Candi Plaosan Lor, Central Java

The first time I visited Prambanan, I had no idea that another beautiful temple was very close by. The next time when my son wanted to see Central Java, we made it a point to see this breathtaking temple. Though in ruins now with very few tourists, one can imagine its glory in its heydays.

The temple complex is situated in Bugisan village, about a kilometer from Prambanan temples. On the way, you would see Sewu temple on your left hand side.

Candi Sewu

History of the temple:

• Rikai Pikatan of Sanjaya dynasty ruled Medang Kingdom of Central Java from 838 to 850 A.D. He was a Hindu and constructed the Prambanan temple.
• His wife, Queen Sri Kahulunan or Pramodhawardhani was the daughter of King Samarattunga of Sailendra dynasty. Queen Sri Kahulunan embraced Buddhism and came to be known as Pramodhawardhani.
• The image of Goddess Durga in Prambanan is said to be a reflection of the queen.
• Queen Pramodhawardhani built Candi Plaosan in 842 with the support of her husband Rikai Pikatan. No wonder you see a blend of both the religions here.
• Some believed that the temple was built earlier and Rikai Pikatan with his short reign could have only built the perwara temples. But the excavation of a gold sheet in 2003 with facts written in Sanskrit strengthens the theory that the temple indeed was built during Rikai Pikatan's reign.
• The temple has two complexes: Candi Plaosan Lor and Candi Plaosan Kidul. Lor in Javanese means North and Kidul is South. There is just a road that divides the two complexes. Earlier they were one complex. 
• During 8th to 12th century, many monasteries were built. An inscription from Candi Plaosan states that many people came from Gujarat (India) due to whom the temple was built.
• The construction of North and South complex hypothesizes ubhato sangha or dual sanghas.
• Male figures are seen on the outside wall of the South temple while there are female figures on the outside wall of North temple.
• The style and workmanship of figures very closely resembles the work at Ajanta caves in India. Bhikkhuni(nuns)sangha was established around that region in the 3rd century and this probably is the reason for the twin temples here at Plaosan. 

entrance sign

Twin temples

Plaosan Lor temple has two main identical temples (North and South). The one in left of the picture, (North) and the other on the right (South). As I have already mentioned above that ubhatho sangha or dual sangha had started by that  time. This means that it was a monastery for both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.

The north temple was for bhikkhunis or female monks and the south temple for bhikkhus or male monks. That is why the outer wall of the South temple has reliefs of male figures while that of North has female figures.

temple surrounded by perwara temples

Spread over an area of 2000 square meters, the temples are surrounded on all sides by small temples which are mostly in ruins.

Also surrounding the temple is an artificial moat.

 On entrance are row of perwara or ancillary temples with very few still intact.

main temple of south

sign for northern main temple and stupa perwara

Dwarapalas:

Dwarapalas or dvarapala are guardians who protect the temple. They are usually fierce looking. This feature is seen mostley in temples in India and South-East Asia.

dwarapala/ dvarapala

Two fierce looking heavily built dwarapala or guardians with long moustache sit facing each other in front of the temple. They are the height of a human being and sit with their left leg to the back, with a mace under the left hand.  The right knee is up on which the right hand rests holding a coiled snake.

Both sport a head gear, armlet and wear ear rings and a necklace. The hair must be long for they are tied at the back.

rear side of dwarapala

The complex is surrounded by a wall and has two identical main temples adjacent to each other surrounded by a cluster of temples. That is why these two temples are known as the "twin temples".

twin temples

There are two big temples in this west facing complex. The temple which is in the south is the southern temple and the other on the north is the northern temple.

Southern temple:
As I have already mentioned, southern temple was meant for bhikkhus or male monks

the Southern temple

Paduraksha or the entrance gate, it enters into a complex with two temples inside

The paduraksha gate is decorated with crowns above the kaal mukh.

