Borobudur

Borobudur, Golden Tales of the Buddhas

The glorious ninth-century Buddhist stupa of Borobudur – the largest Buddhist monument in the world – stands in the midst of the lush Kedu plain of Central Java in Indonesia, where it is visited annually by over a million people. Borobudur contains more than a thousand exquisitely carved relief panel exceeding along its many terraces for a total distance of more than a kilometer. There are arranged so as to take the visitors on spiritual journey to enlightenment, an one ascends the monument past scenes depicting the world of desire, the life story of Buddha, and the heroic deeds of other enlightened beings – finally arriving at the great circular terrace at the top of the structure that symbolize the formless world of pure knowledge and perfection.

Borobudur is a monument like no other,

It contains of a series of concentric terrace of decreasing size that rise like steps to a central peak. It has no roof, no vault, no chamber; its masonry was laid without mortar. This basic simplicity of form is counterbalanced by extraordinary rich and complex decoration.
Most striking of all, perhaps, are the beautiful bas-relief, in all some 1460 carved stone panels covering a total area of about 1900 square meter, with another 600 square meters of decorative carving surroundings.

The pilgrim’s progress

The ancient Javanese came to Borobudur as pilgrim – to climb this holy man-made mountain and attain spiritual merit. Borobudur provides a place where Buddhists could physically and spiritually pass through the ten stages of development that would transform them into enlightened bodhisattvas. This transformation was the monument’s main purpose, and both the overall design as well as the stories portrayed on Borobudur’s relief is all connected with this theme.
Pilgrim standing before the monument for the first time would undoubtedly have felt awed and somewhat daunted by its looming mass, just as we do today. Borobudur has a purposeful air, as though it is prepared to do something to us should we venture into its maze of stair way, galleries, terraces, and sculptures. Nothing in our past experiences prepare us for what it to come when se tour the monument and surrender to its power.

Cultural Arts

Throughout Indonesia, cultural arts are an integral part of daily life. In Java, the influence of mighty empires, foreign rules and religious brought by ancient trader is clearly seen.
1. Afandi Museum, Yogyakarta, collection of famous painter Affandi’s finest art, expressionist and contemporary, where home and his studio have a unique architectural designs.
2. Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, changing exhibitions, including photography and fiber arts.
3. Sapto Hudoyo Gallery, Yogyakarta, contemporary collections
4. Cementi Modern Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, monthly exhibitions of Indonesia and foreign artist
contemporary.
5. Ullen Sentalu, Yogyakarta, Javanese arts and culture gallery
6. And, many more.

Borobudur Temple Compounds - the Magnificent UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site

Borobudur was built on a small hill in the Kedu Basin, a rich, fertile valley surrounded by spectacular volcanoes. To the east lie Merapi and Merbabu and to the north lies Sumbing and Sindoro. The unusual jagged Menoreh Hills encircle the temple to the South and West. The temple is also located near the meeting place of two rivers, the Elo and the Progo. These rivers are believed to be symbolic of the Gangga and Yamuna, the two rivers feeding the Indus valley in India. The location was most likely chosen for its central location and expansive views.

Borobudur lies directly south of Tidar Hill, a small knob on the valley floor which according to myth nailed the island of Java in place. We get a sense of the grandness of the landscape when we rise to the final terrace of the monument which opens up into a 360 degree view of the magnificent valley. This feeling of freedom and openness evokes the sense of spiritual release that occurs in Buddhist philosophy when one enters the Arupadhatu, the sphere of enlightenment which is manifested on the final terrace of the monument.

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m2. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.

Experience the Beauty of the Borobudur Gigantic Mysteries at anytime

Thirteen centuries ago, a group of artists and religious leaders remaining anonymous until presently began founding a structure of massive rocks I a location regarded sacred and encircled by volcanoes in Central Java. Apparently, they didn’t live long enough to see the finished construction of what they had initiated but they knew very well that the coming generations would complete, marvel and maintain it.

