HEALTH ENTERTAINMENT LIFESTYLE: 2009

Monday 31 August 2009

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Wednesday 5 August 2009

Borobudur is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist Monument in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises 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 perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam.[2] Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3] Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.[4][5][6]

Etymology

In Indonesian, ancient temples are known as candi; thus "Borobudur Temple" is locally known as Candi Borobudur. The term candi is also used more loosely to describe any ancient structure, for example gates and bathing structures. The origins of the name Borobudur however are unclear,[7] although the original names of most ancient Indonesian temples are no longer known.[7] The name Borobudur was first written in Sir Thomas Raffles' book on Javan history.[8] Raffles wrote about a monument called borobudur, but there are no older documents suggesting the same name.[7] The only old Javanese manuscript that hints at the monument as a holy Buddhist sanctuary is Nagarakretagama, written by Mpu Prapanca in 1365.[9]

The name 'Bore-Budur', and thus 'BoroBudur', is thought to have been written by Raffles in English grammar to mean the nearby village of Bore; most candi are named after a nearby village. If it followed Javanese language, the monument should have been named 'BudurBoro'. Raffles also suggested that 'Budur' might correspond to the modern Javanese word Buda ('ancient') – i.e., 'ancient Boro'.[7] However, another archaeologist suggests the second component of the name ('Budur') comes from Javanese term bhudhara (or mountain).[10]

Location

Approximately 40 kilometers (25 mi) northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. According to local myth, the area known as Kedu Plain is a Javanese 'sacred' place and has been dubbed 'the garden of Java' due to its high agricultural fertility.[11] Besides Borobudur, there are other Buddhist and Hindu temples in the area, including the Prambanan temples compound. During the restoration in the early 1900s, it was discovered that three Buddhist temples in the region, Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut, are lined in one straight line position.[12] It might be accidental, but the temples' alignment is in conjunction with a native folk tale that a long time ago, there was a brick-paved road from Borobudur to Mendut with walls on both sides. The three temples (Borobudur–Pawon–Mendut) have similar architecture and ornamentation derived from the same time period, which suggests that ritual relationship between the three temples, in order to have formed a sacred unity, must have existed, although exact ritual process is yet unknown.[9]

Unlike other temples, which were built on a flat surface, Borobudur was built on a bedrock hill, 265 m (869 ft) above sea level and 15 m (49 ft) above the floor of the dried-out paleolake.[13] The lake's existence was the subject of intense discussion among archaeologists in the twentieth century; Borobudur was thought to have been built on a lake shore or even floated on a lake. In 1931, a Dutch artist and a scholar of Hindu and Buddhist architecture, W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, developed a theory that Kedu Plain was once a lake and Borobudur initially represented a lotus flower floating on the lake.[10] Lotus flowers are found in almost every Buddhist work of art, often serving as a throne for buddhas and base for stupas. The architecture of Borobudur itself suggests a lotus depiction, in which Buddha postures in Borobudur symbolize the Lotus Sutra, mostly found in many Mahayana Buddhism (a school of Buddhism widely spread in the east Asia region) texts. Three circular platforms on the top are also thought to represent a lotus leaf.[13] Nieuwenkamp's theory, however, was contested by many archaeologists because the natural environment surrounding the monument is a dry land.

Geologists, on the other hand, support Nieuwenkamp's view, pointing out clay sediments found near the site.[14] A study of stratigraphy, sediment and pollen samples conducted in 2000 supports the existence of a paleolake environment near Borobudur,[13] which tends to confirm Nieuwenkamp's theory. The lake area fluctuated with time and the study also proves that Borobudur was near the lake shore circa thirteenth and fourteenth century. River flows and volcanic activities shape the surrounding landscape, including the lake. One of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, Mount Merapi, is in the direct vicinity of Borobudur and has been very active since the Pleistocene.[15]

History

Construction

There is no written record of who built Borobudur or of its intended purpose.[16] The construction time has been estimated by comparison between carved reliefs on the temple's hidden foot and the inscriptions commonly used in royal charters during the eight and ninth centuries. Borobudur was likely founded around 800 AD.[16] This corresponds to the period between 760–830 AD, the peak of the Sailendra dynasty in central Java,[17] when it was under the influence of the Srivijayan Empire. The construction has been estimated to have taken 75 years and been completed during the reign of Samaratungga in 825.[18][19]

There is confusion between Hindu and Buddhist rulers in Java around that time. The Sailendras were known as ardent followers of Lord Buddha, though stone inscriptions found at Sojomerto suggest they may have been Hindus.[18] It was during this time that many Hindu and Buddhist monuments were built on the plains and mountain around the Kedu Plain. The Buddhist monuments, including Borobudur, were erected around the same time as the Hindu Shiva Prambanan temple compound. In 732 AD, the Shivaite King Sanjaya commissioned a Shivalinga sanctuary to be built on the Ukir hill, only 10 km (6.2 miles) east of Borobudur.[20]

Construction of Buddhist temples, including Borobudur, at that time was possible because Sanjaya's immediate successor, Rakai Panangkaran, granted his permission to the Buddhist followers to build such temples.[21] In fact, to show his respect, Panangkaran gave the village of Kalasan to the Buddhist community, as is written in the Kalasan Charter dated 778 AD.[21] This has led some archaeologists to believe that there was never serious conflict concerning religion in Java as it was possible for a Hindu king to patronize the establishment of a Buddhist monument; or for a Buddhist king to act likewise.[22] However, it is likely that there were two rival royal dynasties in Java at the time—the Buddhist Sailendra and the Saivite Sanjaya—in which the latter triumphed over their rival in the 856 battle on the Ratubaka plateau.[23] This confusion also exists regarding the Lara Jonggrang temple at the Prambanan complex, which was believed that it was erected by the victor Rakai Pikatan as the Sanjaya dynasty's reply to Borobudur,[23] but others suggest that there was a climate of peaceful coexistence where Sailendra involvement exists in Lara Jonggrang.[24]

Abandonment

Borobudur lay hidden for centuries under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth. The facts behind its abandonment remain a mystery. It is not known when active use of the monument and Buddhist pilgrimage to it ceased. Somewhere between 928 and 1006, the center of power moved to East Java region and a series of volcanic eruptions took place; it is not certain whether the latter influenced the former but several sources mention this as the most likely period of abandonment.[2][13] Soekmono (1976) also mentions the popular belief that the temples were disbanded when the population converted to Islam in the fifteenth century.[2]

The monument was not forgotten completely, though folk stories gradually shifted from its past glory into more superstitious beliefs associated with bad luck and misery. Two old Javanese chronicles (babad) from the eighteenth century mention cases of bad luck associated with the monument. According to the Babad Tanah Jawi (or the History of Java), the monument was a fatal factor for a rebel who revolted against the king of Mataram in 1709.[2] The hill was besieged and the insurgents were defeated and sentenced to death by the king. In the Babad Mataram (or the History of the Mataram Kingdom), the monument was associated with the misfortune of the crown prince of the Yogyakarta Sultanate in 1757.[25] In spite of a taboo against visiting the monument, "he took what is written as the knight who was captured in a cage (a statue in one of the perforated stupas)". Upon returning to his palace, he fell ill and died one day later.

