Patung Titi Banda - Wayang Epic Ramayana Sculpture at Denpasar , Bali , Indonesia

Patung Titi Banda - Depiction of Wayang Epic Ramayana

New Titi Banda Statue of Epic Ramayana stands on the outskirts of Denpasar , Bali , Indonesia. Like most Puppet Statues in Bali, Titi Banda Statue is Detailed , Beautiful, Majestic and Awesome.

" Titi Banda Sculpture Garden " is Magnificent and Monumental New Icon that became the Pride of the Citizens of Bali. The Sculpture has a high Artistic Value. Titi Banda statue itself tells the Epic Wayang Ramayana about Lord Rama who accompanied by His Monkey Troops is building a STONE bridge " Titi Banda " in the Middle of the Sea to save His wife Shinta (Devi Sita) from the hands of Ravana , The King of Alengka (Lanka) .

Lord Rama with an Arrow facing Eastward

The Height of this Sculpture is approximate 10 meters. Lord Rama is the main Character in the story .He is shown carrying an Arrow facing eastward, greeting everyone who enters Denpasar or simply pass by this place.

Surroundings of the Sculpture are Monkey statues and Lord Rama is  shown surrounded by Monkeys. All including Lord Rama, standing on the Sea Waves.

Lord Rama surrounded by Monkeys

Sea Wave

Titi Banda Sculpture displays Rama, as the Main Character who is making arrangements to save her wife from the hands of Ravana in Lanka. Lord Rama is being assisted by Wanara or apes (Monkey Troops ) consisting of 18 Heads, five of them are Chief of the Monkeys (Wanaras). Statue of Lord Rama is main which stands in the middle of the Sculpture Story.

Two Chiefs of the Monkey stands on the left and right side of Lord Rama. Three others are Commanders standing in each corner of the Pedestal. Commander of the Monkeys are larger than other Monkey Soldiers. The Statue was designed with the concept of Cultural approach and filled with the meaning of Mutual Assistance and Loyalty.

As planned on 2015, The Denpasar Sanitation and Landscaping Agency (DKP) added the " Patung Titi Banda ". The Sculpture is Majestic and Glorious. DKP adds 15 Monkey Statues, 11 Statues are small and 4 Statues are big with 2 colors - yellow and red . DKP spent approximate 300 million rupiah on the Sculpture.

Park Titi Banda located at the edge of Jalan by pass Ngurah Rai, or precisely in the way Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, Denpasar City. Its location is very strategic, because it is a three - way meeting that is South of Sanur Beach, East of Karangasem and North of Gianyar. The position of the Titi Banda statue is facing eastward, as if welcoming everyone who will enter the city of Denpasar from the East of Karang Asem or Klungkung.

As per Denpasar City Government  this statue (Statue of Titi Banda) is expected to become a New Icon of Denpasar City.  The park around the statue will be enjoyed by the public because the location is very strategic ie the entrance of Denpasar City from the East, "said Head of Sanitation and Garden City of Denpasar Ketut Wisada.

Sad Kahyangan Jagad - Six Main Temples of Bali , Indonesia

Sad Kahyangan Temples

Sad Kahyangan or Sad Kahyangan Jagad are the Six Holiest Places of Worship in Bali. These Six Main temples are believed as the pillars of Bali. The word “Sad” is derived from Sanskrit word means “six” and “Kahyangan” means “Place of Gods.” According to Balinese beliefs, they are the Pivotal Points of the Island, and are meant to provide Spiritual Balance to Bali.

Below are these Six Temples:

1. Besakih

Besakih Temple is a complex of temples located in Besakih Village, District of Rendang, Karangasem Regency, Bali, Indonesia. The complex of Besakih Temple consists of 18 temples and 1 main temple. Besakih Temple is the main temple of all temples in Bali. Among the temples in the complex of Besakih Temple, Penataran Agung Temple is the biggest, the highest in the number of “pelinggih” (small temple for specific God), the highest in the kind of offerings, and the center of all temples in the complex of Besakih Temple. In Penataran Agung Temple there are 3 main pelinggih of Tri Murti, they are Brahma who is the Creator of Universe, Wisnu as the Caretaker, and Siwa as the Destroyer.

