Candi Borobudur

Also view: Candi Borobudur - Photographs

I have wanted to visit Borobudur ever since my first trip to Indonesia. For one reason or another, it's just never worked out until last weekend. Kristin and I stayed the night in Jogjakarta and awoke well before sunrise for the hour's drive to the village of Malelang. Located here is one of the ancient wonders of the world, the ancient temple (candi) Borobudur.

Borobudur is a shrine to the lord Buddha and a pilgrimmage destination. It was designed as a single stupa, with a square base measuring nearly 120 meters on each side. Its nine platforms takes visitors on a journey through the three levels of Buddhist cosmotology; Kamadhatu (world of desire), Rupadhatu (world of forms), and Arupadhatu (world of formlessness). One enters through the east side and winds through corridors and up stairwells following nearly 1,500 different relief panels until reaching the upper platform, which is home to 72 small stupas, small bell-shaped enclosures each housing a statue of Buddha (most of which are headless due to looting and years of degradation). These surround the enclosed central stupa that reaches a height of 35 meters.

Little historical information is available regarding Borobudur. Archeologists and historians estimate the temple's construction to the early 9th century during the reign of the Buddhist Sailendra Dynasty. Amazingly, the temple site was abandoned for centuries; the reason and timing of its abandonment are not clear, but is believed to have begun when the Mendang Kingdom relocated to east Java after a series of volcanic eruptions from the twin peaks of Mount Merapi and Mount Sumbing, flanking Borobudur. The emergence of Islam during the 14th century also contributed to its abandonment, though folk stories of the massive structure remained.

It wasn't until the British capture of Java in the early 19th century that Borobudur was rediscovered. Buried under jungle growth and volcanic ash, the massive structure was not fully unearthed for decades. During this time, Borobudur became a popular site for looters, who took sculptures, relief panels, statues, and images (most notably, the Siam King Chulalongkorn took boatloads of artifacts; many of these are now on display in Bangkok Museum). Restoration efforts began at the turn of the century, culminating with the master restoration plan created by the Indonesian government and UNESCO in 1975. The eight-year project cost $7,000,000. Since then, tourists have been flocking to Borobudur from all over the country and the world; it is now the most visited destination in Indonesia.

Unfortunately, the crowds bring problems and further restoration is constantly required. Unlimited numbers of unguided tourists lead to vandalism, whether purposeful or accidental. Not to mention, a bombing by Muslim extremists in the mid-80's that badly damaged the site. Environmental factors are also constantly posing danger to Borobudur. Heavy rains, unstable soils, and the prevalence of earthquakes destabilize the structure. Volcanic activity from the nearby mountains, most notably the major eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010, also poses a major threat.