environment of Borobudur

Welcome to Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The Indonesian government has designated Chandi Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, and also a priority tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.

Chandi Borobudur attracts extraordinary enthusiasm to visit and explore several narrative sources in thematic tours, with the aim of getting to know more closely the history, architecture and fine arts of this building.

The friendly Pamong Carita will accompany and guide you to provide explanations and narratives about Borobudur and its surroundings. Introducing 'Upanat', namely special footwear worn when visiting the terraces through a corridor with a series of relief panel galleries, leading to the top of the circular upper terrace with a row of stupas at Borobudur Temple. Explore history and admire the beauty of architectural art, as well as the origin of the name Chandi Borobudur.

The huge nail became a small hill, 

called Tidar, at the southern outskirts of the present city of Magelang. And only some fifteen kilometres south of Tidar hill is Chandi Borobudur situated.

Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot arisguide.

Welcome, nice to meet you on the Borobudur tour, You will step on now the terraces and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites. The reopening of Borobudur sends an interesting opportunity to explore several narrative sources about the existence of the Borobudur in the insights of travel guides on to Borobudur.

It is mentioned in the history of Borobudur, that there is a relief panel carved on a hidden foot, based on the wall of Karmawibhangga text, panel number 150, about a pair of footwear offering named 'Upanat', which is dedicated to Brahmins.

The bas-relief of the foot wall is hidden in the Karmawibhangga text panel number 150, regarding the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', the footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life.

The bas-reliefs found on hidden foot, 

regarding footwear offerings with the name 'Upanat', a pair of footwear offered to Brahmins, regarding the offerings of the footwear named 'Upanat', given to get rewards and prosperity in life.

Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide.

The relief found on the hidden foot wall, in the Karmawibhangga text panel 150, concerns the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', a footwear offered to Brahmins, to obtain merit and prosperity in life.

Introducing 'Upanat', a footwear used to visit the terraces of the Borobudur temple, with the aim of getting to know the monument better, learning history, doing thematic tours and admiring the splendor of Chandi Borobudur as a sacred temple for Buddhists. The trip will be part of an appreciation in learning, admiring, and participating in safeguarding and protecting the world cultural heritage site located at Borobudur Indonesia.

It's fun going around the temple to get a source of explanation guided by a tour guide. Opportunity to find out the source, explanation of the written history of Chandi Borobudur and study about its monument environment.

Welcome to Chandi Borobudur

You will now step on and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites.

Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

Step on Borobudur

Chandi Borobudur is one of a world cultural heritage site or World Heritage Site, a Buddhist temple located in Borobudur, belongs to Magelang regency and located in Central Java province. To reach the monument is approximately 96 kilometers from Semarang, the capital city of Central Java, and approximately 86 kilometers from the city of Surakarta, and about 40 kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta.

Chandi Borobudur is located right above of a hill and is built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west, there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. Looking at the east you can see Mount Merbabu and the active volcano, Merapi. Its viewed from the north, approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur there is the Tidar hill, and to the south it is bounded by the Menoreh hills. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers namely Progo and Elo which is just located at eastern of Chandi Borobudur and Chandi Pawon.

Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur 

is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

Environment

In the most remote past the island of Java was floating in the ocean, and had to be nailed to the centre of the earth before it could be inhabited. The huge nail became a small hill, called Tidar, at the southern outskirts of the present city of Magelang. And only some fifteen kilometres south of Tidar hill is Chandi Borobudur situated.

The undulating plain is bordered on practically all sides by rugged mountain ranges. And as if to beautify the landscape, two sets of twin volcanoes soar into the sky: the Merapi (2911m) and the Merbabu (3142m) at the northeast, and the Sumbing (3371m) and the Sindoro (3135m) at the north-west. The Merapi is now active and the small eruptions occur every two or three years. The western and the southern sides of the plain are closed by a long chain of hills, that form a rugged skyline of towering masses of indefinite shape. Hence the denomination ‘Menoreh range’ (menoreh stands for ‘menara’ and means ‘tower’).

The region around the ‘Nail of Java’, better known as the ‘Kedu Plain’, forms the geographical centre of the island. Its extreme fertility, and very industrious population, explain why it is often called the Garden of Java. The south-eastern corner of the plain is the only one not blocked by a mountain range; at this point, the Menoreh chain bends southwards before reaching the foot of the Merapi. And it is through this passage that the waters of the Kedu region leave the plain and flow to the Indian Ocean. The Kedu plain is intersected by the two main rivers of the region: the Progo and the Elo. Both run nearly parallel from north to south, forcing their way through narrow but deep trenches.

The south-eastern corner of the plain is the only one not blocked by a mountain range; at this point, the Menoreh chain bends southwards before reaching the foot of the Merapi. And it is through this passage that the waters of the Kedu region leave the plain and flow to the Indian Ocean. The Kedu plain is intersected by the two main rivers of the region: the Progo and the Elo. Both run nearly parallel from north to south, forcing their way through narrow but deep trenches.

In the most remote past the island of Java was floating in the ocean, and had to be nailed to the centre of the earth before it could be inhabited. The huge nail became a small hill, called Tidar, at the southern outskirts of the present city of Magelang. And only some fifteen kilometres south of Tidar hill is Chandi Borobudur situated.

Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot arisguide.

Viewed from the monument,

it looks very much like the profile of a man lying on the ridge of the hill. The nose, lips and chin are clearly delineated. This peculiarity has not escaped notice.

Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot arisguide.

The story goes that the ridge depicts Gunadharma, architect of Chandi Borobudur, according to tradition, who is believed to keep watch over his creation through the ages.

Arrested by the slopes of the southern ridge of the plain the two rivers flow together, after which the Progo carries the waters to the ocean alongside the southward-bending Menoreh range. A considerable number of the Kedu plain monuments were founded here. Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries were packed together within a radius of less than three kilometres from the point where the two Kedu rivers meet. From west to east, the main Buddhist monuments of the area are Chandi Borobudur, Chandi Pawon, Chandi Mendut, and Chandi Ngawe compound which consists of five structures.

Source: Guide Book arisguide, Guiding Technique arisguide. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

Welcome to Chandi Borobudur

You will now step on and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites.

Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.

Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives, beyond travel guide its more detail in UPANAT - Wisata di Borobudur.

Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.

Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.