Showing posts with label Banyan Tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Banyan Tree. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Kala Makara (मकर) as a Symbol of University of Indonesia

Universitas Indonesia (UI) is a State University in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest Tertiary-level Educational Institution in Indonesia (known as the Dutch East Indies when UI was established). 


I am fascinated by its Logo which features Kala - Makara (मकर) .
The logo is the Kala-Makara  (मकर)a symbol of the two sources of energy in Nature. Kala is the energy from above (the power of the sun), while makara represents the energy from below (the pUniversity of Indonesia as the source of knowledge is symbolized by the water flowing from the head of Kala Makara.ower of the Earth). The two powers are combined and stylized into a symbol that represents the function of Universitas Indonesia as a source of knowledge.
The logo of Universitas Indonesia Makara carries  following interpretation:
The Logo symbolizes a Beringin Tree (Banyan Tree) (बरगद का पेड़) with water fountain and the Head of Kala Makara  (Mythological Creature in Indonesia) surrounded by a Pentagon.The symbol has the following meanings :
University of Indonesia as the center of the Nation's culture is symbolized by the shell of wisdom which accept the flowing water from the head of Kala Makara Logo.
University of Indonesia with its knowledge and culture is dedicated for the happiness and prosperity of Indonesia and for all mankind. This meaning is symbolized by a Beringin Tree with Eight Branch and seventeen leaves (17-8, Indonesia's Independence Day). Beringin Tree (Banayan Tree) is chosen, because it is known to have long lifetime and it can give protection for those who might need it. 
The earliest form of the Logo of Universitas Indonesia was created in 1952 by Sumaxtono (born as Sumartono), a student from 1951 Art Department , Faculty of Engineering which was at the time known as Fakulteit Teknik Universiteit Indonesia , located in Bandung.
Universitas Indonesia is generally considered as the Most Prestigious Public University in Indonesia, along with Bandung Institute of Technology and Gadjah Mada University.