2. Lempuyang

In various sources and Manuscript or Ancient Inscription there are three big temples that are usually mentioned, they are Besakih, Ulun Danu Batur and Lempuyang. Lempuyang is located on top of the Bisbis Hill or Lempuyang Mountain, Karangasem. This temple is estimated as the oldest temple in Bali. Moreover, it's existence is believed from the era when Hinduism and Buddhism had not entered in Bali. Lempuyang temple is the place of Hyang Gni Jaya or Iswara.

3. Goa Lawah

Goa Lawah means Bat Cave. In Bali, Goa Lawah Temple is a temple for worshipping Sea God. This temple could be found in Pesinggahan Village, Dawan District, Klungkung. Goa Lawah is the main temple of Pura Segara (Sea temple) in Bali. The story in Prekempa Gunung Agung manuscript tells that Lord Siwa send Sang Hyang Tri Murti (Brahma, Wisnu, and Iswara) to save the earth. Brahma went down to the earth manifested as Ananta Bhoga Dragon. On the other hands, Wisnu manifested as Basuki Dragon and Iswara transformed into Taksaka Dragon. Basuki Dragon, the manifestation of Wisnu had his head down to the ocean stirring the water so that the steam became cloud. His tail became the mountains and the scales became trees forming dense forests. It is said that the head of Basuki Dragon is symbolized by Goa Lawah Temple and its mounted tail is symbolized by Gunung Agung. The center of his tail is in Goa Raja Temple, one of the temple complex in Besakih. Some people believe that Goa Raja is connected with Goa Lawah.

4. Uluwatu

Uluwatu Temple or so called Luhur Uluwatu Temple (pura in Balinese) is built at the edge (ulu) of a 70 meter high cliff or rock (watu) facing the Vast Indian Ocean with amazing sea panorama below.. The Balinese Hindus believe that the three divine powers of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva become one here. That belief results in making Uluwatu Temple a place of worship of Siva Rudra, the Balinese Hindu deity of all elements and aspects of life in the universe. Uluwatu Temple is also dedicated to protect Bali from evil sea spirits.

Based on the history, this place was built in the eleventh century by Empu Kuturan; a Hindu priest came from Java. 

Visitors have to wear a sarong and a sash, as well as appropriate clothes common for Temple visits. They can be hired here. 

The best time to visit is just before sunset. Kecak and Fire Dance Performance is performed everyday at the adjacent cliff-top stage at 18:00 to 19:00. Watching Kecak Dance performance with spectacular sun set background makes this place most favorite venue.

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5. Batukaru

Batukaru or Luhur Batukaru Temple is located in Wongaya Village in the district of Penebel, Tabanan. This temple is in the western side of Bali in the south slope of Batukaru Mountain. This name was named after the mountain itself. There is a unique ritual before entering this temple that it requires the visitors to pray at Jero Taksu Temple first, which is a bit far from this temple. Luhur Batukaru Temple is the place for worshipping the God of plants, thus in Luhur Uluwatu Temple, God was worshipped in the name of Ratu Hyang Tumuwuh. Tumuwuh means “growing”, so the God here manifests as the one who maintain the plants and water properly to make it grows well.

6. Pusering Jagat

Pusering Jagat Temple is located in Pejeng Village, District of Tampaksiring, Gianyar. This temple is the member of Sad Kahyangan with its position in the middle of Bali Island. In Hindu cosmology, middle or center is the place of Lord Siwa. Local people also believe that this temple is the center of the earth.

In this temple there are a lot of statues, like statues of Ganesha (son of Siwa), Durga (wife of Siwa) and also some Bhairawa. There are also ancient statues for the symbol of men’s genital or “purusa” and female’s genital or “pradana.” In Hinduism, Purusa and Pradana are the God’s first creation which became the seeds of life. Purusa is the seed of spirituality and Pradana is the seed of materials. The rendezvous of these Purusa and Pradana were the beginning of a life. There are also some inheritances in form of ancient vases which are called “Sangku Sudamala” symbolized the holy water for life. Inside Sangku Sudamala, an image that shown 1251 Saka year could be found.