Borobudur as an historic artifact, an art object and an element of Buddhist rituals has kept silent. The ‘crazy’ idea of Syailendra Dynasty kings to show the world that they were able to make real a dream doesn’t seem very striking to many people today. Very possibly, the region or the dynasty was affluent in those days. Yet, will the structure that comprises 504 Buddha statues, 72 stupas and 4 passages embellished by 1300 panels of stone carvings remain inspirational for us in our contemporary setting.

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Flores

Topography of Flores
Location South East Asia
Coordinates 8°37'S 121°08'E? / ?8.617°S 121.133°E? / -8.617; 121.133
Archipelago Lesser Sunda Islands
Area 13,540 km² (60th)
Highest point Poco Mandasawu (2,370 m)
Country Indonesia
Province East Nusa Tenggara
Largest city Maumere

Demographics
Population 1,600,000 (as of 2003)
Density 112 /km2 (290 /sq mi)

Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population is estimated to be around 1.5 million, and the largest town is Maumere.

Flores is located east of Sumbawa and Komodo and west of Lembata and the Alor Archipelago. To the southeast is Timor. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi.

On December 12, 1992, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred, killing 2,500 people near the island of Flores.

The Etymology

The name 'Flores' is the Portuguese word, meaning "flowers".
Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island is split into seven regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: West Manggarai, Central Manggarai, Ngada, Nagekeo , Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur.

Flora and fauna

The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of Komodo itself, where the Komodo dragon can be found in the wild. The Flores Giant Rat is also endemic to the Island.

In September 2003, at Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid species, Homo floresiensis. These are informally named hobbits and appear to have stood about one metre tall. The most complete individual is dated as 18,000 years old. A description of a new species was published, but this remains disputed by other research that concludes they were afflicted with a growth disorder.

Flores was also a habitat of the extinct Stegodon dwarf elephant until approximately 18,000 years ago. It also was the habitat of species of giant rodents. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources drove the few species that lived upon the island to gigantism and dwarfism.

The culture
There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.

Portuguese traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language and culture. In fact, the island's name, Flores, means "flowers" in Portuguese.

Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Moluccas and Sulawesi, the divide is more rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.

Bena Village
The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu; three coloured lakes in the district of Ende and close to the town of Moni. These crater lakes are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acid water. The coloured lakes change colours on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake [5] from bright red through green and blue. The latest colours (late 2004) were said to be turquoise, brown and black.

There is good snorkelling and diving on several locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.

Labuanbajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists, from where they can visit Komodo and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.

Tourists can visit Luba and Bena villages to see traditional houses in Flores. Larantuka, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week festivals.

The main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are rice, maize sweet potato and cassava, while the main cash crops are coffee, coconut, candle nut and cashew. [6] Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.

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Kalimantan

Getting into the spirit of things

The inland tribes of Kalimantan (formerly Borneo), generically called Dayaks, fascinated the island's early explorers and continue to attract today's travellers. Their huge, stilted longhouses, striking and beautiful art, and their head-hunting captivated European adventurers and early ethnographers.

The name Dayak is derived from the words meaning "inland" or "upriver" people. In the past, though this is not true today, it implied "backward". But the people gathered under the term "Dayak" are members of culturally and linguistically diverse set of tribes, much like the Indians of the Americas.

Many anthropologists have stumbled in their attemps to classify the various Dayaks into neat categories. The variations in languages, art styles, custom and history are too great. Even the broad "inland tribes of Borneo" has important exceptions. Much of the confusion stems from a long history of large and small scale mirations within Borneo, a result of population pressures, communications and warfare. Groups sometimes adopted the language, rituals and other customs of their neighbours, then brought this mixture of tongues and traditions with them when they moved on. Though warfare no longer exists, villagers still shift location requently in search of easier access to otside goods, markets and jobs.

With the above in mind, Kalimantan's Dayaks can be said to fall into several very broad georaphical/cltural complexs: the nomadic Punan of the forested interior; the groups of north-eastern Kalimantan; the Lun Dayeh and and Lun Bawang of the extreme north-east; the Kayan and Kenyah of the north-east highlands and the upper Mahakam basin; the Barito River groups; "Land Dayaks" of west Kalimantan; the Iban, though most of these live in Sarawak; and the "Malays" or Islamised Dayaks.

