A trip to Indonesia: Java and it’s Amazing fragrances!
The most populated island in the Indonesian archipelago has a sense of power and serenity. Fuming volcanoes fertilize cascades of rice fields while the gods watch over the fabulous temples of Borobudur and Prambanan.
The rhythm of life and the landscapes are gentle, the richness, both natural and architectural, are apparent.
Borobudur at dawn
Despite great affluence from daybreak, Borobudur appears as a paradise in comparison. The great Buddhist temple nestled in the middle of the jungle was abandoned around the year 1000, two hundred years after its construction. It is due to the struggles with the Hindus, but also volcanic eruptions, especially the smoking Merapi illuminated by the first rays of sunlight.
The voices are silent to capture this moment of eternity and the awakening of the birds, the cameras crackle! As the call of the muezzins resonates, everyone seeks the perfect alignment between the meditating Buddhas, stupas, and light on the surrounding peaks. Who would suspect that this gigantic stone mandala with its nine superposed terraces was dismantled into 1.6 million blocks?
Miles of bas-reliefs
The operation, which began under the aegis of Unesco in 1973, did not succeed until ten years later. Borobudur collapsed under the weight of centuries and foundations undermined by infiltration. Here everything refers to the cosmos and the 9, the number of achievement: the terraces, the 72 openwork stupas (7+2), the 432 niches for the Buddhas (4+3+2).
Several kilometers of carved panels represent the sacred history and daily life, so close to current conditions. A visit to a village introduces you to the riches of this volcanic land. Everything grows: vanilla, pepper, manioc, green oranges, papayas. Then comes the time for weaving from pandanus stems. The day ends with a refreshing tea and the more or less harmonious sounds of gamelan, the typical orchestra based on metallophones (xylophones with metal blades).
With the Hindu triad
On leaving the city, the temples of Prambanan seem to be the Hinduists’ response to the splendor of Borobudur. Here, no single temple, but hundreds, eaten away by vegetation and earthquakes. The main ensemble dedicated to the Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu triad recalls Angkor’s most beautiful achievements.
At nightfall, stone arrows pierce the sky while the gods remain on the lookout in their chapels. Around the terraces of the three main temples, it is a debauchery of bas-reliefs that a week would hardly be enough to detail. Head east towards Bromo, star of the 17 active Javanese volcanoes. As in Borobudur, it is necessary to get up at dawn to see the sun’s rays dissipate the mists and gradually illuminate the lunar plain and volcanic cones.
Volcanoes and pumice stones
If from the lookout, the Bromo seems modest, the effort to reach it is not, through a sea of black sand, strewn with pumice stones and after a good climb. At the edge of the crater, fumaroles hypnotize and leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
Hindus worship the volcano and throw flowers as an offering. There is nothing to stop Muslims from doing the same. Fanaticism may have its followers, but respect and animistic syncretism remain the norm in the largest Islamic country. Those who are fascinated by volcanoes will continue towards Kawah Ijen with its lake of turquoise acid and its sulfur carriers. The others will have a hard time resisting the call of Balinese beaches and sirens.