Rudra - Sanskrit: रुद्र

Rudra (/ˈrʊdrə/; Sanskrit: रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity, associated with wind or storm and the hunt. The name has been translated as "the roarer". In the Rigvedaऋग्वेद , Rudra has been praised as the "mightiest of the mighty". Rudra is the personification of 'terror'. Depending up on the poetic situation, Rudra can be meant as the most severe roarer/howler (could be a hurricane or tempest ) or the most frightening one. The Shri Rudram hymn from the Yajurvedaयजुर्वेद is dedicated to Rudra, and is important in the Saivism sect. 

The Hindu god Shivaशिव shares several features with the Rudra: the theonym Shiva originated as an epithet of Rudra, the adjective shiva("kind") being used euphemistically of Rudra, who also carries the epithet Aghora, Abhayankar ("extremely calm [sic] non terrifying").Usage of the epithet came to exceed the original theonym by the post-Vedic period (in the Sanskrit Epics), and the name Rudraरुद्र has been taken as a synonym for the god Shivaशिव  and the two names are used interchangeably.

Etymology

The etymology of the theonym Rudra is somewhat uncertain. It is usually derived from the root rud- which means "to cry, howl." According to this etymology, the name Rudra has been translated as "the roarer". An alternative etymology suggested by Prof. Pischel derives Rudra as "the red one, the brilliant one" from a lost root rud-, "to be red" or "to be ruddy" or respectively, according to Grassman, "to shine". A Rigvedic verse "rukh draavayathi, iti rudraha" where 'rukh' means sorrow/misery, 'draavayathi' means to drive out or eliminate and 'iti' means that which or he who, implies 'Rudra' to be the eliminator of evil and usherer of peace.

Stella Kramrisch notes a different etymology connected with the adjectival form raudra, which means wild, i.e. of rudra nature, and translates the name Rudra as "the wild one" or "the fierce god". R. K. Sharma follows this alternate etymology and translates the name as "the terrible" in his glossary for the Shiva Sahasranama. The commentator Sāyaṇa suggests six possible derivations for rudra. However, another reference states that Sayana suggested ten derivations. 

The adjective shivam in the sense of "propitious" or "kind" is applied to the name Rudra in RV 10.92.9. According to Gavin Flood, Shiva used as a name or title (Sanskrit śiva, "the kindly/auspicious one") occurs only in the late Vedic Katha Aranyaka, whereas Axel Michaels asserts that Rudra was called Shiva for the first time in the Śvetāśvatara Upanishad. 

Rudra is called "the archer" (Sanskrit: Śarva) and the arrow is an essential attribute of Rudra. This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, and R. K. Sharma notes that it is used as a name of Shiva often in later languages. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root śarv- which means "to injure" or "to kill" and Sharma uses that general sense in his interpretive translation of the name Śarva as "One who can kill the forces of darkness". The names Dhanvin ("bowman") and Bāṇahasta ("archer", literally "Armed with arrows in his hands") also refer to archery.

In other contexts the word rudra can simply mean "the number eleven". The word "rudrakshaरुद्राक्ष" (Sanskrit: rudrākşa = rudra and akşa"eye"), or "eye of Rudra", is used as a name both for the berry of the Rudraksha tree, and a name for a string of the prayer beads made from those seeds. 

Rigvedic hymns

The earliest mentions of Rudra occur in the Rigveda, where three entire hymns are devoted to him. There are about seventy-five references to Rudra in the Rigveda overall. 

Epithets of fierceness and fright

In the Rigveda Rudra's role as a frightening god is apparent in references to him as ghora ("extremely terrifying"), or simply as asau devam ("that god"). He is "fierce like a formidable wild beast" (RV 2.33.11). Chakravarti sums up the perception of Rudra by saying: "Rudra is thus regarded with a kind of cringing fear, as a deity whose wrath is to be deprecated and whose favor curried." 