All Dayak religion were concerned with attracting good spirits and chasing away evil ones. For most groups, head-hnting was an essential component of this spirit manipulation. Once a head was chopped off and brought back to the longhouse, its spirit was cajoled or forced to help the captors. To ensure the spirit wold readjust to its fate, the skull was honoured and treated with offerings of food, drink and tobacco.

Dayak artwork, aesthetically equal to the best produced in Africa or Melanesia, also served to control the world of spirits. These ethereal entities-either permanent deities or the spirits of human beings-decided on matters of sickness and health, the quality and quantity of harvests, and success in head-hunting. The latter, of course, led to added spirit-power. Qiet simply, spirits controlled everything that really mattered.

Both the Dutch and the British effectively confined Islam to the coastal areas, and to the mid-reachesof the great Mahakam and Kauas Rivers, to where it had spread in pre-colonial times. But with the advent of Christianity and the eventual ban on chopping of heads, Dayak religion and art lost their foundations. However, even today, under Western clothes and a superficial layer of Christianity, amny of the traditional ways remain.

The Dayaks still prepare their fields using the ancient but serviceable slash-and-burn method; they still comb the jungle for game and forest products; they don traditional gab at times of celebration, if not everyday; and in some areas they still live in longhouses. In all the Dayak areas a generalised belief in the world of spirits is very mch alive. The Kaharingan religion, a traditional faith, has evenwith a few modifications received government approval as part of the catc-all category of "Bali-Hinduism".

In general, the further one travels from the coast, the mre evident is the traditional way of life: shamans cring disease, body decorations, rituals, longhouses and, of course, the spirits. Nonetheles, US-based evangelical faith have made inroads into even the most isolated areas, to the detriment of traditional customs.

The nomadic Punan
In the past, hntin-gathering nomads, generally called Punan, wandered to and rom temporary site deep in the most remote orests of Borneo. Bands of Punan wandered the rainforest in splendid isolation, and with complete self-sufficiency. Their forest skills are almost legendary, and some 19th century accounts claimed that they had tails. lived in the trees, and could smell men from several kilometres away. Today, almost nne maintain the ancient lifestyle.

While the proccess of Pnan settlemenr into permanent villages had begun before the colonial government arrived in central Borneo, it accelerated during the first decades of this century. The Punans groups today have all built huts in permanent locations.

Still, many continue to take long treks in their beloved forest, bringing home still valuable jungle products: rattan, resins, camphor crystals and aloes wood, as well as the occasional bezoar stone from the innards of certain monkeys and used in very expensive Chinese folk remedies.

The Kayan and the Kenyah
The Kayan are fond chiefly in the central highlands of east Kalimantan, though there are a few Kayan villages along the upper Kapuas River. One of the most successful Dayak roups, in the 18th and 19th centuries they spread from the Apokayan to Sarawak, the Mahakam Basin and the Kapuas. These now scattered groups maintain a homogenous language and set of customs.

The Kayan siciety was stricly stratified into feudal classes: top aristocrats, nobles, commoners and slaves. Each class had its rights and obligations which were deines down to minutiae. Though the power and privileges of the aristocracy has been greatly curtailed, this class still commands a great deal of respect.

Members of the traditional aristocratic families hold whatever local political positions are allowed, and they are consulted in all important matters by fellow villagers. It is not unusual even today for the aristocrats to receive free labour for their fields, "gifts" of firewood, choise pieces of games, and general assistance whatever it is required. The traditions of the Kayan, including rice cultivation, woodcarving, metal working and social structure, have spread over the northern half of Kalimantan.

The Kenyah are an odd group of various origins, and they speak languages taht are not always mutually intelligible. Some were originally forest nomads who stayed nder Kayan patronage. They gradually replaced the Kayan in the Apokayan, and some later migrated into Sarawak and the Mahakam River basin.

Like the Kayan, the Kenyah are now rice cultivators, with a stratified society. Their villages are generally large, with many longhouses, some containing more than 2000 people. The Kenyah are famous for their woodcarving, which is distinct and florid, and their music, dance and colourful costumes.

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Sumba, east Nusa Tenggara

The houses of harmony

The island of Sumba houses a style of its own that really raises the roof.

