Indonesia isn’t just about mystical Bali with its volcanoes, beaches and temples. There is more to this archipelago of 17,500 islands. Another sought-after destinations after Bali is Jogja, or Yogyakarta, the cultural capital of Indonesia in the island of Java. Lore has it that it was called Ayodhya in ancient times; the Ramayana is very popular here.
Bali town has ballet performances, puppet shows, dances and drama to lure you. It is the centre for Javanese fine arts silver and batik. Kratons or palaces are in the heart of the city, especially the Royal Kraton, a settlement housing over 3,000 people. Museums take you down through history. The Dutch renamed Bali as Djokjakarta, from where Jogja originated. In one of the oldest suburbs of the city called Kota Gede, you will find remnants of colonial heritage and the old capital town of the Mataram Sultanate. But Jogja has an ancient history that is seen in the candis or the temples built in and around the town, some of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are over 1,000 years ago.
One of the oldest and magnificent temples is 40 km from the city. Start at 3 am, walking in the darkness to the mystical Candi Borobodur and wait for sunrise. As dawn breaks, you can see over 500 Buddha sculptures, 2,500 relief panels and 72 Buddha statues in the central dome alone, each carved inside a stupa. It is believed to be one of the largest Buddha temples, a pilgrimage centre besides just a tourist destination.
Built in the 9th century, Candi Borobodur took over 70 years to be completed. Buried under volcanic ash, it was discovered centuries later. Very little is known about it. No one knows who built it or why it was abandoned.
The temple trail of Jogja takes you back to the city where you can spend time at the Royal Palace and visit the remains of the Water Palace before heading to the archaeological ruins of Kraton Ratu Boko, or the Palace of Ratu Boko.
A formidable gate takes you into a vast open space to a plateau over 196 metres above sea level, scattered with ruins. Translated in Javanese as the Stork King, Ratu Boko or King Boko is a legendary ruler and the legend behind these ruins has a connection to one of the largest Hindu temple complexes called the Prambanam temples. Standing amidst the ruins, you can see in the distance the temples framed against the Mount Merapi.
But the legend of Boko takes you to the Prambanam temples. The story is about Bandung Bondowoso’s futile attempt to marry Loro Jonggrang, the daughter of King Boko, whom he had killed. The princess agreed on one condition: he had to build 1,000 temples in a night. While the prince with the help of demons completed 999 of them, the princess created the illusion of dawn. The demons vanished and the prince realised that he had been tricked. He cursed the princess, turning her into stone. It is believed that she stands as Durga in the Shiva temple and that the 999 temples lie around the complex in ruins.
The Prambanam complex, ninth century World Heritage Site, once had 240 temples, of which only a few are visible. Dedicated to the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, every inch of these shrines is filled with rich ornate intricate carvings. At dusk, the Vimanas are lit and the stage comes alive for a beautiful performances of the Ramayana ballet, performed in an open air theatre across the River Opak with the temples in the background.