In Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta (Jogja for short) our next stop is a city on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is renowned for classical fine art, batik, ballet, drama, music and puppet shows and as a centre of education. From its name one can infer that it is a flourishing city.

The airport is pretty small although it is the 3^rd busiest airport in Java. It gets really hectic on the departure side with the heavy queueing for baggage drop and also because the domestic and international lines are not separate.

When we reached our hotel, we were welcomed in a traditional manner with smiling faces, fresh jasmine flower garlands and a welcome drink. While Ashwin and Aruna went through the formalities of checking-in, Kuppu and I took care of the informalities. One of the staff asked us if we wanted a back and neck massage. We don’t decline good offers, so we got a a relaxing 5 minute much kneaded massage.

We left early for Borobudur the next morning because it was quite a distance from the hotel and we wanted to keep the sun at bay, at least briefly.

Borobudur is a 9^th century   Mahayana Buddhist temple ranked as one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world. The main temple

stupa is built in 3 tiers around a hill – a pyramidal base, 3 circular platforms and at the top the monumental stupa.

Like the Hindu temple complex, Prambanan, Borobudur was unknown and neglected for almost 1000 years, covered under thick layers of volcanic ash.

The 3 tiers of the temple building correspond to the 3 worlds or the 3 levels of progression as advocated by Buddhism. The first one at the base level (which has been reinforced & walled) denotes the world of desires. The reliefs in the corridors show ugly men with paunches denoting greed and selfishness. The second level is the transition sphere. Man is supposed to be in the process of reforming, releasing himself from materialistic concerns. We see hundreds (count is 208) of small Buddha statues in niches in the balustrade. Arranged on the terrace are 72 latticed stupas containing the statues. Some of the statues are damaged and have lost the head or arms. It is believed that if you can reach inside and touch the cloth on the statues (a very formidable task) your wish will come true. The sculptures and reliefs here relate to Siddharta’s life. 

The third level is the sphere of perfection and contentment, a world of formless spirit. The big stupa (a large bell-shaped dome) which has no open work is said to show the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. The complex is vast and the sight of such a large number of stupas is daunting, to say the least.

At Borobudur we were told one may meet high school students who look forward to having a conversation in English (with you) to polish their language skills. The local schools have projects for their pupils, one which is to visit local monuments and interact with foreign tourists. Each student maintains a record of such meetings. We had a few students approach us for our signatures, proof that they were academically and linguistically engaged, and we managed to ask them questions and elicit slow answers in English. They do have some way to go but they were learning. 

The Prambanan temple was next on our itinerary. It is supposed to be the 3^rd oldest Hindu temple in the world after Chenga Narayana temple in Kathmandu and the LingaRaja temple in Bhubaneshwar. A 9^th century temple complex it is dedicated to the Trimurthi. It is also considered to be the largest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Indonesia.

Located not far from the Buddhist Borobudur temple, the proximity shows that Buddhism and Hinduism lived peacefully next to one another.

The temple complex is a collection of sharp, jaggedly sculpted towers in contract to the vast horizontal bulk of Borobudur. Though there were once 224 temples (big and small) on these temple grounds, many have been destroyed in the earthquakes that were not infrequent. So you see temples that are intact or in some stage of renovation as also piles of rocks showing the extent of damage. In spite

of the signs of destruction, there is a grandeur and complexity with dark grey and black spires rising to the sky. The lush and green gardens and the vast park surrounding the temple complex also add to the aura.

The 3 main temples here are the ones dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Lord Shiva’s is the tallest structure having 3 chambers beside the main one which have the statues of Agasthya, Goddess Durga in her mahishasura mardini avatar and Lord Ganesha. The Shiva statue here is awe-inspiring. He stands on a gigantic lotus flower in a meditative pose. The sacred water is much sought after by Hindus and devotees because of its magical powers. 

I managed to climb the high uneven steps of this temple. It was an arduous effort but even in the light of Aruna’s phone, the magnificence of the statue was evident. Let me tell you, it was not only the tough climb that was forbidding, the people milling around also had to be tackled. Kuppu decided to save himself for the walking that lay ahead – he was wise and declined the climb. Aruna managed to take pictures too.

The temples of Vishnu and Brahma are smaller in size and have only one chamber for the main deity. The four headed statue of Brahma is most impressive, we were told. Ashwin and Aruna managed to see the deity, take pictures and even do pradhakshana. The bas reliefs on the walls of the Shiva and Brahma temple depict scenes from the Ramayana whereas Vishnu’s temple’s sculptures depict Krishna’s exploits. 

Right in front of these three main temples are the three Vahana temples. The shrines of Hamsa (Brahma’s vahana) and Garuda (Vishnu’s vahana) are empty. Garuda holds an important place in Indonesia and is a national symbol of Indonesia. It is also the national airline. It might be a coincidence, but in this temples complex dedicated mainly to Shiva only Shiva’s vahana Nandi's statue has survived the vagaries of time and tide.

The eagerly awaited ballet of Ramayana is performed at the Trimurthi open air amphitheatre in the same compound inside the park. The open air performance (we were lucky because after October it is held indoors) set against the starry sky and the lit backdrop of Prambanan is spell-binding. Before entering the theater, we saw several of the actors in their costumes standing on a raised platform – promotional purpose we assumed. We took pictures with Rama, Sita and Hanuman, who were happy to pose with mere mortals. 

It was a nice and cool night – the weather Gods seemed to smile on us – and the ambience of the theater was spectacular. The semi-circular seating arrangements (stone seats with cushions), the stage in front with the musicians playing traditional Javanese instruments – the Gamelan, rising steps in the middle and on the sides of the seats for characters to enter and exit and the Prambanan in the background made for a beautiful experience. The graceful and fluid spectacle, the focussed detail of choreography, the vibrant costumes contributed to the beauty of the ballet which is not like the western ballet performance but is more Javanese. Even the visualization is in the Javanese style. Come to think of it, it is a different culture absorbed in the most artistic way. 