Rediscovery

Following the Anglo-Dutch Java War, Java was under British administration from 1811 to 1816. The appointed governor was Lieutenant Governor-General Thomas Stamford Raffles, who took great interest in the history of Java. He collected Javanese antiques and made notes through contacts with local inhabitants during his tour throughout the island. On an inspection tour to Semarang in 1814, he was informed about a big monument deep in a jungle near the village of Bumisegoro.[25] He was not able to make the discovery himself and sent H.C. Cornelius, a Dutch engineer, to investigate.
n two months, Cornelius and his 200 men cut down trees, burned down vegetation and dug away the earth to reveal the monument. Due to the danger of collapse, he could not unearth all galleries. He reported his findings to Raffles including various drawings. Although the discovery is only mentioned by a few sentences, Raffles has been credited with the monument's recovery, as one who had brought it to the world's attention.[8]

Hartmann, a Dutch administrator of the Kedu region, continued Cornelius' work and in 1835 the whole complex was finally unearthed. His interest in Borobudur was more personal than official. Hartmann did not write any reports of his activities; in particular, the alleged story that he discovered the large statue of Buddha in the main stupa.[26] In 1842, Hartmann investigated the main dome although what he discovered remains unknown as the main stupa remains empty.
The Dutch East Indies government then commissioned F.C. Wilsen, a Dutch engineering official, who studied the monument and drew hundreds of relief sketches. J.F.G. Brumund was also appointed to make a detailed study of the monument, which was completed in 1859. The government intended to publish an article based on Brumund study supplemented by Wilsen's drawings, but Brumund refused to cooperate. The government then commissioned another scholar, C. Leemans, who compiled a monograph based on Brumund's and Wilsen's sources. In 1873, the first monograph of the detailed study of Borobudur was published, followed by its French translation a year later.[26] The first photograph of the monument was taken in 1873 by a Dutch-Flemish engraver, Isidore van Kinsbergen.[27]

Appreciation of the site developed slowly, and it served for some time largely as a source of souvenirs and income for "souvenir hunters" and thieves. In 1882, the chief inspector of cultural artifacts recommended that Borobudur be entirely disassembled with the relocation of reliefs into museums due to the unstable condition of the monument.[27] As a result, the government appointed Groenveldt, an archeologist, to undertake a thorough investigation of the site and to assess the actual condition of the complex; his report found that these fears were unjustified and recommended it be left intact.

Contemporary events

Following the major 1973 renovation funded by UNESCO,[28] Borobudur is once again used as a place of worship and pilgrimage. Once a year, during the full moon in May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia observe Vesak (Indonesian: Waisak) day commemorating the birth, death, and the time when Siddhārtha Gautama attained the highest wisdom to become the Buddha Shakyamuni. Vesak is an official national holiday in Indonesia[29] and the ceremony is centered at the three Buddhist temples by walking from Mendut to Pawon and ending at Borobudur.[30]

The monument is the single most visited tourist attraction in Indonesia. In 1974, 260,000 tourists of whom 36,000 were foreigners visited the monument.[5] The figure hiked into 2.5 million visitors annually (80% were domestic tourists) in the mid 1990s, before the country's economy crisis.[6] Tourism development, however, has been criticized for not including the local community on which occasional local conflict has arisen.[5] In 2003, residents and small businesses around Borobudur organized several meetings and poetry protests, objecting to a provincial government plan to build a three-story mall complex, dubbed the 'Java World'.[31]
On 21 January 1985, nine stupas were badly damaged by nine bombs.[32] In 1991, a blind Muslim evangelist, Husein Ali Al Habsyie, was sentenced to life imprisonment for masterminding a series of bombings in the mid 1980s including the temple attack.[33] Two other members of a right-wing extremist group that carried out the bombings were each sentenced to 20 years in 1986 and another man received a 13-year prison term. On 27 May 2006, an earthquake of 6.2 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the south coast of Central Java. The event had caused severe damage around the region and casualties to the nearby city of Yogyakarta, but Borobudur remained intact.[34]

On 28 August 2006 the Trail of Civilizations symposium was held in Borobudur under the auspices of the governor of Central Java and the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, also present the representatives from UNESCO and predominantly Buddhist nations of Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Climax of the event was the "Mahakarya Borobudur" ballet performance in front of the temple of Borobudur. It was choreographed to feature traditional Javanese dancing, music and costumes, and tell the history about the construction of the Borobudur. After the symposium, the Mahakarya Borobudur ballet is performed several times, especially during annual national Waisak commemoration at Borobudur attended by Indonesian President.

Architecture

Borobudur is built as a single large stupa, and when viewed from above takes the form of a giant tantric Buddhist mandala, simultaneously representing the Buddhist cosmology and the nature of mind.[35] The foundation is a square, approximately 118 meters (387 ft) on each side. It has nine platforms, of which the lower six are square and the upper three are circular. The upper platform features seventy-two small stupas surrounding one large central stupa. Each stupa is bell-shaped and pierced by numerous decorative openings. Statues of the Buddha sit inside the pierced enclosures.

Approximately 55,000 cubic metres (72,000 cu yd) of stones were taken from neighbouring rivers to build the monument.[36] The stone was cut to size, transported to the site and laid without mortar. Knobs, indentations and dovetails were used to form joints between stones. Reliefs were created in-situ after the building had been completed. The monument is equipped with a good drainage system to cater for the area's high stormwater run-off. To avoid inundation, 100 spouts are provided at each corner with a unique carved gargoyles in the shape of giants or makaras.
Borobudur differs markedly with the general design of other structures built for this purpose. Instead of building on a flat surface, Borobudur is built on a natural hill. The building technique is, however, similar to other temples in Java. With no inner space as in other temples and its general design similar to the shape of pyramid, Borobudur was first thought more likely to have served as a stupa, instead of a temple.[36] A stupa is intended as a shrine for the Lord Buddha. Sometimes stupas were built only as devotional symbols of Buddhism. A temple, on the other hand, is used as a house of deity and has inner spaces for worship. The complexity of the monument's meticulous design suggests Borobudur is in fact a temple. Congregational worship in Borobudur is performed by means of pilgrimage. Pilgrims were guided by the system of staircases and corridors ascending to the top platform. Each platform represents one stage of enlightenment. The path that guides pilgrims was designed with the symbolism of sacred knowledge according to the Buddhist cosmology.[37]
Little is known about the architect Gunadharma.[38] His name is actually recounted from Javanese legendary folk tales rather than written in old inscriptions. He was said to be one who "... bears the measuring rod, knows division and thinks himself composed of parts."[38] The basic unit measurement he used during the construction was called tala, defined as the length of a human face from the forehead's hairline to the tip of the chin or the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the middle finger when both fingers are stretched at their maximum distance.[39] The unit metrics is then obviously relative between persons, but the monument has exact measurements. A survey conducted in 1977 revealed frequent findings of a ratio of 4:6:9 around the monument. The architect had used the formula to lay out the precise dimensions of Borobudur.[39] The identical ratio formula was further found in the nearby Buddhist temples of Pawon and Mendhut. Archeologists conjectured the purpose of the ratio formula and the tala dimension has calendrical, astronomical and cosmological themes, as of the case in other Hindu and Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.[38]
The main vertical structure can be divided into three groups: base (or foot), body, and top, which resembles the three major division of a human body.[38] The base is a 123x123 m (403.5x403.5 ft) square in size and 4 meters (13 ft) high of walls.[36] The body is composed of five square platforms each with diminishing heights. The first terrace is set back 7 meters (23 ft) from the edge of the base. The other terraces are set back by 2 meters (7 ft), leaving a narrow corridor at each stage. The top consists of 3 circular platforms, with each stage supporting a row of perforated stupas, arranged in concentric circles. There is one main dome at the center; the top of which is the highest point of the monument (35 meters (115 ft) above ground level). Access to the upper part is through stairways at the centre of each side with a number of gates, watched by a total of 32 lion statues. The main entrance is at the eastern side, the location of the first narrative reliefs. On the slopes of the hill, there are also stairways linking the monument to the low-lying plain.

