Borobudur and Prambanan aren't the only temple ruins in central Java by a long shot. The area is littered with ancient temples, and visiting them all could easily take days: there is even the ruin of an ancient palace (which I did not visit). In an ideal world I would make this my personal project, but in reality time is limited and I must pick and choose my objectives (R is a trooper, but it's better for everyone if I limit our destinations to 1-3 places). An excuse to go back, I guess!
 |
| R running up the steps: she likes temples! |
A more minor temple ruin we did visit is Candi Sambisari, which is unusual as it seems to be constructed below ground level (actually this is just due to the buildup of sediment over the years, probably due to volcanic eruptions: it was only excavated in the 1980s). It was small but lovely and a great ending to our trip, being the last thing I saw in Java before our flight home.
 |
| Me and R at Candi Sambisari's central sanctuary |
 |
| And this is what's inside: a stone penis (yes, really!: it's called a lingam) |
 |
| R prefers the elephant as usual (actually the Hindu god Ganesh) |
 |
| Goofiness: I love this little person! |
Strange to visit a Hindu temple in a Muslim country, while being someone from a Christian country who believes in no religion whatsoever. The results of globalization can be strange.
 |
| R thinking about all the "gods": I tell her the temples are their houses and where people give them presents, but haven't gotten more complicated as of yet. She says "I like the gods!" |
No comments:
Post a Comment