Candi Sukuh , located on the Western slopes of Mount Lawu is the last Hindu Temple built in Java before the Javanese Courts were converted to Islam in the 16th Century.Temple was first discovered by Sir Thomas Raffels in 1815. Candi Sukuh was built around Fifteen Century (A D) in the same era , when Majapahit Empire was crumbling and Islam was spreading in Java. This Magnificient Temple stands at an altitude of 910 m with its stunning view of Countryside. The surroundings are marked with contrasting lush green shades of Tea Plantations , Rice Paddies , Coffee Plantations. Rain just stopped when we entered the Temple. The Cooooool refreshing breeze of Mount Lawu was rejuvenating our senses. Verdant hills and different hues of blue sky were the perfect combination of eye-soothing colors .... amazing feast to the EYES. Pictures we took are slightly looking WET due to rain.
View of Downtown from the Temple after a splash of Rain
Sukuh temple has a distinctive thematic reliefs from other Candi where life before birth and sexual education are its main theme. Its main monument is a simple pyramid structure with reliefs and statues in front of it, including three tortoises with flattened shells and a male figure grasping his penis. A giant 1.82 m (6 ft) high of lingga (phallus) with four balls, representing penile incisions, was one of the statues that has been relocated to the National Museum of Indonesia.
The Temple is dedicated to Bima , The Warrior God of Epic Mahabharata. The headless Bima statue and an Artistic Womb depicting Bima's birth proves this fact. Apart from this , the temple must have served other purpose too which are subject to guess only.
Candi Sukuh bears no architectural resemblance with other Hindu temples which normally have spires symbolizing Mount Meru Style, the Mystical Mount in Buddhist and Hindu traditions . Unlike other temples in Indonesia built in Meru Style which have square shrines , the structure of the main temple resembles a Mayan Pyramid with its unique Trapezium shape. A stone stairway rises through the front side of the pyramid to its summit. It is not known what the monument's unique shape was intended to symbolize. One suggestion is that it represents a mountain. There is no evidence that the main building supported a wooden structure. A stairway can take you to the top of the Pyramid , which at that time was used as a place to perform rituals. This unique shape of the temple is a unsolved mystery and why the structure is entirely different from Traditional Javanese Temple design is still unknown.
The Main Monument of Sukuh Temple
Sukuh temple has Three concentric Terraces, connected by ascending alleys. The main temple is situated at the last terrace. A Board at the Temples reads -
" Facing to the West consisting THREE level Terraces , the Complex symbolizes some levels to attain Perfection in Life. The Levels are also symbolized by some reliefs which explain the existing of THREE Worlds (End of Life). The Under World is represented by Bima , the Middle World is represented by Ramayana , Garudeya and Sudhemala and the Above World is represented by Swargarohanaparwa. This Symbolization of THREE Worlds show the step which human must have pass to go NIRVANA (Heaven).
The Terraces and the Reliefs are symbolization of human journey to immortality and perfection which realized by Purification Rituals or ruwat (Javanese). This ritual is aimed to raise person's dignity after the Spiritual Liberation."
View of Three concentric Terraces, connected by ascending alleys.
A Fertility Temple
Candi Sukuh is more Fertility oriented with Yoni and Lingam. One striking feature of Sukuh Temple is that many of it Stone Carved Figures both Animal and Human have been depicted with BOLD genitals such as a half-man-sized headless statue of a man grasping his Penis, a carving of a squatting man exposing his genital and a carving which resembles a womb with mythological creatures in it. A relief of a Lingam ( phallus) and Yoni (vulva) (male and female genitals)at the entrance symbolizes the birth of life and spiritual liberation. Other than these, when discovered in the 19th century by a British official, a large phallus sit on the top of the main temple making it the highest point at the temple compound.The only object recovered from its summit was a 1.82-metre lingga statue bearing an inscription and it is now in the National Museum of Indonesia. The statue may once have stood on the platform over the stairway. The lingga statue , adorned with Four Testicles just below the base , has a dedicated inscription carved from top to bottom representing a vein followed by a chronograph date equivalent to 1440. The inscription translates "Consecration of the Holy Ganges sudhi in ... the sign of masculinity is the essence of the world." Reliefs of a kris blade, an eight-pointed sun and a crescent moon decorate the Lingam.
1.82-metre lingga statue, adorned with Four Testicles and inscription carved from top to bottom representing a vein followed by a chronograph date equivalent to 1440 with Reliefs of a kris blade, and eight-pointed sun and a crescent moon. (Courtesy - National Museum of Indonesia)
To the left of the gate is a carving of a monster eating a man, birds in a tree, and a dog, which is thought to be a chronograph representing 1437 CE, the likely date of the temple's consecration.