The monument's three divisions symbolize three stages of mental preparation towards the ultimate goal according to the Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desires), Rupadhatu (the world of forms), and finally Arupadhatu (the formless world).[40] Kāmadhātu is represented by the base, Rupadhatu by the five square platforms (the body), and Arupadhatu by the three circular platforms and the large topmost stupa. The architectural features between three stages have metaphorical differences. For instance, square and detailed decorations in the Rupadhatu disappear into plain circular platforms in the Arupadhatu to represent how the world of forms – where men are still attached with forms and names – changes into the world of the formless.[41]

In 1885, a hidden structure under the base was accidentally discovered.[42] The "hidden foot" contains reliefs, 160 of which are narrative describing the real Kāmadhātu. The remaining reliefs are panels with short inscriptions that apparently describe instruction for the sculptors, illustrating the scene to be carved.[43] The real base is hidden by an encasement base, the purpose of which remains a mystery. It was first thought that the real base had to be covered to prevent a disastrous subsidence of the monument through the hill.[43] There is another theory that the encasement base was added because the original hidden foot was incorrectly designed, according to Vastu Shastra, the Indian ancient book about architecture and town planning.[42] Regardless of its intention, the encasement base was built with detailed and meticulous design with aesthetics and religious compensation.

Reliefs

Borobudur contains approximately 2,670 individual bas reliefs (1,460 narrative and 1,212 decorative panels), which cover the façades and balustrades. The total relief surface is 2,500 square meters (26,909.8 sq ft) and they are distributed at the hidden foot (Kāmadhātu) and the five square platforms (Rupadhatu).[44]

The narrative panels, which tell the story of Sudhana and Manohara,[45] are grouped into 11 series encircled the monument with the total length of 3,000 meters (9,843 ft). The hidden foot contains the first series with 160 narrative panels and the remaining 10 series are distributed throughout walls and balustrades in four galleries starting from the eastern entrance stairway to the left. Narrative panels on the wall read from right to left, while on the balustrade read from left to right. This conforms with pradaksina, the ritual of circumambulation performed by pilgrims who move in a clockwise direction while keeping the sanctuary to their right.[46]

The hidden foot depicts the workings of karmic law. The walls of the first gallery have two superimposed series of reliefs; each consists of 120 panels. The upper part depicts the biography of the Buddha, while the lower part of the wall and also balustrades in the first and the second galleries tell the story of the Buddha's former lives.[44] The remaining panels are devoted to Sudhana's further wandering about his search, terminated by his attainment of the Perfect Wisdom.

The law of karma (Karmavibhangga)

The 160 hidden panels do not form a continuous story, but each panel provides one complete illustration of cause and effect.[44] There are depictions of blameworthy activities, from gossip to murder, with their corresponding punishments. There are also praiseworthy activities, that include charity and pilgrimage to sanctuaries, and their subsequent rewards. The pains of hell and the pleasure of heaven are also illustrated. There are scenes of daily life, complete with the full panorama of samsara (the endless cycle of birth and death).

The birth of Buddha (Lalitavistara)

The story starts from the glorious descent of the Lord Buddha from the Tushita heaven, and ends with his first sermon in the Deer Park near Benares.[46] The relief shows the birth of the Buddha as Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya of Kapilavastu (in present-day Nepal).

The story is preceded by 27 panels showing various preparations, in heavens and on earth, to welcome the final incarnation of the Bodhisattva.[46] Before descending from Tushita heaven, the Bodhisattva entrusted his crown to his successor, the future Buddha Maitreya. He descended on earth in the shape of white elephants with six tusks, penetrated to Queen Maya's right womb. Queen Maya had a dream of this event, which was interpreted that his son would become either a sovereign or a Buddha.

While Queen Maya felt that it was the time to give birth, she went to the Lumbini park outside the Kapilavastu city. She stood under a plaksa tree, holding one branch with her right hand and she gave birth to a son, Prince Siddhartha. The story on the panels continues until the prince becomes the Budd

Prince Siddhartha story (Jataka) and other legendary persons (Avadana)

Jatakas are stories about the Buddha before he was born as Prince Siddhartha.[47] Avadanas are similar to jatakas, but the main figure is not the Bodhisattva himself. The saintly deeds in avadanas are attributed to other legendary persons. Jatakas and avadanas are treated in one and the same series in the reliefs of Borobudur.

The first 20 lower panels in the first gallery on the wall depict the Sudhanakumaravadana or the saintly deeds of Sudhana. The first 135 upper panels in the same gallery on the balustrades are devoted to the 34 legends of the Jatakamala.[48] The remaining 237 panels depict stories from other sources, as do for the lower series and panels in the second gallery. Some jatakas stories are depicted twice, for example the story of King Sibhi (Rama's forefather).

Sudhana's search for the Ultimate Truth (Gandavyuha)

Gandavyuha is the story told in the final chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra about Sudhana's tireless wandering in search of the Highest Perfect Wisdom. It covers two galleries (third and fourth) and also half of the second gallery; comprising in total of 460 panels.[49] The principal figure of the story, the youth Sudhana, son of an extremely rich merchant, appears on the 16th panel. The preceding 15 panels form a prologue to the story of the miracles during Buddha's samadhi in the Garden of Jeta at Sravasti.

During his search, Sudhana visited no less than 30 teachers but none of them had satisfied him completely. He was then instructed by Manjusri to meet the monk Megasri, where he was given the first doctrine. As his journey continues, Sudhana meets (in the following order) Supratisthita, the physician Megha (Spirit of Knowledge), the banker Muktaka, the monk Saradhvaja, the upasika Asa (Spirit of Supreme Enlightenment), Bhismottaranirghosa, the Brahmin Jayosmayatna, Princess Maitrayani, the monk Sudarsana, a boy called Indriyesvara, the upasika Prabhuta, the banker Ratnachuda, King Anala, the god Siva Mahadeva, Queen Maya, Bodhisattva Maitreya and then back to Manjusri. Each meeting has given Sudhana a specific doctrine, knowledge and wisdom. These meetings are shown in the third gallery.

