Borobudur, or Barabudur, is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument consists of
six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with
2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of
the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside a perforated stupa.
Built in the 9th century during the reign
of the Sailendra Dynasty, the
temple's design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region. It
also depicts the gupta style from India and shows influence of Buddhism as well
as Hinduism. The monument is both
a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims
begins at the base of the monument and follows a path around the monument and
ascends to the top through three levels symbolic of Buddhist cosmology: Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) andArupadhatu (the world of formlessness). The
monument guides pilgrims through an extensive system of stairways and corridors
with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades.
Evidence suggest Borobudur was constructed
in the 9th century and abandoned following the 14th century decline of Hindu kingdoms in Java, and theJavanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence
was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas
Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its
location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through
several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between
1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian
government and UNESCO, following which the monument
was listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Borobudur is still
used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is
Indonesia's single most visited tourist
attraction.
Contemporary Events
Following the major 1973 renovation funded
by UNESCO, Borobudur is once again used as a place of worship and pilgrimage.
Once a year, during the full moon in May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia
observe Vesak (Indonesian: Waisak) day commemorating the birth, death, and the
time when Siddhārtha Gautama attained the highest wisdom to become the Buddha
Shakyamuni. Vesak (or Waisak) is an official national holiday in Indonesia and
the ceremony is centered at the three Buddhist temples by walking from Mendut
to Pawon and ending at Borobudur.
On 21 January 1985, nine stupas were badly
damaged by nine bombs. In 1991, a blind Muslim preacher, Husein Ali Al Habsyie,
was sentenced to life imprisonment for masterminding a series of bombings in
the mid 1980s including the temple attack. Two other members of a right-wing
extremist group that carried out the bombings were each sentenced to 20 years
in 1986 and another man received a 13-year prison term. On 27 May 2006, an
earthquake of 6.2 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the south coast of
Central Java. The event had caused severe damage around the region and
casualties to the nearby city of Yogyakarta, but Borobudur remained intact.
UNESCO identified three specific areas of
concern under the present state of conservation: (i) vandalism by visitors;
(ii) soil erosion in the south-eastern part of the site; (iii) analysis and
restoration of missing elements.The soft soil, the numerous earthquakes and
heavy rains lead to the destabilization of the structure. Earthquakes are by
far the most contributing factors, since not only stones fall down and arches
crumble, but the earth itself can move in waves, further destroying the
structure. The increasing popularity of the stupa brings in many visitors, most
of whom are from Indonesia. Despite warning signs on all levels not to touch
anything, the regular transmission of warnings over loudspeakers and the
presence of guards, vandalism on reliefs and statues is a common occurrence and
problem, leading to further deterioration. As of 2009, there is no system in
place to limit the number of visitors allowed per day, or to introduce
mandatory guided tours only.
International tourism awards were given to
Borobudur archaeological park such as PATA Grand Pacific Award 2004, PATA Gold
Award Winner 2011, and PATA Gold Award Winner 2012. On June 2012, Borobudur was
recorded in Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest Buddhist
archaeological site.
By : Kezia
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