Different stoned carved statues are displayed just to the right of the temple's pyramid platform . The First statues which falls in the view include winged "Garudas". There are many other statues on various themes.
A Muscular Garuda
A muscular Garuda (man-bird), with uplifted arm, wings, and bird feet, stands to the right of the pyramid platform. The loss of his head and other material makes it difficult to give a convincing account of this figure, which should not necessarily be identified with the Garuda who is Vishnu's mount.
Garuda with Wings
This Garuda (bird-man), with birdlike wings but human feet, stands next to the muscular Garuda of the previous page and supports a chronograph on his upraised hands. A chronogram is a date that is written in symbols, rather than in digits. Most of this one is missing, but it has been identified as a chronogram from the parts of it (notably the oddly bent arms) that still remain. A insciption is also noticeable on his waist band.
More Garuda Stone reliefs with open Wings
An Ogre - Guardian Deity
Entrance Gate With Kala Head
Turning around from the square in front of the pyramid platform (previous page), we view the Candi's reconstructed entrance gate from behind (east). A KALA HEAD at the top center of the Entrance , but this is not like any kala that is seen on the classical Hindu/ Indonesian Temples. This Ogre head is fully sculpted in the round, and resembles the Ogre guardian statue much more than it resembles any classical Hindu / Indonesian version of kala.
The backward - facing guardian is also an alternate, who looks behind into the sacred Precincts instead of outward entrance.
Entrance Gate
With Kala Head
A relief of a Lingam ( phallus) and Yoni (Vulva) (male and female genitals) at the entrance.
An obvious depiction of Sexual - intercourse in the relief on the floor at the Entrance shows a paired Lingam , represented physiologically by the (Phallus) and Yoni, represented bodily by the (Vulva). Local people believe this part of the Temple as Sacred and offer flowers to this relief. Guide told me that many childless couple come here to seek blessings from this relief and are blessed with the child.
Genitalia are portrayed on several statues from the Temple Complex , which is unique among Javanese classical Monuments.
Turtle-shaped Platforms -
Three small platforms, shaped like turtles, are placed in front of the pyramid. Tortoises support Mt. Meru in Hindu Cosmology, and Imperial edicts in China. The turtle platforms shown here must likewise be supports; but of what, we do not know. three flattened shells of tortoises. Two large tortoise statues guard the pyramid entrance and the third one lies at some distance in front of the monument. All of their heads point to the west and their flattened shells may provide altars for purification rituals and ancestor worship. In Hindu mythology, the tortoise symbolizes the base or support of the World and is an avatar of Vishnu, i.e. Kurma refer: Ocean of Milk.
Bhima Relief In Wayang Style - A Carving Depicting A Womb with Mythological Creatures
The subject of this relief is Bhima, a hero of the Mahabharata, posed opposite a God on pedestal within a horseshoe-shaped arch. The sides of the arch are formed by the exaggerated tails of two birds, whose heads and bodies appear below the relief. A kala-like ogre is placed at the top, between two more ogre faces at the tips of the birds' tails. The central figures are sculpted in Wayang Puppet style, and indeed resemble their leather-puppet counterparts in posture, costume, and sideways presentation. A triad of indistinct figures appears below, in the narrow neck of the arch; the upper figure of the triad supports a Shrine or pavilion on his upraised hand, while the bottom two figures appear to Pass something between them.
Bhima Overcomes
A Foe
These relief show Bhima rushing into battle, with bow and spear. He is preceded by a smaller standard-bearer, whose flag is emblazoned with Bhima's image; appropriately, since Bhima was of course the general of his troops. The hero's curling hair is distinctive, and appears on both images of him.
In this relief, mighty Bhima (identified by his curled hair, as on the previous page) lifts a foe off the ground by the sheer strength of his arm. Behind the hero is one of his followers, a soldier equipped with shield and spear. An inscription above Bhima's head tells the story.
Near main Temple there is a another structure with Headless Bima statue. People come here to worship and make offerings as seen in the Picture.
Sudamala Relief (A Ghost Story)
This relief illustrates a strange episode from the Sudamala,
in which Pandava Sadewa
is tied to a tree (photo right) in a cemetery and menaced by Durga.