After the last meeting with Manjusri, Sudhana went to the residence of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra; depicted in the fourth gallery. The entire series of the fourth gallery is devoted to the teaching of Samantabhadra. The narrative panels finally end with Sudhana's achievement of the Supreme Knowledge and the Ultimate Truth.[50]

Buddha statues

Apart from the story of Buddhist cosmology carved in stone, Borobudur has many statues of various Buddhas. The cross-legged statues are seated in a lotus position and distributed on the five square platforms (the Rupadhatu level) as well as on the top platform (the Arupadhatu level).
The Buddha statues are in niches at the Rupadhatu level, arranged in rows on the outer sides of the balustrades, the number of statues decreasing as platforms progressively diminish to the upper level. The first balustrades have 104 niches, the second 104, the third 88, the fourth 72 and the fifth 64. In total, there are 432 Buddha statues at the Rupadhatu level.[1] At the Arupadhatu level (or the three circular platforms), Buddha statues are placed inside perforated stupas. The first circular platform has 32 stupas, the second 24 and the third 16, that add up to 72 stupas.[1] Of the original 504 Buddha statues, over 300 are damaged (mostly headless) and 43 are missing (since the monument's discovery, heads have been stolen as collector's items, mostly by Western museums).[51]

At glance, all the Buddha statues appear similar, but there is a subtle difference between them in the mudras or the position of the hands. There are five groups of mudra: North, East, South, West and Zenith, which represent the five cardinal compass points according to Mahayana. The first four balustrades have the first four mudras: North, East, South and West, of which the Buddha statues that face one compass direction have the corresponding mudra. Buddha statues at the fifth balustrades and inside the 72 stupas on the top platform have the same mudra: Zenith. Each mudra represents one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas; each has its own symbolism.[52] They are Abhaya mudra for Amoghasiddhi (north), Vara mudra for Ratnasambhava (south), Dhyana mudra for Amitabha (west), Bhumisparsa mudra for Aksobhya (east) and Dharmachakra mudra for Vairochana (zenith).

Restoration

Borobudur attracted attention in 1885, when Yzerman, the Chairman of the Archaeological Society in Yogyakarta, made a discovery about the hidden foot.[42] Photographs that reveal reliefs on the hidden foot were made in 1890–1891.[53] The discovery led the Dutch East Indies government to take steps to safeguard the monument. In 1900, the government set up a commission consisting of three officials to assess the monument: Brandes, an art historian, Theodoor van Erp, a Dutch army engineer officer, and Van de Kamer, a construction engineer from the Department of Public Works.

In 1902, the commission submitted a threefold plan of proposal to the government. First, the immediate dangers should be avoided by resetting the corners, removing stones that endangered the adjacent parts, strengthening the first balustrades and restoring several niches, archways, stupas and the main dome. Second, fencing off the courtyards, providing proper maintenance and improving drainage by restoring floors and spouts. Third, all loose stones should be removed, the monument cleared up to the first balustrades, disfigured stones removed and the main dome restored. The total cost was estimated at that time around 48,800 Dutch guilders.

The restoration then was carried out between 1907 and 1911, using the principles of anastylosis and led by Theodor van Erp.[54] The first seven months of his restoration was occupied with excavating the grounds around the monument to find missing Buddha heads and panel stones. Van Erp dismantled and rebuilt the upper three circular platforms and stupas. Along the way, Van Erp discovered more things he could do to improve the monument; he submitted another proposal that was approved with the additional cost of 34,600 guilders. At first glance Borobudur had been restored to its old glory.

Due to the limited budget, the restoration had been primarily focused on cleaning the sculptures, and Van Erp did not solve the drainage problem. Within fifteen years, the gallery walls were sagging and the reliefs showed signs of new cracks and deterioration.[54] Van Erp used concrete from which alkali salts and calcium hydroxide leached and were transported into the rest of the construction. This caused some problems, so that a further thorough renovation was urgently needed.

Small restorations have been performed since then, but not sufficient for complete protection. In the late 1960s, the Indonesian government had requested from the international community a major renovation to protect the monument. In 1973, a master plan to restore Borobudur was created.[28] The Indonesian government and UNESCO then undertook the complete overhaul of the monument in a big restoration project between 1975–1982.[54] The foundation was stabilized and all 1,460 panels were cleaned. The restoration involved the dismantling of the five square platforms and improved the drainage by embedding water channels into the monument. Both impermeable and filter layers were added. This colossal project involved around 600 people to restore the monument and cost a total of US$ 6,901,243.[55] After the renovation was finished, UNESCO listed Borobudur as a World Heritage Site in 1991.[3]

