Muaro Jambi Temple
Complex, Sumatera, Indonesia
Here is the
largest Buddhist Temple complex in Asia. The total area is approximately 260 square kilometers. It is much broader than in
the world's largest Buddhist Temple,
Borobudur Temple at Magelang, city, Central Java, Indonesia.
Muaro Jambi Temple complex lay parallel to the river Batanghari. Historians associated this Buddhist Temple to Srivijaya Empire. Some archeologist mentions that
here is the location of the center of Sriwijaya Empire, while other experts say this is
a relic of the ancient Malay kingdom.
Gumpung Temple, Muaro Jambi |
You, who love traveling, would be familiar with the name of Muaro Jambi Temple. And for the travelers visiting this Temple complex is a must for the cultural heritage of this archipelago. Muaro Jambi is still a mystery, and continues to be a matter of study by historians and archeologist. Muaro Jambi Temple is unique. Most of us, if imagined an ancient Temple, then reflected ancient buildings made of stone structure, black, large, and artistic. As well as Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, Singosari Temple or other Temples that are scattered in the Land Java. That once we learned during school.
Muaro Jambi
Temple, first reported by FC Crooke, a naval
officer in UK. When he came to this area,
he saw the ruins
of the building and found the statue depicting
Buddha statue. While Gumpung Temple, one of the Temple at the complex of Muaro Jambi
Temple, called in 1937 in a report by FM Schnitger, a
Dutchman. He added that the names
of the new Temple are Temple of Gumpung,
Tinggi, Bukit Perak,
Gudang Garem, Gedong I and II. Schenitger
is the first to connect
the enshrinement of Muaro
Jambi with the Malay kingdoms (Mo-Lo-Yeu). As mentioned in Chinese texts
from XVII century. While the
results of research conducted by the
Ministry of Education and Culture in 1954, states
that the region is linked to the
ancient Sriwijaya kingdom. Researchers from the University
of Indonesia even believe this is where the first center of Srivijaya kingdom.
Temples
in Muaro Jambi, entirely
built with red brick
structure, leaving a few statues called Makara,
and there is no relief
on the walls. The shape seems rigid, most of them just like a cube-shaped box, and almost entirely made of red
brick.
Unfortunately I only had 2 hours to stay on location, because my flight schedule to Jakarta is tight. So, I only visit some
of them.
Muaro Jambi
Temple is just 26
km from the city
of Jambi, taken less
than one hour
by car. Muaro Jambi is the name of the village, where the temple complex is located. And the other temples located at Kemingking Dalam
village and also at Danau Lamo (lake of lamo)
– lamo is old. They are located not
far from the river Batanghari. That
is the typical of ancient kingdoms in the archipelago, always close to the river or
the sea, because the waterway is the main
transportation lines.
After driving
thru the bridge that crossing the wide Batang Hari
river, I saw
a lot of banners reading FCMJ, Indar my friend
explained, it stands
for Festival Candi Muaro Jambi (Muaro Jambi Temple Festival), which
will be held tomorrow, Sunday. Waw, certainly tomorrow
will be crowded at all… I thought.
Even now already busy
and full of people I think, because
certainly need preparation by the organizers and
participants of the festival. "The
activities are exhibitions, fairs
and local arts performances",
Indar added. And today is Saturday, a day off, certainly
many people take their vacation to visit the temple.
Banners continued to appear every
few meters, and the closer the distance when the car turn to the right,
entering a relatively narrow road, to the location of Muaro Jambi Temple complex. And sure enough,
when entering the parking area is quite spacious, and a lot of cars parked
there.
I rushed down, and
walk follows the paved
road which width of the road is approximately 2 meters. Then headed
to the check point and pay entrance ticket. Only
10 thousand rupiah (less than 1 USD),
including car parking fees, very cheap. Near the check point, towards
the location of the temple, standing houses, they sell various goods and trinkets
as souvenirs, there are also food stalls. I see in front of houses lined up dozens
or even hundreds of bicycles, young children offers me bicycle rental, "10
thousand Pak, the location is quite far, the distance between the temple up to
2 km," he said. “Oh yes, this
is good”, I said, and I take the
bike and pay rent directly in front.
Since the temple complex open to public,
it has brought blessing for the local people. That should have been the tourism
industry, bringing direct economic benefits for the local people. Stalls,
souvenir shop and bicycle rental help and facilitate visitors, as well as
benefit the people who rely on the transaction.
I kept on biking, until arrived at a large area, I
see contrasting scenery, dominating by red color. An object, or rather the
building, like a cube in the middle of the vast land, surrounded by a short
fence, made of red brick, but a fence that also composed of brick is no longer
red in color, a little black and dull. I immediately parked my bike near it,
and prepare my camera. This is Gumpung Temple, which is the largest among the
others. There are few visitors to be near the temple, I waited until they went,
I saw a look around. Apparently, a lot of cars parked here, sad to see it, too
close to the temple, this location should be sterilized from motor vehicles. I
also saw a lot of tents, seemed newly established due to the Festival which
will be held tomorrow. Also some stage, all located within the area of the
temple site, some stalls are also there. People passing by, busy with tents and
a stage, crowded at all.
If this festival is just an exhibition of some
products, and art performances which tend to make a crowd and party, I think
the venue is should not at this sacred place. Besides, because I do not think
this is not fit venue, the presence of people who are too many would have
potency to damage the site, or at least this festive will leave the trash.