Enacted by over 200 professional dancers and musicians (most of the dancers are students), the story is narrated, rather sung in the local language (for those not familiar with the events there is a digital display briefly narrating the present scene). The ballet performers act out the story in traditional Javanese costumes. The ringing chimes of a live Gamelan orchestra accompanies the act. The tale is told in four episodes which are sometimes shown on four different days. We were lucky to see the entire story in one sitting. The acting was superb – Ravana’s pompous arrogant walk said it all. Sita’s demure manner and grace were endearing. Hanuman’s humility and innate respect was shown by his walking on his knees much of the time. The Vanara sena was a vibrant band of school kids who enacted their part like professionals. Rama’s and Lakshmana’s bow and arrow skills were very good in the beginning – hitting the target bang on. Later it went a little awry and Vali and Ravana had to really field well and run and stand in the arrow’s way. The burning of Lanka scene was the classic climax of the ballet. The best part was the huge Hanuman figure coming up from the fire. There was tremendous applause from the spectators and cameras clicked all around. 

With the exotic locale, the excellent acting, the bewitching costumes, the superb choreography, the evening turned out to be a very special one for us. I, for one, haven’t seen a more enthralling rendition of the Ramayana. 

We saw hundreds of Vespas in the park as we came out and it turned out to be a meeting of the Vespa club. Afterwards, the riders rode in a group on the roads, much like the community of Harley Davidson riders.

Having seen the Ubud Palace, we were keen to see the Sultan’s palace here. The Sultan’s palace is the cultural and political heart of the city. It is also called the Kraton. It is effectively a walled city – a unique compound with schools, shops, banks. Around 1000 of its residents are employed by the Sultan. The place is attended by dignified, elderly retainers wearing traditional Javanese dress. The present Sultan, Sultan X, lives in the palace and functions as the governor from there. The palace and the private office, viewed from the outside, are very modest looking. But as we walk farther we can see a series of luxurious halls, spacious courtyards and pavilions. A large part of the Kraton is used as a museum. It holds extensive collections including gifts from European Monarchs -  our guide (a tired looking but witty lady) looked askance at us and moaned “nothing from India”. Gamelan instruments were neatly arranged in one pavilion where a vocal recital was also going on. Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali. It can be smooth and soothing and rousing too.

 A modern memorial building is dedicated to the much-loved Sultan IX’s photos and personal effects. There was a photo taken after the Sultan’s circumcision (there is a special dress worn for the ceremony). Our guide could not control herself – ‘he is looking sad in the photo, must be feeling sick’ and made a quick snipping gesture and a sound of something being cut-off. It must have been an uncomfortable experience for the Sultan, but we couldn’t help smiling.

The Royal family tree was interesting – the male members were represented by branches, the females by leaves and those who had died young, by flowers. The Sultan’s connection with the people is a strong one. There is a genuine respect and affection for the leadership among the people. That is why it is considered an honor to be a guard at the palace. This position of dedicating their lives to royal protection is hereditary. When the guards become too old to function effectively, they are not thrown out but are taken care of, we were told.  

Cameras are forbidden in some areas, especially in the handmade batik textiles room. Certain designs and fabrics can be worn only by the Sultan’s family so that there is naturally a fear that the exclusive patterns may be replicated. The princesses, we were told, could marry whomsoever they like – but if the groom is not royalty he and an uncle have to carry the princess during the wedding.

A very aristocratic palanquin was on display in a spacious veranda – not in use anymore our guide lamented, because these are ‘modern times and a car is preferred’. Two huge metallic objects caught our attention. We realized they were bells, one rung for Namaz and the other rung during emergencies. The most opulent part of the palace was the reception hall – an open golden pavilion with its marble floor, intricately decorated roof, stained glass windows and columns of carved teak. It was absolutely spectacular. 

As we finished our tour, our guide gushed over her favorite Indian star Madhubala’s beauty and acting. One couldn’t miss the glow on her face as she spoke of her. It was heartening to hear an actress and a yesteryear one at that being admired by a foreigner – normally, anywhere, it is Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan!!.

On our way out of the palace area, in the park to our left, we saw the two much talked about banyan trees said to bring good fortune if one could walk blind folded between them without mishap. Many youngsters are said to attempt this banyan tree challenge. We didn’t want to go off-track so we proceeded on our route with our eyes open.

The Batik museum is home to a vast and precious Batik collection. One of the well-informed guides explained the various stages of Batik making and the amazing variety of tools used. One can even attempt a simple batik design and take the fabric home. Otherwise the whole-process entails immense patience and very close, precise, intricate detailing of design and colour. Some of these fabrics take years to be completed. We cannot but appreciate the end product more after that bit of information. The sales section was abuzz with customers and the price range suited every pocket. Eye catching designs in pleasant colours were quite a temptation. Granted, Malaysia and India also specialize in the production of Batik fabrics but then each place has its own distinct stamp.

Our last halt was at the code Museum. The introduction on the screen in the reception area was in the local language and the two guides really wanted us to feel comfortable but their English language skills were inadequate. However inside the rooms with the exhibits, the information about the machines used to create the secret code and the Indonesian technique of deciphering the II world war code was in English too.

         As in Bali, so in Java. The same patience and calmness was seen here also. I think we found here an additional reason for their equanimity – Indonesians consume very little salt and do not keep (not even in hotels) salt and pepper on the table. You have to ask if you want it. I think we do need to adopt one or two of their calming techniques.