References

[edit] General

* Parmono Atmadi (1988). Some Architectural Design Principles of Temples in Java: A study through the buildings projection on the reliefs of Borobudur temple. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University Press. ISBN 979-420-085-9.
* Jacques Dumarçay (1991). Borobudur. trans. and ed. by Michael Smithies (2nd ed.). Singapore: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-588550-3.
* Luis O. Gómez and Hiram W. Woodward, Jr. (1981). Barabudur: History and Significance of a Buddhist Monument. Berkeley: Univ. of California. ISBN 0-89-581151-0.
* John Miksic (1990). Borobudur: Golden Tales of the Buddhas. Boston: Shambhala Publications. ISBN 0-87773-906-4.
* Soekmono (1976). Chandi Borobudur – A Monument of Mankind. The Unesco Press, Paris. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0002/000200/020097E.pdf#search=%22soekmono%20chandi%20borobudur%22. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
* R. Soekmono, J.G. de Casparis, J. Dumarçay, P. Amranand and P. Schoppert (1990). Borobudur: A Prayer in Stone. Singapore: Archipelago Press. ISBN 2-87868-004-9.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ a b c Soekmono (1976), page 35–36.
2. ^ a b c d Soekmono (1976), page 4.
3. ^ a b "Borobudur Temple Compounds". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. UNESCO. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/592. Retrieved on 2008-12-28.
4. ^ Indonesia. Melbourne: Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. November 2003. pp. 211–215. ISBN 1-74059-154-2.
5. ^ a b c Mark P. Hampton (2005). "Heritage, Local Communities and Economic Development". Annals of Tourism Research 32 (3): 735–759. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2004.10.010.
6. ^ a b E. Sedyawati (1997). "Potential and Challenges of Tourism: Managing the National Cultural Heritage of Indonesia". in W. Nuryanti (ed.). Tourism and Heritage Management. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University Press. pp. 25–35.
7. ^ a b c d Soekmono (1976), page 13.
8. ^ a b Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817). The History of Java (1978 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-580347-7.
9. ^ a b J. L. Moens (1951). "Barabudur, Mendut en Pawon en hun onderlinge samenhang (Barabudur, Mendut and Pawon and their mutual relationship)" (PDF). Tijdschrift voor de Indische Taai-, Land- en Volkenkunde (Het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen): 326–386. http://www.borobudur.tv/Barabudur_Mendut_Pawon.pdf. "trans. by Mark Long".
10. ^ a b J.G. de Casparis, "The Dual Nature of Barabudur", in Gómez and Woodward (1981), page 70 and 83.
11. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 1.
12. ^ N. J. Krom (1927). Borobudur, Archaelogical Description. The Hague: Nijhoff. http://www.borobudur.tv/mendut_borobudur.htm. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
13. ^ a b c d Murwanto, H.; Gunnell, Y; Suharsono, S.; Sutikno, S. and Lavigne, F (2004). "Borobudur monument (Java, Indonesia) stood by a natural lake: chronostratigraphic evidence and historical implications". The Holocene 14 (3): 459–463. doi:10.1191/0959683604hl721rr.
14. ^ R.W. van Bemmelen (1949). The geology of Indonesia, general geology of Indonesia and adjacent archipelago, vol 1A, The Hague, Government Printing Office, Martinus Nijhoff. cited in Murwanto (2004).
15. ^ Newhall C.G., Bronto S., Alloway B., Banks N.G., Bahar I., del Marmol M.A., Hadisantono R.D., Holcomb R.T., McGeehin J., Miksic J.N., Rubin M., Sayudi S.D., Sukhyar R., Andreastuti S., Tilling R.I., Torley R., Trimble D., and Wirakusumah A.D. (2000). "10,000 Years of explosive eruptions of Merapi Volcano, Central Java: archaeological and modern implications". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 100 (1): 9–50. doi:10.1016/S0377-0273(00)00132-3.
16. ^ a b Soekmono (1976), page 9.
17. ^ Miksic (1990)
18. ^ a b Dumarçay (1991).
19. ^ Paul Michel Munoz (2007). Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. Singapore: Didier Millet. pp. 143. ISBN 9814155675.
20. ^ W. J. van der Meulen (1977). "In Search of "Ho-Ling"". Indonesia 23: 87–112. http://cip.cornell.edu/DPubS?service=UI&version=1.0&verb=Display&handle=seap.indo/1107118718.
21. ^ a b W. J. van der Meulen (1979). "King Sañjaya and His Successors". Indonesia 28: 17–54. doi:10.2307/3350894. http://cip.cornell.edu/DPubS?service=UI&version=1.0&verb=Display&handle=seap.indo/1107121629.
22. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 10.
23. ^ a b D.G.E. Hall (1956). "Problems of Indonesian Historiography". Pacific Affairs 38 (3/4): 353–359. doi:10.2307/2754037.
24. ^ Roy E. Jordaan (1993). Imagine Buddha in Prambanan: Reconsidering the Buddhist Background of the Loro Jonggrang Temple Complex. Leiden: Vakgroep Talen en Culturen van Zuidoost-Azië en Ocenanië, Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. ISBN 90-73084-08-3.
25. ^ a b Soekmono (1976), page 5.
26. ^ a b Soekmono (1976), page 6.
27. ^ a b Soekmono (1976), page 42.
28. ^ a b Caesar Voute (1973). "The Restoration and Conservation Project of Borobudur Temple, Indonesia. Planning: Research: Design". Studies in Conservation 18 (3): 113–130. doi:10.2307/1505654.
29. ^ Coordinating Ministry for Public Welfare. "Keputusan Bersama tentang Hari Libur Nasional dan Cuti Bersama tahun 2006" (in Indonesian). Press release. http://menkokesra.go.id/content/view/460/73/. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
30. ^ "The Meaning of Procession". Waisak. Walubi (Buddhist Council of Indonesia). http://www.walubi.or.id/waisak/waisak_emakna_prosesi.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-12-28.
31. ^ Jamie James (2003-01-27). "Battle of Borobudur". Time. http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,501030203-411454,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
32. ^ "1,100-Year-Old Buddhist Temple Wrecked By Bombs in Indonesia". The Miami Herald. 1985-01-22. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB3619008FD4B9F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
33. ^ Harold Crouch (2002). "The Key Determinants of Indonesia’s Political Future" (PDF). Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 7. ISSN 0219-3213. http://www.iseas.edu.sg/72002.pdf.
34. ^ Sebastien Berger (2006-05-30). "An ancient wonder reduced to rubble". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/an-ancient-wonder-reduced-to-rubble/2006/05/29/1148754940170.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
35. ^ A. Wayman (1981). "Reflections on the Theory of Barabudur as a Mandala". Barabudu History and Significance of a Buddhist Monument. Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press.
36. ^ a b c Soekmono (1976), page 16.
37. ^ Peter Ferschin and Andreas Gramelhofer (2004). "Architecture as Information Space". 8th Int. Conf. on Information Visualization. IEEE. pp. 181–186. doi:10.1109/IV.2004.1320142.
38. ^ a b c d Caesar Voûte and Mark Long. Borobudur: Pyramid of the Cosmic Buddha. D.K. Printworld Ltd.. http://www.borobudur.tv/book_promo.htm. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
39. ^ a b Atmadi (1988).
40. ^ Tartakov, Gary Michael. "Lecture 17: Sherman Lee’s History of Far Eastern Art (Indonesia and Cambodja)". Lecture notes for Asian Art and Architecture: Art & Design 382/582. Iowa State University. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~tart/arth382/lecture17.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
41. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 17.
42. ^ a b c "Borobudur Pernah Salah Design?" (in Indonesian). Kompas. 2000-04-07. Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20071226230646/http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/0004/07/dikbud/boro09.htm. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
43. ^ a b Soekmono (1976), page 18.
44. ^ a b c d Soekmono (1976), page 20.
45. ^ Jaini, P.S. (1966). "The Story of Sudhana and Manohara: An Analysis of the Texts and the Borobudur Reliefs". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 29 (3): 533–558. ISSN 0041977X. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X%281966%2929%3A3%3C533%3ATSOSAM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-V.
46. ^ a b c Soekmono (1976), page 21.
47. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 26.
48. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 29.
49. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 32.
50. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 35.
51. ^ Hiram W. Woodward Jr. (1979). "Acquisition". Critical Inquiry 6 (2): 291–303. doi:10.1086/448048.
52. ^ Roderick S. Bucknell and Martin Stuart-Fox (1995). The Twilight Language: Explorations in Buddhist Meditation and Symbolism. UK: Routledge. ISBN 0700702342.
53. ^ Soekmono (1976), page 43.
54. ^ a b c UNESCO (2004-08-31). "UNESCO experts mission to Prambanan and Borobudur Heritage Sites". Press release.
55. ^ UNESCO. "Cultural heritage and partnership; 1999" (PDF). Press release. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001163/116321Eo.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.

[edit] Further reading

* Luis O. Gomez and Hiram W. Woodward (1981). Barabudur, history and significance of a Buddhist monument. presented at the Int. Conf. on Borobudur, Univ. of Michigan, May 16–17, 1974. Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press. ISBN 0-89581-151-0.
* August J.B. Kempers (1976). Ageless Borobudur : Buddhist mystery in stone, decay and restoration, Mendut and Pawon, folklife in ancient Java. Wassenaar: Servire. ISBN 90-6077-553-8.
* John Miksic (1999). The Mysteries of Borobudur. Hongkong: Periplus. ISBN 962-593-198-8.
* Adrian Snodgrass (1985). The symbolism of the stupa. Southeast Asia Program. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University. ISBN 0-87727-700-1.

Kebaya Ekstravaganza

Sejak tahun 1990-an, kebaya muncul sebagai bagian dari tren busana yang dinamis, tak lagi terlampau terpaku pada pakem. Rancangan kebaya sekarang tampak semakin modis, kreatif, dan tentu saja, cantik.

Potongan yang asimetris, pemilihan bahan yang selektif, panjang kebaya yang tak biasa--menjuntai-juntai ke lantai, atau sebaliknya, pendek sebatas pinggul, pemasangan aneka payet, batuan, mutiara, dan hiasan lain sebagai ornamen, kini lazim digunakan dalam rancangan kebaya modern. Dengan berbagai variasi itu, kebaya tak lagi dinilai sebagia busana yang terlampau kaku dan formal. Bahkan, lebih jauh dari itu, kebaya kini layak disandingkan dengan gaun malam sebagai busana pesta.

