Borobudur & Bali Photos

December 2007

All photos World Rights © ATMann 2007

The inactive Mt Merbabu and the active Mt Merapi are two of the four encircling volcanoes, as seen at sunrise from the top of Borobudur.

Borobudur was built by Sanmaratungga in the 8th century, and belongs to Buddhist Mahayana tradition. Shortly afterward there was an Islamic invasion that expelled the Buddhists. Then Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles revealed Borobudur in 1814, when he found the temple in ruined condition, having been buried under mounds of soil and towering trees for a thousand years.

Two sets of twin volcanoes — Merapi and Merbabu to the northeast, Sumbing and Sindoro to the northwest — stand sentinel across the plains. Mt Merapi, the “fire mountain,” is active. An adjacent ridge depicts Gunadharma, the architect of Borobudur, who is believed to keep watch over his creation through the ages.

Ascending the staircase to the first of the levels are four series of reliefs, two on each side, where there is an account of the Buddha from his birth 3500 years ago as an Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama, to his renunciation and spiritual journey to enlightenment.

In November 2007 I guided a tour of 25 to Yogyakarta and Borobudur and took these photos.

This is Borobudur from the air. Note the size of the people to get a sense of its size. (The only one that is not my photo!)

Both Mt Merbabu and Mt Merapi from the sixth terrace of Borobudur.

Life-size meditating Buddha within a stupa at sunrise.

A view from Borobudur towards Mt Merapi late in the morning shows stupas containing Buddhas.

The Buddha and the twin volcanos of Java. The top of this stupa has been removed in the restoration process.

One of the Kala (Hindu Great God of Time) gateways up to the stupa level. It is as though one passes through time as one ascends Borobudur. At the sides, Rishis (wise men) sprinkle seeds (of enlightenment) on passers-by.

Buddha sentinels meditate towards the four directions.

The stupas are more than fifteen feet (3m) high and all contain life-size Buddhas.

One can see meditating Buddhas through the patterned stone stupas.

Three Buddhas awaiting repositioning during restoration.

Stupas enclose meditating Buddhas on the circular upper terraces and symbolize the "pure land" of enlightenment.

Buddha in a niche on the fourth level of Borobudur.

View of Borobudur (in the almost farthest distance center) from the amazing Amanjiwa Hotel in the nearby mountains with the Mt Sumbing volcano in the far distance.

View from within the Amanjiwa Hotel towards Borobudur behind the palm tree.

The Buddha.

Carving showing the Buddha blessed by the Moon and Sun and the Pleiades between them.

Prayers to the six-armed Avalokitishvara.

Another view of Mt Merapi volcano from among the stupas.

Yogyakarta, Java

Prambanan, a Hindu temple to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma near Yogyakarta, Java, built in the 8th century.

The active volcano Mt Merapi in Java, seen through a doorway in the Prembanan Shiva temple.

Bali

Lotus flowers and water lillies abound in Bali.

Lake Batur in Bali, formed from the caldera of the Mt Batur volcano millions of years ago.

This is the inactive volcano and caldera of Mt Batur, which last blew in 1968, seen as the Balinese "home of the gods." The dark layer below is volcanic ash stone shipped all over Bali for building temples and shrines.

A mandala of flowers (and my toes) at a hotel in Ubud, Bali.

The altar in the NE of my house in Ubud, Bali with flower offerings.

If you would like large prints of any of these photos, contact me for prices and availability.

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