Borobudur

Up early to beat the heat and the crowds. We were collected from our hotel by Handoko - the friendly local taxi-driver whom we have hired for the next three days to show us the local area.


This is Borobudur, the largest monuent in the Southern Hemisphere.


Began as a Hindu mandala in the 8th century, it soon became a Buddhist temple. It was only in use for a few decades before being buried in ash when Mount Merapi erupted. It lay hidden in ash and jungle for over 1000 years until being rediscovered by a British explorer (a rare example of something actually being discovered rather than just pointed at by a white man when the natives knew it was there all along).

As you can see it is still in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by volcanic mountains and jungle and totally unspoilt.

The temple has 9 levels, and a total of 5kms of pathways round them.

They represent the journey of the Buddha to Nirvana and are followed as a pilgrimage.

The lower levels are decorated with 1200 or so carved reliefs. The 1st 2 levels depict the everyday world of desires and sense phemomena.

The 3rd and 4th show scenes from the life of Buddha.

OOOOOOoooooommmmmmmmmm.

The top levels represent the non-material world and are open to the sky and the landscape.

Each of these 'bells' is a stupa. Each contains a Buddha, sheltered as he meditates.

At the very top, a large, solid stupa surrounds an empty space which represents Nirvana - the nothingness and oneness of enlightenment.

It was an amazing experience - an awe inspiring place, in a peaceful setting, and utterly unlike anything we have seen before.

Next we visited a Buddhist temple and monastery. Another tranquil place.

In the foreground the Buddha is sleeping, with Brahman (the 'God the Father' of Buddhism, the Creator).

OOOOOooooommmmm.

Borobudur is the largest of a series of Temples, of which the next largest (but tiny by comparison) is Candi Mendut which houses three 3m high statues - Buddha and two 'saints' or Bodhisattvas.

Following this we went for lunch in a pleasant pagoda and watched a traditional shadow-puppet show. We then returned to our hotel for high tea (yes you must choose 7 items each from the menu, sir) and cocktails. There is a buffet later...

Tomorrow we plan a later start - an afternoon trip to the Hindu area at Prambanan and an evening at the Ramayana Ballet.