RV 1.114 is an appeal to Rudra for mercy, where he is referred to as "mighty Rudra, the god with braided hair." 

In RV 7.46, Rudra is described as armed with a bow and fast-flying arrows. As quoted by R. G. Bhandarkar, the hymn says Rudra discharges "brilliant shafts which run about the heaven and the earth" (RV 7.46.3), which may be a reference to lightning. 

Rudra was believed to cure diseases, and when people recovered from them or were free of them, that too was attributed to the agency of Rudra. He is asked not to afflict children with disease (RV 7.46.2) and to keep villages free of illness (RV 1.114.1). He is said to have healing remedies (RV 1.43.4), as the best physician of physicians (RV 2.33.4), and as possessed of a thousand medicines (RV 7.46.3). This is described in Shiva's alternative name Vaidyanatha (Lord of Remedies).

Rudra is used both as a name of Shiva and collectively ("the Rudras") as the name for the Maruts. Maruts are "storm gods", associated with the atmosphere. They are a group of gods, whose number varies from two to sixty, sometimes also rendered as eleven, thirty-three or a hundred and eighty in number (i. e. three times sixty, see RV 8.96.8.).

The Rudras are sometimes referred to as "the sons of Rudra", whereas Rudra is referred to as "Father of the Maruts" (RV 2.33.1). 

Rudra is mentioned along with a litany of other deities in RV 7.40.5. Here is the reference to Rudra, whose name appears as one of many gods who are called upon:

“This Varuṇa, the leader of the rite, and the royal Mitra and Aryaman, uphold my acts, and the divine unopposed Aditi, earnestly invoked: may they convey us safe beyond evil. I propitiate with oblations the ramifications (vayāḥ) of that divine attainable Viṣṇu, the showerer of benefits. Rudra, bestow upon us the magnificence of his nature. The Aśvins have come down to our dwelling abounding with (sacrificial) food.” 

Post-Rigvedic hymns

In the various recensions of the Yajurveda is included a litany of stanzas praising Rudra: (Maitrāyaṇī-Saṃhitā 2.9.2, Kāṭhaka-Saṃhitā 17.11, Taittirīya-Saṃhitā 4.5.1, and Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā 16.1–14). This litany is subsequently referred to variously as the Śatarudriyam, the Namakam (because many of the verses commence with the word namaḥ [`homage`]), or simply the Rudram. This litany was recited during the Agnicayana ritual ("the piling of Agni"), and it later became a standard element in Rudra liturgy.

A selection of these stanzas, augmented with others, is included in the Paippalāda-Saṃhitā of the Atharvaveda (PS 14.3—4). This selection, with further PS additions at the end, circulated more widely as the Nīlarudram (or Nīlarudra Upaniṣad).

Sri Rudram

The President of the Ramakrishna Mission, at Chennai, in commentating on the foreword to Swami Amritananda's translation of Sri Rudram and Purushasuktam, stated that "Rudra to whom these prayers are addressed is not a sectarian deity, but the Supreme Being who is omnipresent and manifests Himself in a myriad forms for the sake of the diverse spiritual aspirants." Sri Rudram occurs in the fourth Kanda of the Taittirya Samhita in the Yajur Veda. It is a preeminent Vedic hymn to Lord Shiva as the God of dissolution, chanted daily in Shiva temples throughout India." 

The prayer depicts the diverse aspects of the Almighty. The Shri Rudram hymn is unique in that it shows the presence of divinity throughout the entire universe. We cannot confine the qualities of the divine to those that are favorable to us. The Lord is both garden and graveyard, the slayer and the most benevolent one. The Almighty is impartial and ubiquitous. 

In it Rudra is described as the most dreaded terroriser (frightening).Sri Rudram describes Rudra the vedic deity as the personification of 'terror'. Rudra comes from 'Ru' meaning '"Roar or Howl" (the words 'dreaded' or 'fearsome' could only be used as adjectives to Rudra and not as Rudra, because Rudra is the personification of terror); 'dra' is a superlative meaning 'the most'. So Rudra, depending on the poetic situation, can be meant as 'the most severe roarer/howler' - could be a hurricane or tempest - or 'the most frightening one'.

