Prambanan Temple

Candi Rara Jonggrang or Lara Jonggrang is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. This temple is located on the island of Java, approximately 20 km east of Yogyakarta, 40 km west of Surakarta and 120 km south of Semarang, just on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta Special Region, precisely in the village of Prambanan, then known as the Prambanan temple, the territory divided between Sleman and Klaten districts. This temple is a protected site by UNESCO since 1991.

The main temple building height is 47m. Temple complex consists of 8 main shrine or temple and more than 250 small temples. Three main temple called Trisakti and offer it to the hyang Trimurti: Shiva Batara the Destroyer, Vishnu Batara the Preserver and  Brahma Batara the Creator.

Shiva temple in the middle, contains four rooms, one room in every direction of the wind. The first room contains a statue of Shiva Batara as high as three meters, the other three statues contain a smaller size, the statue of Durga, Shiva Batara wife (Durga also known as Rara or Lara / Loro Jongrang (slender virgin) by the locals), Agastya , teacher, and Ganesha, his son. Two other temples dedicated to Vishnu Batara, which faces north, and one dedicated to Brahma Batara, which faces south. In addition there are several other small temples dedicated to the cow Nandini, vehicle Batara Shiva, the Goose, vehicle Batara Brahma, and the Garuda, Vishnu Batara vehicle.

Decorative art that is very attractive in this temple complex is the trappings of a relief statue of the god Lokapala (8 guardian deity of the wind direction) are engraved on the outer wall of the foot temple. In addition, there are also stories of Ramayana and Kresnayana relief. Ramayana reliefs carved on the walls inside the fence ledge Shiva temple, the temple of Brahma. Kresnayana reliefs carved on the walls inside the fence ledge Vishnu Temple.

Art is a unique ornamental decoration called prambanan motive, namely the shelf decoration of the temple, in the form of a lion in a sitting position flanked Kalpataru tree (= tree biological / tree of life). Other decoration, Kalpataru tree flanked by a pair of creature heaven, called the Kinara-Kinari (= human-headed creature, bird-bodied). Prambanan around the temple there are several Buddhist temples, such as Sajiwan temple, temple Granary, Sewu temple, and temple Plaosan. During the month of May to October, when the full moon in the open plataran Prambanan Ramayana Ballet staged began at 19:00 to 21:00 pm.