Borobudur

Borobudur, is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.[1] A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside a perforated stupa.

Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple’s design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.[2][3] The monument is both a shrine to theLord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path around the monument and ascends to the top through three levels symbolic of Buddhist cosmology: Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). The monument guides pilgrims through an extensive system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades.

GETTING THERE
Thai Airways has a Delhi–Bangkok-Jakarta option for around 237,000 return economy
There is a direct flight to Yogjakarta from Singapore and all major cities in Indonesia. Borobudur is a 45-minute drive from the airport and is best seen in the morning. Taxis and guides can be hired for the day at the airport.

WHEN TO GO
The dry season, from May to September, is the best time to visit.

Stay
You need not stay in Yogjakarta. An easy day trip can be made from Jakarta or Bali. If you are flying to
Bali from Jakarta stop over at Yogjakarta for the day and take an onward evening flight to Bali. However, if
you want a night halt—all kinds of hotels are available—from the international Sheraton, Hyatt, Ibis
and Novotel chains to budget hotels with familiar names such as Manohara, Arjun, Saraswati.

Shop
Batik textiles, including sarongs and wall hangings; mind boggling array of spices; wayang
kulit puppets; and silver.

Calung - Bamboo Musical Instrument

Calung is a Sundanese musical instrument which is the prototype of the angklung. Unlike the angklung is played by shaken, calung is played by hitting the trunk of the joints (bambootubes) are arranged according to the pentatonic (da-mi-na-ti-la). This type of bamboo that is used generally of black bamboo, but some are made ​​from bamboo, which is white. Calung sense other than as a musical instrument is also attached as performance art.There are two forms of calung Sundanese are known, namely calung rantay and portable.

Calung Rantay

Calung rantay, blades drawn tube with leather strap hibiscus (lulub) from the largest to the smallest, has 7 or more bamboo. The composition of the tool there is one row and there are also two rows. Play calung rantay is hit with two hands while sitting cross-legged, usuallycalung is tied to a tree or a cubicle house (calung rantay Banjaran-Bandung), there is alsomade ​​shelf "holder" of special bamboo / wood, for example calung tarawangsa in Cibalongand Cipatujah , Tasikmalaya, calung rantay in Banjaran and Kanekes / Bedouin.

Calung Jinjing

The rows of bamboo-shaped tote calung pitched a united it with a small bamboo (paniir).Calung tote consists of four or five pieces, such as calung kingking (consisting of 12bamboo tubes), calung panepas (5 / 3 and 2 tubes of bamboo), calung jongjrong (5 / 3 and 2 tubes of bamboo), and calung bark (2 tubes bamboo).

Completeness calung in its development today there are only using one calung kingking,panempas two units, and bark calung one unit, without using calung jongjrong. Calung is played with a hit with your right hand using the paddle, and his left hand carrying / holding.

Video plays Calung

Borobudur tample

Borobudur is the name of a Buddhist temple located at Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java. The location of the temple is approximately 100 km southwest of Hyderabad and 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. This temple was founded by the followers of Mahayana Buddhism around the year 800 AD during the reign of the dynasty dynasty. In the ethnic Chinese, this temple is called (Hanyu Pinyin: po luo fu tu) in Mandarin. This name probably comes from the word Sambharabhudhara, which means "mountain"(bhudara) where the slopes are located terraces. In addition there are some other folk etymology. Suppose that the word comes from the greeting Borobudur "the Buddha"who because of a shift in sound to Borobudur. 

Another explanation is that thethe name is comes from two words "coal"and " beduhur". The word bara said to have originatedfrom the word monastery, while there are also other explanations where the coal comes from Sanskrit which means temple or monastery complex and beduhur meaning is"high", or to remind the Balinese language means "above". So the point is a monasteryor hostel located on high ground.

Borobudur has the basic structure of the terraces, with a six-yard square, three roundcircular courtyard and a main stupa as a peak. Also scattered in all pelatarannya severalstupas. Ten yard owned Borobudur illustrates clearly the Mahayana school of philosophy. Like abook, Borobudur described ten levels of Bodhisattva who must pass to reach theperfection of the Buddha. The foot of Borobudur symbolize the world that is still dominated by kama or "lowdesire". This section is mostly covered by a pile of stone that allegedly made ​​tostrengthen the construction of the temple.

The highest level that describes the lack of form is represented in the form of the stupaof the largest and highest. Stupa described plain without the holes. Within the biggeststupa ever found this Buddha statue is not perfect, who incorrectly thought it as asculpture Adibuddha, but through further research there never was a statue at the mainstupa. Borobudur has no worship spaces like other temples. there is only long hallwayswhich is a narrow street. In the halls of this is expected to conduct Buddhist ceremonieswalk around the temple.

Transport Towards Borobudur

By plane
The nearest larger airports are in Yogyakarta's Adisucipto International Airport (JOG) and Solo's Adisumarmo International Airport (SOC). Both are well connected domestically and also offer some limited international connections to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. It is possible, if one rushes oneself a bit, to visit Borobudur on a day trip from Bali or Jakarta. You can also fly direct to Semarang from Singapore with Batavia Air [3] (4 times per week), and make your way to Borobudur from there (1.5hrs away).

By bus
Public buses to Borobudur from Yogyakarta are aimed mostly at Indonesian visitors and only a few tourists venture aboard. If you are adventurous though, the Trans-Jogya service runs from central Yogyakarta to Jombor bus terminal in northern Yogyakarta (Rp3,000) where you can change to another bus to get to Borobudur. It takes about 60 to 90 minutes and should cost around Rp10-15,000 one way, but bargain with the bus staff to get a good price.
Buses run regularly from Magelang to Borobudur via Muntilan and are widely advertised there. Journey time of about 1 hour.

To get to and from Prambanan, take a Yogyakarta bus and get down at Jombor Terminal (90 min, Rp 15,000 for visitors, Rp 7,000 for Indonesians). From Jombor take TransJogya route 2B to Prambanan (45-60 min, Rp 3,000). It will require 3 bus changes- 2B from Jombor to Terminal Condong, 3B from Condong to Maguuro (Jl. Solo) and 1A/B from Maguuro to Prambanan.

By minibus
Travel agents in Yogyakarta sell door-to-door minibus tour packages for around Rp 75,000, which is a good deal and a straightforward way to reach the monument, although some operators may stop off at Batik and Silver factories along the route.

By car
Yogyakarta is about 40 minutes south of Borobudur by car. Most of the route is on a well-maintained (for Indonesia) four-lane (in many places) highway and there are frequent bus services (see above). A taxi from Yogyakarta to Borobudur costs around Rp 200,000 or Rp. 225,000 from the airport.