Sumba, in east Nusa Tenggara, still retains the relaxed pace of life and a rich culture that has existed for generations. It is a destination where life moves to the beat of a different drum-and houses are built to a different design.

Sumbans are descended from a race of megalithic stone builders who erected stone monuments and gravestones, often intricately carved, to their gods and ancestors.

The houses that surround these stones are still built in the traditional Sumban manner: immense sweeping high roofs of thatch that point to the horns of buffalo and the jawsof pigs that proclaim the status of the dweller; statues of the gods stand beneath the thatched eaves protecting the house and its occupants from misfortune.

The houses have a very distinctive structure that conforms to a specific architectural plan. The proportional dimensions of this plan are fixed and show a remarkable uniformity across all regions of the island with the exception of size. This latter factor is important for showing status, with the size of man's house reflecting his rank and function in society.

The conical form of the house, that was and still is adhered to so strongly, is a result of the philosophical belief system of the Sumbanese, which sees all things on heaven and earth as the interaction of two polarised opposites. The harmony of man on Earth depends on balanced mixture of these opposites and it is usually necessary to ask the Merapu, or spirit Ancestors, to intercede with God to achieve this.

The Sumbanese apply this philosophy to all facets of life, especially house construction, since they reason that a house mst be in harmony for its inhabitants to live harmoniously in it. The house, therefore, has to reflect the cosmos as well as man.

The Sumban concept of the cosmos is a transcendent non-personalised being that has no name and is invisible, which they refer to as, "Father Sun Mother Moon" or Great Father, Great Mother".

The house is therefore required to have a balance of male and female attributes corresponding to the masculine sky (space) and the feminine earth (building materials). This consideration of the ratio between the physical structure and the space that it encloses, produces the porpotions and harmony evident in the Sumban houses that can be seen to this day, dotted over the island and surrounded by lush gardens.

There are three levels in the traditional Sumban house. The ground level is quarters for animals while people live on the second intermediary level. The ceiling of this level encloses the area in the tower which is the home of Merapu (ancestors).

In this attic family heirlooms and Merapu objects, or Tanggy Merapu, as they are called in Sumbanese, are stored. The power of these metal objects, which include inscribed disks, crescent shaped pectorals, and mamouli, are so potent that they are considered "hot" and need to be neutralised by something "cool" like cloth. They therefore remain stored in the realm of the Merapu, wrapped in ikat and shut away in chests from the eyes of men, until their power to summon the Ancestor spirits is required and they once more see the light of day.

A further commodity is stored in the attic, and that is the seedstock of rice for the next year's harvest. Here it lies, guarded by the Merapu from vermin, insects and blight, so that it may grow in abundance the following year.

The four pillarsforming the central core of the house are considered so important that they have their own names. On the right-hand side are the male pillars named "the eye of the Merapu" and "the pillar of the head" and on the left the female "rice pillar" and "pillar that feeds the animals". Here, on altars, rituals are perfofmed and offerings made to communicate with and sacrifice to the Merapu.

The division of right and left, male and female, extends to the floorplan where the front and side verandas are meeting places for men and the rear part of the house that includes the hearth is the women's domain. These two areas have their own entrances to complete this fascinating symmetry.

On the veranda, high beneath the eaves of the roof is a shelf where less potent Merapu objects are stored. nlike their counterparts in the roof, these are "cool" enough for public display and serve as protective talismen for the house. They often include small wood or stone squatting Ancestor figures, to whose image an offering is made when leaving, to ensure a safe journey. These pairs of male and female representations of Ancestor spirits ensure protection from earthquake, fire, flood and tempest. They also ensure the crops grow, the buffalo and horses procreate and taht an abundance comes to all who live within.

The back wall of the veranda is decorated with deer horns, buffalo horns and the jaws of boars with their wicked curving tusks. These are designed to show the wealth from sacrifice of the occupants, and forms yet another way in which strangers to the village can place the status of the householders.

Status is recognised by the size of the house, the richness of the decoration, and also the location of the house within the village plan. The house of nobles and clan leaders are clstered close to the sacred area containing the megalithic stones and the andung, or tree of skulls, where all important ceremonies take place.