Bajoekoe, butik kebaya yang beralamat di Jalan Dr Wahidin 197A Semarang, menawarkan berbagai pilihan kebaya modern yang dikenal sebagai Kebaya Ekstravaganza. Tak hanya menawarkan kebaya siap pakai, Bajoekoe oleh Ferry Setiawan juga melayani pemesanan. Anda bisa berkonsultasi dengan Ferry untuk menjelaskan baju seperti apa yang Anda inginkan, dan paling pas untuk menunjukkan sisi menarik dalam diri Anda.

Bila Anda memiliki leher jenjang dan bahu indah, Anda bisa meminta Ferry membuatkan kebaya dengan model bahu terbuka. Begitu juga, bila Anda merasa pinggang Anda teramat ramping, minta Ferry menonjolkan sisi itu. Sebaliknya, Anda yang merasa risih bila menunjukkan lekuk tubuh, bisa memesan kebaya yang tertutup, namun tetap tampil modis dan elegan.

Pemerintah Harus Blak-blakan Soal Pajak Progresif Mobil

Syubhan Akib - detikOto

Jakarta - Pajak progresif yang akan diterapkan oleh pemerintah dinilai akan banyak menuai masalah, terutama dalam implementasinya nanti.
Karena walaupun memiliki niat mulia untuk menekan volume kendaraan, menambah pendapatan pemerintah serta melakukan pemerataan kepemilikan mobil di Indonesia, pajak ini terbilang masih sarat kontroversi, karena itu pemerintah harus segera memberikan penjelasan pada masyarakat.

Hal tersebut dikemukakan oleh pengamat otomotif Suhari Sargo ketika dihubungi detikOto, Rabu (5/7/2009).

"Pajak ini masih penuh kontroversi. Karena itulah pemerintah dalam hal ini harus menjelaskan maksud undang-undang itu dan bagaimana pengimplementasiannya dalam peraturan nanti," jelas Suhari.

Penjelasan itu menurut Suhari sangatlah penting agar tidak membuat masyarakat bertanya-tanya.

Cakupan UU itu apakah untuk satu nama, satu rumah atau satu perusahaan pun menurut Suhari juga harus dijelaskan secara ditail, karena ini akan memiliki efek yang tidak sedikit.

Bila memang hitungannya per-nama pemilik, Suhari sedikit menyetujui hal itu. Karena walau efeknya sedikit, hal itu akan memberi pelajaran kepada yang kaya agar tidak terlalu hidup mewah dengan membeli banyak mobil.

Namun bila hal itu ditujukan ke alamat rumah, hal itu akan mengundang banyak masalah. "Karena dalam satu rumah kan bisa saja ada beberapa orang yang memiliki mobil sendiri hasil kerjanya, kalau dibedakan bisa berantem dong mereka," pungkas Suhari.

"Itulah sebabnya pemerintah dalam hal ini harus segera menjelaskan
sejelas-jelasnya pada masyarakat," tegas Suhari.

AS Miliki Ikatan Tua dengan Islam

By Republika Newsroom

Bila mendengar berita dan hujatan di tahun-tahun terkahir, orang cenderung menganggap hubungan antara Abang Sam dengan Dunia Muslim adalah buruk permanen. Kekerasan dan polemik membakar akibat serangan teroris 11 September dan perang di Irak dan Afghanistan memang membuat sulit untuk berpikir sebaliknya.

Padahal, jika mau melihat panduan sejarah intelektual, dulu, ada masa di mana tidak ada bangsa Barat yang begitu positif terlibat dengan peradaban Islam seperti yang dilakukan Amerika Serikat (AS).

Beberapa contoh berikut memperjernih sejarah hubungan antara AS dan Islam. Sebuah negara Islam, Kerajaan Maroko, adalah yang pertama mengakui kedaulatan dan kemerdekaan Amerika Serikat, demikian pula yang disampaikan oleh Presiden Obama dalam pidato di Kairo. Kemudian pada 1778, George Washington dan Sultan Mohmmmed III dari Maroko meneken perjanjian persahabatan untuk melindungi semua alat angkut membawa "Bendera Amerika" dari pencoleng.

Menilai dari puisi, drama, dan novel-novel yang ditulis pada awal tahun republik Amerika terbentuk, pertemuan pertama dengan sebuah bangsa bermayoritas Muslim itu menjadi landasan bagi Amerika untuk mulai secara bertahap melakukan dialog rutin dengan Muslim dan Arab.

'Algerine Captive' karya Royall Tyler, dianggap sebagai novel tertua kedua di Amerika, adalah satu contoh utama. Ditulis pada 1779, Algerine Captive bertutur tentang seorang dokter yang ditangkap oleh pencoleng Muslim Barbar, lalu dijual ke perbudakan di Aljeria. Karakter utama, Dr. Updike Underhill, menghabiskan beberapa tahun dalam penangkapan sebelum memperoleh kebebasan dan kembali pulang ke Amerika.

Selang dua abad tidak pernah dicetak, tiba-tiba novel kembali dibangkitkan, sayang dengan ironi. Ia dicetak ulang pada 2002 untuk memberi latar belakang sejarah tragedi 11 September. Menanggapi, itu seorang kritikus menulis di sampul buku, bahwa novel menggambarkan benturan budaya dan diplomatik tanah basah, tidak mirip yang ada antara AS dan bangsa-bangsa Muslim saat ini.

Benar, ketegangan atmosfer novel mengusung komparasi dua budaya, cocok bila seseorang hendak membandingkan kriminal abad ke-18 dengan terorisme modern. Namun, bila dilihat lebih seksama, novel menyajikan referensi sebagai penolakan, bukan dukungan terhadap retorika benturan-peradaban. Dramatisasi naratif terhadap konflik politik dengan Islam, hanyalah untuk mengimajinasikan cara mengatasi masalah.

Royall mengubah kisah penangkapan karakter utama menjadi perjalanan dan pencarian ilmu pengetahuan mendebarkan. Bermacam dialog awal tokoh protagonis novel tentang obrolan bertopik perbudakan Amerika, peralihan agama, praduga dan paradigma buruk dengan imam, penangkap dan warga Algeria, memunculkan semangat besar mengungkap budaya Islam. Tokoh utama pun mempromosikan keyakinan Kristiani yang ia peluk.

Royal Tyler telah membuka jalan kepada lebih banyak penulis tersohor lain,--pionir di Renaisans Amerika--untuk melebarkan pengetahuan peradaban mereka terhadap budaya Islam. Washington Irving, menulis sebuah buku tentang Rasul Muhammad. Edgar Allan Poe mengukir cerita menggoda tentang Arabian Night.

Lalu ada Herman Melville, yang menjatuhkan perhatian luar biasa pada teks-teks Arab di dalam karya klasik Moby-Dick. Dalam dongengnya ia memiliki karakter utama termasuk Ishmael dan sang teman, Queequeg, yang berpuasa saat Ramadhan serta Fedallah orang Persia.