Finally, people
walk away from Gumpung Temple. I immediately approached and photographed from various
angles. The height of Gumpung
Temple is approximately 3 times adults man. Simple
shape, there is an additional form
of stairs at the front of the building, at the end of the stairs to the left there
is Makara, the Statue of guard, the right side should
also Makara, but
is now housed in the Museum, which is located not
far from the location of the Gumpung Temple. The size of the area of Gumpung
is about 17.9 m X
17.3 m, facing
towards the east. In front of the
temple, or eastern
side of the building there are also scars which
is now only a part of the base and the floor alone,
covering an area of 9.85 m X 9.75 m. and there are two
holes in the middle and distance between the two holes is about two meters, parallel to Gumpung Temple. It seems that the hole is like a base of wood, or
pile foundation. Perhaps, when
the building was complete, there is no brick structure which
formed a building, but only
a sort of pavilion buildings with wooden
structures.
(About Makara,
is a guard placed at the front entrance of the temple. In the mythology illustrate mixed elements such as Garuda animals, elephants, fish and
snakes. In addition to the Gumpung Temple, Makara is also found in
Candi Kedaton, 2011.
With a little different, is an illustration of an animal mythology that lives in water, which has the characteristic with a trunk and tusks that
comes out of the lower jaw.
The shape of this kind is often referred to as Gajahmina. Physically these
traits disguised as a decorative
pattern flora like tendrils and leaves.
Makara at the gate of Kedaton temple complex, has floral vaguely on the
trunk and tusks.
Other Ornamental is dragon engraved on the
inside of the mouth and the other Makara
has sculptured monkey.
The interesting one from Makara gate
of Kedaton temple complex is an carved inscriptions written in ancient Javanese letters “Kadiri kuadrat” read as "mpu paramursita kusuma")
Gumpung temple has a large yard,
and is surrounded by a fence which is made
of red brick. Beyond the fence is an empty land or yard, and
in the yard there is a kind of space
that now remain fence
only. Next to the
south, there is a second building
that now just left floor mat. Then there is a red brick fence again,
the position surrounding
the entire complex of building Gumpung
Temple complex. The outer edge of
this vast land is about 150
m X 155 m, forming a square.
The lowest fence is about the knees of
adults, and width of the fence is
approximately 60 cm.
while the corner section
is much higher and wider, those other parts that form a kind of ladder.
There is one
thing in this Gumpung temple that very interesting, at one corner,
precisely on the north front (east), there is a
black stone with a size large enough, tucked between red brick structure. At first glance it is not visible, as it forms the elbow, and the color is dull, so matching to the color of red bricks that are already blackened and dull.
But if the stone is
carefully observed, it would attract attention and make us wonder
why black stone tuck
there?, Let alone in the corner, thus forming the elbow, and is located at the bottom. It seemed this was not accidental, but deliberately put there and purposeful. The whole
structure of the building is made of red brick, just makara made of stone. Unfortunately
there is no explanation of this fact. I do not
find the discussion on this matter from various books I read, nor from information spread across the internet.
At eastern part, right in front of
the temple there is a building of gate, which is now remain the basic structure.
And in front of it - at east direction - there is an entrance or gate, across
the inner and outer fences, made of red brick structure form a staircase,
climbing and descending the red brick wall or fence leading to the inside. At
the left and right side was also formed red brick structure forming to the left
and to the right.
Based on
information contained in the board which is
placed in front of the temple, it is known that inscriptions of gold
had discovered in the Gumpung
Temple. From this inscription
allegedly Gumpung Temple was built between 9-10
AD. And associated
with Buddhism. Prajnaparamita
statue is also found
here, and this is strengthening the allegation that the temple is associated
with Buddhism.
(Arca Prajnaparamita found in
East Java associated with Ken Dedes,
the wife of Ken Arok, the founder of the kingdom of Singosari).
There is
another thing that makes me sad, a lot of
rubbish thrown away by visitors. There is
even a used plastic drinking water with a straw is placed just
above the red brick, temple floor. I picked it up and carry it until I found the trash. But, it’s hard to find the trash here.
Something that must
be thinks about by the management of the temple.
On the north side, outside the
Gumpung Temple area, I see there are sites that seemed to be in the process of excavation,
the area is quite wide and bounded by a barbed wire fence. There is no information
boards installed there, it looks like the site has long been explored and didn’t
continued. Bricks from excavations those still intact are stacked at north
side. There is a quite long trench as an impact of excavations processes, from
north to south, is approximately as deep as 1-2 meters. I see red brick
foundation trench at west side, next to it, red brick structure revealed. Just
like a base of the building, , the shape is no longer straight, curved down as
if it would hold weight on it. Crumbling bricks stacked on one side. Above the
curved down bricks, soil and bricks mixed and shattered into small pieces. Can
you imagine how hard the archeologists reconstruct the temples that have been
fought for hundreds of years buried in the ground and destroyed?. Hopefully
visitors will be able to take care of everything inside the complex, and do not
damage these temples.
Next to read : Muaro Jambi (The Largest Temple Complex in Asia) - part 2
Next to read : Muaro Jambi (The Largest Temple Complex in Asia) - part 2
Good temple and good blog.... keep -up the good work.... May I share a blog about Kinkaju Temple in http://stenote.blogspot.com/2018/04/kyoto-at-kinkaju-ji-temple.html
ReplyDeleteWatch also the video in youtube https://youtu.be/DSRNjQ16EbQ
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