Having visited places like Angkor Wat & Bagan, I was very keen to check out Borobudur, in Central Java. And I wan’t disappointed. Being able to watch the sunrise between two volcanoes from the top of Borobudur, with the growing light revealing the mist and smoke shrouded trees and villages, was very cool.
Borobudur is contemporaneous with the construction of the temples around Angkor , making it around 1100 years old. I find the fact that there was no cement used in the construction totally amazing. Part of the attraction was the mystery associated with its construction, as there is very little mention of the whys & wherefores in the written histories of Central Java.
Making the trip to Borobudur satisfied some of my curiosities, but learning about the area has created new ones. I found out that there are two other temple complexes (Pawon and Mendut) in the area and together with Borobudur, make a straight line stretching about 3-4 km. Something to investigate on another trip? I was also hoping to visit Prambanan, which is a 10th century Hindu temple closer to Yogyakarta, but didn’t get the time. Definitely enough reasons to come back. Next summer, maybe:)
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