Pada 1850, Arabian Night menjadi begitu populer di dunia imajinasi Amerika, sehingga Harriet Beecher Stowe, figur utama lain di babak pencerahan Amerika, lewat kotbahnya berhasil memaksa para orang tua di AS mendongengkan cerita seribu satu malam Syahrazade, kepada anak-anak, untuk menanam nilai estetika dan penghormatan terhadap perbedaan sejak dini.

Mengacu pada Al Qur'an, hadis dan perilaku Rasul Muhammad dan sahabat adalah praktik umum di kalangan Pendiri negara, penulis, penyair, mulai Benjamin Franklin dan Thomas Jefferson hingga Ralph Waldo Emerson dan Walt Whitman. Emerson, bapak transendentalisme Amerika, menggambarkan Al Qur'an sebagai kerajaan kehendak dan kemauan.

Ia mendorong pembaca Amerika untuk melihat nabi "Mahomet", Ali, dan Umar sebagai model inspirasi keseimbangan kuat yang dibekali "suara pikiran di dalam suara tubuh". Meski transendentalisme dipasarkan dalam label budaya Amerika, Emerson mengakui jika itu adalah produk Timur, filosofi Sufi, asli dari puisi-puisi Persia yang ia baca dan ia alih bahasakan.

Hubungan itu kini mulai masuk babak baru. Untuk memahami bahwa tradisi masa lalu Amerika jauh lebih toleran terhadap perbedaan ketimbang yang cenderung dipikirkan saat ini, seharusnya mampu mengantarkan dialog, ada beda antara teroris yang beraksi atas nama islam dan ideologi konservatif yang menunggu dengan tangan terbuka. Sebagian besar sejarah membuktikan, hubungan AS dan dunia Muslim penuh perdamaian. (philadelphia inquirer/itz)

Monday 3 August 2009

Essential Bali

By :Tashi Wheeler
Lonely Planet Author

It’s time to take it easy! A trip to Bali puts you on the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. White-sand beaches, world-class surf, coral reefs, spas galore and so much more.

Here’s what everyone should know when planning a Bali adventure:

* Seasonal change makes little difference, so any time is a good time to go. However, it’s worth checking out the main Indonesian holiday periods. The end of Ramadan gets busy as domestic tourists fill resorts and prices escalate. Our ‘when to go‘ section has the details.

# Bali can be superb value, particularly for budget accommodation. Book ahead to get a great deal on a hotel.
# Getting sick of hawkers constantly trying to sell you something? There is an invisible line on Kuta beach that hawkers aren’t allowed to cross. So park yourself closer to the sea and you won’t be hassled.
# If you’re looking to catch a wave, check out Surf Travel Online. It has information on surf camps, boat charters, and package deals for surf trips to remote Indonesian locations, as well as Nusa Lembongan.
# Treat your tastebuds and try out a warung (a small traditional roadside eatery). They are seriously cheap, no-frills hangouts, each serving something different. The food is often displayed in cabinets out the front. Take a seat, make a selection and get the real flavour of Bali real cheap.
# To get under the skin of Balinese culture and life, check out Murni’s, which has everything from explanations of kids’ names to what one wears to a ceremony.
# A few basic words of Bahasa Indonesia will take you a long way. Try selamat pagi (good morning), tolong (please) and terima kasih (thank you), for starters. For a fun introduction to the language, check out Bahasa Indonesia in 7 Days.
# The best way to get around Bali is with your own transport - whether you drive, hire a driver or ride a bike.
# Bargaining in markets and shops is part of the whole shopping experience. Get into the swing of things and test your negotiating prowess. Just don’t get carried away and suddenly find you’ve spent the past 10 minutes quibbling over 50 cents.

Peringatan Dini Cuaca Ekstrem di Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Cuaca ekstrem diperkirakan berpotensi terjadi di wilayah Indonesia mulai 4 hingga 6 Agustus. Potensi ini terlihat dari adanya bibit badai tropis di Laut China Selatan dan Samudra Pasifik sebelah timur Filipina serta daerah pumpunan angin yang memanjang dari Pesisir Timur Sumatera hingga Laut China Selatan.

Selain itu, kondisi suhu muka laut di wilayah perairan sebelah barat Sumatera, Laut China Selatan, dan perairan sebelah utara Papua masih cukup hangat sehingga mendukung suplai uap air ke wilayah Indonesia bagian utara dan di sekitar ekuator. Kondisi tersebut mendukung pertumbuhan awan—awan hujan di wilayah Indonesia bagian utara dan di sekitar ekuator.

Adanya aktivitas konvektif yang merupakan aktivitas atmosfer berskala lokal di sebagian wilayah Indonesia juga perlu diwaspadai karena berpotensi menimbulkan hujan lebat yang disertai angin kencang dan petir dalam waktu yang tidak terlalu lama. Wilayah yang berpotensi mengalami hujan lebat disertai petir dan angin kencang adalah pesisir barat Sumatera bagian utara, Sumatera bagian utara, Maluku bagian tengah dan selatan, Papua bagian barat, selatan serta tengah.

Sunday 2 August 2009

Gunung Kerinci Surga yang Tercampakkan ke Bumi

by : Wirdiyanto-Sungai Penuh

Provinsi Jambi bisa disebut sebagai pusat Pulau Sumatera. Selain lokasinya berada di tengah-tengah pulau itu, Jambi menjadi lokasi titik tertinggi Sumatera, yaitu puncak Gunung Kerinci dengan ketinggian 3.805 meter dari atas permukaan laut (dpl).

SEBAGAI gunung tertinggi di Sumatera, Gunung Kerinci menyimpan banyak pesona dan daya tarik. Setidaknya itu dirasakan wisatawan yang gemar berpetualang di alam bebas. Kerinci juga memiliki keunikan dan legenda yang masih melekat pada masyarakat di sekitarnya.

Gunung Kerinci berada di wilayah Kabupaten Kerinci, Provinsi Jambi. Sebagai wilayah pegunungan, topografi Kerinci berbukit dan bergelombang dengan rentang ketinggian dari yang terendah 725 m dpl dan tertinggi puncak Gunung Kerinci 3.805 m dpl.

Berstatus sebagai gunung yang masih aktif, puncak gunung tersebut memiliki kawah yang justru menjadi daya tarik utamanya. Kawah dengan luas sekitar 348.000 meter persegi itu berupa danau dengan permukaan air hijau kekuningan.

Sajian lanskap indah tersebut menarik wisatawan yang gemar berpetualang di alam bebas. Puncak pendakian biasanya terjadi pada 17 Agustus dan 1 Januari.

Yang pertama adalah para pendaki yang berniat mengadakan upacara bendera peringatan Hari Kemerdekaan RI di atap Sumatera itu. Kesempatan kedua adalah mereka yang ingin merayakan pergantian tahun di ketinggian dengan suhu udara bisa mencapai lima derajat Celsius tersebut.

Perlu kesabaran dan kondisi fisik yang cukup fit untuk menjejakkan kaki di puncak gunung tersebut. Start pendakian dimulai dari Desa Kersik Tuo, Kecamatan Kayu Aro.

Bagi pendaki dengan fisik terlatih, perlu waktu sekitar delapan jam untuk menempuh jalur tersebut. Sementara bagi wisatawan umum, sedikit lebih lama, perlu sekitar sepuluh jam.

