago are thought to be the remains of a sidewalk. The extraordinary composition of the triad has led to much speculation about the relationship between Chandi Borobudur, Chandi Pawon and Chandi Mendut.

Chandi Borobudur has no inner space, no place where people can worship. Most likely it was a place of pilgrimage, where Buddhists could seek the Supreme Wisdom. The passages around the building, which successively rise to the topmost terrace, were clearly intended to surround the ritual. Guided and guided by narrative reliefs, pilgrims walk from one terrace to another in silent contemplation. Chandi Mendut, on the other hand, appears to be a place of worship.

The very small Chandi Pawon also has an inner chamber, but it does not reveal what deity may have been the object of worship. The assumption that pilgrims had to pass through Chandi Pawon on their journey from Chandi Mendut to Chandi Borobudur along a paved procession path may suggest that Chandi Pawon was a kind of station on a long journey; After being purified through obligatory worship ceremonies at Chandi Mendut, Chandi Pawon invited him to stop for a moment and reflect before continuing his pilgrimage to Chandi Borobudur where several series of journeys awaited.

Three Buddhist Temples

Explaining the relationship between Borobudur Temple as a Buddhist temple and three other temples, namely Pawon Temple, Mendut Temple, and Ngawen Temple, cannot be separated from several things, such as these three temples having a relationship with Borobudur in an imaginary axis as the main temple. These three temples have the opposite angle ratio to Borobudur. It was explained that the three temples have several similarities in their architectural elements, namely lion statues, serrated seams, Jataka reliefs and Buddha statues.

Pawon Temple

Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut are imaginary corridors, roads connecting three temples. Chandi Pawon is 1 kilometer from Borobudur. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.

Pawon Temple

The name Pawon Temple is not widely mentioned and it is not known for certain about its origins. According to an epigrapher named J.G. de Casparis interpreted that the origin of the word Pawon comes from Javanese, namely awu, which means 'ash'. The word ash has the prefix at- and the suffix-an, so its meaning indicates a place. In everyday Javanese the word pawon means 'kitchen', but de Casparis interprets it as 'perabuan' or place of ashes. Local residents also call Pawon Temple by the name Bajranalan. This word probably comes from the Sanskrit words vajra meaning 'thunder' and anala meaning 'fire'.

Pawon Temple is a square temple facing west, with side dimensions of 9.5 m, and a height of 11.57 m. The construction of Pawon Temple is estimated to be around the middle of the eighth century, which is almost the same as the construction of Mendut Temple and Borobudur Temple. According to J.G. de Casparis, Pawon Temple is the residence of King Indra who ruled the Ancient Mataram Kingdom in 782-812 AD. Pawon Temple was restored in 1903.

Looking into the chambers or rooms of this temple, no more statues were found so it is difficult to further identify the use of this temple. One interesting thing about Pawon Temple that can still be seen is the decoration. The outer walls of the temple are decorated with reliefs of biological trees, namely kalpataru flanked by coffers and kinara-kinari, namely creatures that are half human, half bird/with a human head and a bird's body.

Mendut Temple

Built around the VIII century AD, based on the Karangtengah inscription. Mendut Temple was founded during the reign of King Indra from the Syailendra dynasty. It is stated in the Karangtengah inscription dated 824 AD, it is explained that King Indra had built a sacred building called Wenuwana which means bamboo forest and by a Dutch archaeologist named J.G. de Casparis, this word is associated with the Mendut Temple building.

Chandi Mendut

Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut are imaginary corridors, roads connecting three temples. Chandi Mendut is 2 kilometers from Borobudur. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.

This temple is rectangular in shape with one chamber with dimensions of 24.15 m x 27.66 m and a height of 26.4 m. The restoration of Mendut Temple was carried out during 1897 - 1904. Then in 1908 it was carried out by Theodore van Erp. After that, in 1925 the stupa was reinstalled on the roof of the temple. The building materials used to build Mendut Temple were actually bricks covered with natural stone. This building is located on a high ground, so it looks more elegant and sturdy. The stairs rise and the entrance faces southwest.

Above the plain there is a passage that surrounds the body of the temple. The roof is three stories high and decorated with small stupas. The number of small stupas installed is now 48. There are statues in the garbhaghriya or room, the three main statues are the statues of Awalokitecwara, Sakyamuni and Wajrapani. The reliefs in Mendut Temple depict Jatakas, namely stories about animals. The animals depicted on the relief panels are the incarnations of Bodhisattvas who descended to Earth and taught morality to humans.