The fierce goddess, who is attended by ghostly companions, raises a wicked
blade in her right hand to frighten him. One of the ghosts, a bodiless head,
rests on a pedestal between Durga and Sadewa. At the lower right corner, rests
a creature that looks like a Chinthe.
Photo left, beneath an architectural pavilion, are two bare-breasted followers
of the fierce goddess.
Another reference to this story is that Shiva has changed his wife Uma into the evil Durga as a punishment for adultery. Only Sadewa can undo the curse, and so he does, after many complications. (Reference: The Sculpture Of Indonesia, p. 59).
Some other reliefs depicting story of Mahabharata - Bima
Animal Reliefs adding something to the Theme of the Temple Story
View of The Main Temple
Roughly-Cut Stones Piled Up Together to Form The Pyramid
Right side of Main Pyramid Temple displays Platform with Male Genitals - large Lingams (Phallus)
Left side of Main Pyramid Temple displays Platform with Female Genitals - Yoni (Vulva)
Holy Water outlet Near the Womb
Right side Platform displays a big Lingam (Phallus)
Small Ithyphallic Statue - A Statue of A Headless Man Grasping His Genital
This small, headless, well-developed (plump) ithyphallic statue is positioned just inside the square base at the right of the pyramid platform, facing north . Such figures, while admittedly erotic even in today's sense of the word, had a much more important function in the ancient world: they embodied the concepts of Fertility and Protection.
A Statue with resemblance to Ogre (Guardian) Grasping His Genital
Carving of Squatting Man exposing Genital
Carving of Squatting Man resembling with Ogre (Guardian) exposing Genital
Another headless Carving of Squatting Man exposing Genital
Keris Relief (Blacksmith Relief)
The scene in the bas relief depicts Bhima as the Blacksmith in the left forging the Metal - a Kris ; he extends its blade into the fire. A tier of three shelves above his left shoulder illustrate (1) the tools of his trade (bottom shelf: a file, hammer, etc.) (2) the weaponry he produces (middle shelf: a knife, etc.) and (3) the ceremonial objects he produces (top shelf: finials) , Ganesha in the center dances upon a platform while holding a dog , and Arjuna in the right operating the tube blower to pump air into the furnace pump that extend , along the bottom of the relief, to the forge in the left hand panel. The relief is highly celebrated, and has been exhibited abroad.
Keris Relief (Blacksmith Relief)
The wall of the main monument has a relief portraying two men forging a weapon in a Smithy with a dancing figure of Ganesha, the most important Tantric deity, having a human body and the head of an elephant. In Hindu-Java Mythology, the Smith is thought to possess not only the skill to alter metals, but also the key to spiritual transcendence. Smiths drew their powers to forge a kris from the god of fire; and a Smithy is considered as a Shrine. Hindu-Javanese Kingship was sometimes legitimated and empowered by the possession of a kris.
The elephant head figure with a crown in the Smithy relief depicts Ganesha, the God who removes obstacles in Hinduism. The Ganesha figure, however, differs in some small respects with other usual depictions. Instead of sitting, the Ganesha figure in Candi Sukuh's relief is shown dancing and it has distinctive features including the EXPOSED GENITALIA, the demonic physiognomy, the strangely awkward dancing posture, the rosary bones on its neck and holding a small animal, probably a dog.
The Ganesha relief in Candi Sukuh has a similarity with the Tantric ritual found in the history of Buddhism in Tibet written by Taranatha.[5] The Tantric ritual is associated with several figures, one of whom is described as the "King of Dogs" (Sanskrit: Kukuraja), who taught his disciples by day, and by night performed Ganacakra in a burial ground or charnel ground.
The forging of iron, and in particular of the iron knife-blades known as Kris,
or Keris, had a Spiritual Significance in Indonesia that is comparable to the
special importance of sword-making in Japan. The Indonesian iron-worker was
allocated to a special caste, that stood outside the typical Hindu caste system
and did not necessarily yield, in precedence, even to Brahmins.
Serpents ( Shesh Naag)
Headless Statue of Bima
Near main Temple there is a another structure with Headless Bima statue. People come here to worship and make offerings as seen in the Picture.
A Hindu Deity
A Fragment of A Story (There are Various Unrelated Stories Scattered Around Candi Sukuh)
Some Fragment of the Story of Reliefs depicting Chronogram
Some more Reliefs depicting Life of Bima
Inscription on the Stone
Guide told me that it is an Indian Ancient Language used at that time in Indonesia. I could not find Authenticity of his statement despite my constant searches.
(Some part of Text adapted from WIKIPEDIA and AandA)
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