This ordered society, where everyone knows their position, has served the Sumbanese well over the centuries, forming a culture that has been far more resilient to outside influences than many other.

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Bandung

Bandung-the Paris of Java

Once called Paris of Java, even the Paris of the East, Bandung, a bustling city of nearly three million people, still retains many of itscharming tree-lined avenues and fine art deco bildings from the 1930s. Through progress and prosperity, many of its art deco delights today rub shoulders which modern office blocks and factories. Built as Indonesia's first hill resort around 100 years ago, who then would have believed the traffict that now chokes the streets of this dynamic city?

Before the arrival of the railway in 1880, it could take as long as three or four days to make the perilous journey by horse from Jakarta to the cool green hills around Bandung.

But, after the completion of the rail connection, Bandung and the surrounding Parahyangan Highlands quickly became a popular weekend destination for Jakartans wanting to escape the sweltering heat.

Early one morning at Gambir Station in Jakarta we climb aboard the Parahyangan Express to follow in the tracks of those first railway travellers. We settle back to enjoy three hors of scenic splendour as we head into the heartland of West Java. Soon our train begins its ascent into the highlands and we watch the grassy plains give way to spectacular rice terraces. And climbing into the foothills of mighty volcanoes we pass slender bridges spanning rugged gorges and deep ravines.

Surrounded by rolling hills of manicured dark-green tea plantations, Bandung, at a cool 800 metres above see level, draws many visitors, both domestic and overseas tourists. It ranks high among the tropical art deco centres of the world and is often mentioned in the same breath as Miami and Napier.

New York-born Frances Affandy is a driving force behind the revival of many of Bandung's fine old buildings. Her enthusiasm for the priceless heritage of her adopted city is unbounded and has contributed much to the very active 400-member conservation society. It is lack of money that preserves old buildings, however with increasing progress and prosperity these treasures are now under great threat.

The art deco architecture, Bandung's most famous attraction of Angklung.

When, early next morning, we reluctanly leave Bandung the sound of the Angklung playing The Blue Danube still rings in our ears. It seems a fitting finale to this charming city which has so successfully blended East and West.


Jeans STREET

While you're looking skyward, you'd better duck! Cepot, the puppet clown (dressed in denim?), is cycling out of a maze of bycicles high on wall, straight into thin air!

What's going on? Superheroes to the left of you, jokers to the right, here you are stuck in the middle of... Jeans Street. You are in the dynamic heart of garment retail in Bandung, the textile and clothing manufacturing centre of Java.

Shopfronts along a kilometre stretch of Jalan Cihampelas, as it is formally known, are outdoing each other as they bid for your attention. Jeans Street has reigned for more than a decade, an overflow of elaborate shops full of bargains. It is a fitting tribute to the fashion heritage of its location.

In the heady days when Bandung was known as th Paris of Java, Jalan Cihampelas, a beautiful, broadthoroughfare of elegant Dutch housesset among glorious canari trees, was referred to as the Champ Elysee.

Rumour has it that Cihampelas is an Indonesian transliteration of Champs Elysee. Today, the legacy of trees remains. Luxuriant leafy boughs overhang the road, balancing in their grandeur the fabulous fabrications that have replaced the old Dutch houses.

The transformation of Jalan Cihampelas was started in 1984. At that time, there were two popular places to buy jeans in Bandung. The other one was Jalan Pajajaran, which offered something fresh, decorating its stores in cowboy themes complete with wooden shopfronts, swinging saloon doors, tethering posts and wagon wheels.

When an old Dutch house in Jalan Cihampelas put out a sign and opened its front room to sell jeans, it was a comparatively quiet start. Set in a shopisticated street graced by grand old trees. It was rather pleasing to the ego to shop in such an exclusive location. And the Jeans were different.

Jalan Cihampelas, it was big news in Bandung-another good place for jeans!
Jean shops began springing up in all directions. Enterpreneurs got in on the act,buying up houses or contracting them out, putting into play their creative tactics to lure people away from the other streets and the neighbours'stores, and into their jeans dens.

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