NGawen Temple

Evidence that Ngawen Temple has a Buddhist religious background is the discovery of the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhawa statue in Temple II and the Dhyani Buddha Amithaba statue in Temple IV. Based on the architectural style of the building, this temple site was founded around the IX – X century AD.

Chandi Ngawen

Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut are imaginary corridors, roads connecting three temples. Chandi Ngawen is 5 kilometers from Borobudur due to its Buddhist temple background. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.

The shape of the building has distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from other temples. Namely with decorative lion statues on the four corners. At first glance, it is almost similar to a Hindu temple building because its shape tapers upwards. However, if you look closely, this temple has a stupa and terrace (steps) which are symbols in Buddhist temples. According to estimates, this temple was built by the ruler of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom from the Sailendra dynasty in the 8th century.

According to Soekmono, the existence of the Ngawen temple is most likely the sacred building mentioned in the Karangtengah inscription of 824 AD, namely Venuvana in Sanskrit, which means "bamboo forest". This temple consists of five small temple buildings, two of which have different shapes and are decorated with lion statues on the four corners. A headless Buddha statue in Ratnasambawa's sitting position appears in one of the other temples.

Some of the reliefs on the side of the temple are still quite clear, including the Kinnara, Kinnari and kala-makara carvings. The position of the Kinnara Kinnari decoration flanks Kalpataru. Kinnara and Kinnari describe heavenly creatures who are half human and half bird. Meanwhile, Kalpataru is a heavenly tree that lives throughout time, a place where all hopes depend. This tree is described as having branches which are interpreted as strands of beautiful jewelry, so it is guarded by heavenly creatures such as Kinara Kinari.

One of the research projects on Ngawen Temple was by a researcher from the Netherlands, Van Erp, who started it in 1920. He began excavations of the temple by draining the rice fields where the temple was first discovered. Now, around this temple there are stretches of rice fields which offer their own beauty. The temple group consists of five buildings arranged side by side from North to South. Of the five buildings, only one temple is intact, namely the 2nd temple from the north, while only the foot of the temple remains of the other four temples.

View of Borobudur from Dagi Hill

Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

Chandi Borobudur is located right on a hill and is built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. To the east are Mount Merbabu and Merapi. Looking to the north, approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur is the Tidar hill, and to the south it is bordered by the Menoreh hills. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers, namely Progo and Elo, which are located to the east of Chandi Borobudur and Chandi Pawon. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.

View of the rural community of Borobudur

The beauty of the ancient Javanese rural landscape, the way of life in the rice fields of Borobudur. Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Chandi Borobudur Scouting Techniques arisguide. arisguide's photo.

It is said that the area around 'Paku Jawa', which is better known as 'Kedu Plain', is the area that forms the geographical center of this island. It is famous for its extreme soil fertility, and very diligent people, explaining why this island is often called the "Garden of Java".

Chandi Borobudur

World Cultural Heritage Site since 1991, one of the views of Borobudur from the northwest. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.

Source: Guidance Techniques Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

Its more detail:

Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.

Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives in more detail in Selamat Datang di Kebudayaan Borobudur.

Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.

Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.

In the historical narrative of Borobudur, the relief panels carved on the walls at the foot of the temple are mentioned in the Karmawibhangga text, regarding the offering of footwear called 'Upanat' to the Brahmins.

Upanat Borobudur

Giving footwear with the name 'Upanat', footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo at arisguide.

Upanat Borobudur

One of the reliefs on the wall at the foot of the temple in the Karmawibhangga text, is about offering footwear with the name 'Upanat', footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life. Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo at arisguide.

Explaining 'Upanat' is the footwear used to visit Borobudur Temple. This visit aims to get to know Borobudur better, learn about its history, take a thematic tour and admire the splendor and fine art of this monument. This is a form of appreciation and getting to know Borobudur, as well as playing a role in maintaining and protecting the world cultural heritage site in Borobudur, Indonesia.

View of Borobudur from Dagi hill

The beauty of Borobudur view from Dagi Hill. Borobudur is a Buddhist temple built on a hill during the reign of Samaratungga around 824 AD. Chandi Borobudur is located right on a hill and is built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. To the east are Mount Merbabu and Merapi. Looking to the north, approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur is the Tidar hill, and to the south it is bordered by the Menoreh hills. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers, namely Progo and Elo, which are located to the east of Chandi Borobudur and Chandi Pawon. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. photo arisguide.