There are 3 gates, one for entrance to each temple and one interconnecting gate between the two temples.

twin main temples of Plaosan Lor

cluster of temples which surround the twin temples

On crossing the gate, the entrance to main temple is just in front. 8 steps lead to inside of temple

Similar to Hindu Mandala concept, this temple too is constructed in three levels. As is believed that the universe is divided into Kamadhatu, (kama: desire) where we are bound to world of desires, rupadhatu, (rupa: form) where we abandon our desire but are still bound to name and form and arupadhatu, (arupa: without any form) the ultimate where there is no form or name.
This concept is seen in its contemporary Prambanan and later in the construction of Borobudur.

The world of desires or kamdhatu is the lowermost tier or base. It is from ground to the entrance of temple. Then from this platform to the roof of temple is rupadhatu  and lastly from roof to pinnacle is arupadhatu.

The roof of the temple is adorned with 41 small stupas all around, a blend of Hinduism and Buddhism architecture.

Above the entrance is the face of kaalmukh

human sized Avalokiteshwara on side

foot of the temple

The temple stands 60 meters above the ground.There are two levels in each temple. The first or the ground level is accessible but the second one is not.

makar

relief on the outer wall

There are 40 reliefs on the outside wall of temple. Twenty on the first level and twenty in the upper level.

Since the south temple was for bhikkhus, only male figures adorn the outside wall.

Avalokiteshwar holding a lotus flower in his right hand in tribhanga pose

In tribhanga pose, the body is bent in neck, waist and legs and gives a "S" formation. This greatly resembles the painting of Avalokiteshwara Padmapani at Ajanta caves, India

another image

Another interesting feature I noticed in the walls is there are faces which are enclosed surrounded by trailing plants.

They represent the Bodhisattavas but which ones, I don't know.

Another feature is the variety of makars in the temple. Each one seems different.

Kaal mukh above a window. The window had images of Bodhisattva. The niche has impressions of bars.

different style makars in temple

North temple:
There is a gate which connects the other temple in the north.

the other temple, both temples are connected to each other by an entrance gate.

The gate is similar to the ones outside.

Mandapa:
On the north side of this temple is the mandapa with many Buddha images.

The mandapa is a rectangular courtyard with 22 Buddha images. It has no roof or walls. Sadly, the images are in a very bad condition and what remains are just images without any heads.
The mandapa is accessed by 7 stairs from the west side.

Stone indentations (arrow pointing) in the courtyard point to it having pillars or wooden poles. It may have been used for meditation purposes or as a place of offering.

11 Buddha sit along east direction facing west, while 5 are sitting on north with face towards south and 5 on south face north.
It is very difficult to analyze their hand position but all are sitting in Padmasana.

Perwara temples:
Perwara or complementary or ancillary temples surround the main temple building.

 a perwara temple with kaalmukh at entrance

ruins of ancillary or perwara temples

Two types of complementary or ancillary temples surround the twin temples. There are 174 temples out of which 58 are prasadhas and 116 are stupa perwara. Almost all the temples are in ruins now. Just a few have been renovated.

The innermost or the first row on east has 19 temples facing outwards towards east, 7 on south facing south, 17 on west towards west and again 7 facing outwards towards north. These perwara temples were called Prasadhas and originally housed images of Amitabha in west, Aksobhya in east, Ratnasambhava in South and Amoghasidhi in north.

The second or middle row has 54 stupa shaped structures and 4 prasadhas at four corners.
The outermost row has 62 stupa perwara and 4 prasadhas at the four corners.

Stupa perwara, right in front and the Candi perwara or prasadha

 stupa perwara

Stupa perwara has a square base and on top is shaped in the form of a stupa.

Prasadhas

The prasadhas have a square base with a small chamber and 3 stairs. The entrance has a kaal makar on top.

Restoration work:
The grounds of temple Plaosan Lor started renovation in 1962 but the temple was restored in 1990s. The 2006 earthquake did a lot of damage to the building, not only in bringing the stones down but also shifted the position of temple.

Apart from this the looting by miscreants has done more damage than the natural disasters. The last theft to Buddha's head was in 2010.

Entrance ticket:
The entrance ticket to this temple is only 3,000 IDR which is equivalent to 25 cents. With this price it is simply impossible to renovate and take care of this beautiful temple.

Visit to North temple