Text adepted from wikipedia

Fish - Ganesha Statue at Nusa Dua Beach Temple , Denpasar , Bali , Indonesia

Ganesha statue in Fish shape dedicated to Nusa Dua Beach , Denpasar , Bali , Indonesia. 

A very rare and unique  Balinese version of Ganesha in the shape of Fish.  Statue is situated in the small Temple at Nusa Dua Beach , Denpasar , Bali , Indonesia. It catches your eyes with its Sea Blue Color suggestive of Sea - Marine Culture of Indonesia. And as per Balinese version Fish Gaesha is beautifully adorned with Golden embellishments.

What a marvelous example of  Culture and Religion ?  This is the beauty of Indonesia ... 

Indonesia Tradition ... A DwaarPal at the entrance of the Temple as the Protector.

Temple at the Sea Beach ..

Mahishasurmardini दुर्गा - महिषासुरमर्दिनी at Bandungan , Indonesia

 Durga  Mahishasurmardini  दुर्गा - महिषासुरमर्दिनी 

This beautiful stone carved statue of  Durga Mahishasuramardini दुर्गा - महिषासुर मर्दिनी made me awestruck at Candi Gedong Songo III , Semarang , Central Java , Indonesia.

Durga  Mahishasuramardini दुर्गा - महिषासुरमर्दिनी 

A very worn Durga, in the act of killing the buffalo demon Mahishasur, decorates the Temple's North exterior Niche. The Goddess's multiple Arms are the most prominent Attributes that still remains on the Sculpture .

Gedong Songo - III
This group of three temples includes a Nandi temple in the lower right, facing as usual its corresponding Shiva temple. The third temple is unpaired.

Group III is the largest. It consists of three main shrines, all facing west and each dedicated to Hindu Gods: Brahma to the south, Vishnu to the north, and the main temple to Shiva in the center. In front of the Shiva shrine, a small structure housing Shiva´s Vahan ( Carrier) Nandi, is built in strict accordance to an Indian Architectural Manual.

Exterior Reliefs on the outer walls of the Temple has 3 reliefs -

1. Agastya अगस्त्य   
2. Ganesha गणेश   
3. Mahishasuramardini महिषासुरमर्दिनि 

Candi  (Temple) Gedong Songo (nine buildings) Complex

Magnificient view of Candi (Temple) Gedong Songo

Candi (Temple) Gedong Songo (nine buildings) is a group of small Hindu Javanese temples from 7th century. These Silent, Peaceful, and Mysterious Temples are magnificent example of cultural heritage of Hindu's temples in Indonesia . Candi  Gedong go is located in the Candi village, Bandungan District, Semarang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia , on the slopes of Mount Ungaran. These temples were first discovered by Mr. Raffles in 1804.

Gedong Songo is one of the most beautifully sited Temple Complexes in Central Java. Gedong Songo (' Nine Buildings ') belongs to the earliest antiquities of Java . These Temple creates a splendid view from the Peaks of the mountains . At 900 meters elevation, this is perhaps the most breathtaking Archaeological site in Java. The location is marked with magnificent view over north-central Java, encompassing Mount Ungaran (2050 meters), Lake Rawapening, Mount Merbabu (3142 meters), and hazy Mount Merapi (2914 meters). When day is clear one can view Mount Lawu in East Java too.

These Ancient Candi (Temples) were originally built between 730 and 780 A.D. by Hindu Sanjaya Dynastic line which controlled Central Java during the 8th and 9th Centuries. The Sanjaya Dynasty was most likely responsible for building the Sanctuaries of Dieng , more famous mountain complex to the west . Gedong Songo predate Borobudur and Prambanan Temples.

Gedong Songo is not the original name of these Temples and also does not imply at the number of structure at the site . The number nine has a special meaning and a strong attachment to the numbers in the Javanese Culture. The temples are located at the equal distance from each other (100 meters, 200 meters) on naturally formed terrace edge of the mountain.