Capai di perjalanan? Tidak perlu khawatir karena di sepanjang rute menuju puncak disiapkan empat selter sebagai pos peristirahatan. Di selter-selter yang seakan menjadi etape tersebut, wisatawan tidak sekadar bisa beristirahat karena tersaji pemandangan alam yang indah. Tumbuh berbagai jenis tumbuhan dan bunga yang tidak ditemukan di dataran rendah.

Begitu indahnya pemandangan dari lereng gunung tersebut, berkembang istilah untuk menggambarkan wilayah itu sebagai segempal tanah surga yang tercampakkan ke bumi. ''Rasa capai terbayar dengan pemandangan yang menakjubkan itu,'' kata Dedet, seorang wisatawan lokal yang mengaku beberapa kali ke puncak gunung tersebut.

Puncak pesona perjalanan tersebut tentu saja adalah puncak Gunung Kerinci. Selain kawah dengan permukaan air hijau kekuningan, pemandangan tidak kalah menakjubkan tersaji dari puncak tadi.

Dari ketinggian tersebut, terlihat jelas objek wisata lain di Kerinci. Misalnya, Danau Gunung Tujuh dan Danau Belibis. ''Paling spektakuler adalah kita bisa melihat garis pantai Sumatera yang bersentuhan dengan Samudra Hindia,'' tambah Dedet.

Jika beruntung, dalam perjalanan menuju puncak, pengunjung bisa bertemu dengan burung khas Kerinci, yaitu burung abang pipi (Lophura inornata) dan paok sneider (Schneider's pitta), yang tergolong langka.

Banyak pengamat burung dunia yang penasaran. Mereka ingin melihat langsung burung yang pernah dinyatakan sudah punah tersebut. ''Rupanya mirip ayam dengan pipi kemerahan," papar Agung, seorang petugas dari TNK (Taman Nasional Kerinci) yang pernah melihatnya secara langsung dalam pendakian ke Gunung Kerinci. (*/jpnn/ruk)

Saturday 25 July 2009

Teknik Perangsangan Klitoral

Dalam hal kepekaan seksual, klitoris memegang peranan yang sangat penting. Klitoris terletak di ujung atas vagina, tepat di antara bibir dalam dan bibir luarnya, serta tersembunyi dalam lapisan seperti daging tipis.

Bagian yang tampak dari luar sebenarnya hanyalah ujung klitoris saja, sehingga berukuran kecil. Kelenjar ini berhubungan dengan crura (yang panjangnya sekitar 6 sampai 7 cm), yang juga berhubungan dengan tulang panggul. Tiga bagian inilah sesungguhnya yang disebut klitoris.

Bila seorang perempuan terangsang secara seksual, klitoris akan membengkak dan menjadi tegang. Perempuan akan menikmati orgasme dengan rangsangan langsung maupun tidak langsung pada klitorisnya. Saat intercourse dengan pasangan, bagian inilah yang harus mendapat perhatian ekstra. Saat ingin melakukan 'swalayan' atau bermasturbasi, perempuan bisa merangsang klitoris dengan jari.

Agar tak ada gangguan, carilah tempat yang tenang, sehingga Anda dapat santai dan sekaligus berkonsentrasi menikmati sensasi.

Mulailah dengan membayangkan hal hal yang merangsang nafsu anda sambil menggosok-gosok klitoris. Cara ataupun intensitasnya bisa Anda sesuaikan dengan keinginan. Saat mulai terangsang, kemaluan Anda akan mulai basah. Sementara melakukan perangsangan pada klitoris, dalam waktu bersamaan Anda juga bisa merangsang puting buah dada.

Cobalah membuka penutup klitoris anda agar gosokan jari Anda makin terasa pada klitoris. Bacalah juga bacaan bacaan erotis untuk semakin melambungkan fantasi.

Cara lain untuk bermasturbasi adalah memanfaatkan pancuran air dari shower. Aturlah panas air serta tekanan semprotan sesuai selera Anda. Dimulai dengan semprotan dengan tekanan ringan, selanjutnya ditingkatkan. Makin keras semprotan air, makin terasa rangsangannya pada klitoris Anda.

Menjaga Kesehatan Vagina

Perempuan harus berhati-hati menjaga kebersihan organ kewanitaan. Sebab, masalah kebersihan bisa menjadi pintu masuk berbagai macam penyakit. Ada banyak hal yang harus diperhatikan:

1. Saat menstruasi, usahakan sesering mungkin mengganti pembalut. Darah yang keluar bisa menjadi media tumbuhnya kuman.
2. Sesudah berhubungan seks, bagian luar vagina sebaiknya selalu dibersihkan. Sebaiknya gunakan sabun pembersih khusus vagina. Jika perlu, gunakan cairan pembersih vagina bila memang ada infeksi di daerah kemaluan.
3. Saat membersihkan vagina, bilas dari arah depan ke belakang. Hal ini untuk menghindari terbawanya kuman dari anus ke vagina. Lebih baik gunakan air yang langsung ditadah dari keran biasa atau dengan keran semprot. Air yang terkumpul di ember atau bak mandi bisa saja terkontaminasi air kencing orang lain, spora, jamur, atau kuman.
4. Bila menggunakan kertas tisu, Anda harus hati-hati. Lendir dan air memang terserap, tetapi hendaknya diingat bahwa tidak semua tisu terjamin kualitasnya. Tisu yang terbuat dari serbuk kayu ada yang tercemar jamur kalau proses pembuatannya kurang baik.
5. Jaga organ intim agar tidak lembab setelah buang air kecil atau buang air besar. Bilas vagina sampai bersih, kemudian keringkan sebelum memakai celana dalam. Usahakan agar daerah kemaluan dan selangkangan selalu kering, lebih-lebih bagi yang bertubuh gemuk. Lingkungan yang lembab sangat disukai jamur.
6. Gantilah celana dalam sekurang-kurangnya dua sampai tiga kali sehari. Jangan biarkan celana basah atau lembab karena memberi peluang tumbuhnya jamur.
7. Sebaiknya tidak mengenakan celana terlalu ketat, berbahan nilon, jins, dan kulit. Pakai celana dalam berbahan katun yang menyerap keringat. Bila menggunakan panty liner, ganti setiap 2-3 jam.
8. Perempuan yang pernah melahirkan dan berhubungan seks, lakukan pap smear sekali setahun. Untuk mereka yang sudah menopause, lakukan 2-3 tahun sekali.
9. Jaga berat badan normal. Jangan sampai kegemukan karena menyebabkan vagina tertutup lipatan lemak sehingga lembab.

Friday 24 July 2009

The Unique Ngerebeg Ceremony

Hundreds of children, mostly of 3 to 15 years of age, gathered in the inner courtyard of Duwur Bingin Temple, in Tegalalang village on Wednesday (4/22/09). They dressed in traditional clothes some of them were bare-chested. They had painted their faces and bodies with colorful images and pattern and each of them carried a slender staff made from the branch of palm, decorated with colorful flowers and young coconut leaves. They are the participants of Ngerebeg ritual.

The Ngerebeg ritual began with distribution of deity’s blessing by magibung ritual (eating collectively); 6 to 8 participants formed a group, they sit together around a set of food and ate it together. After megibung, they lined up in front of the temple to receive purification ritual with sprinkling of holy water by the priest. Then the noisy procession of freakishly decorated children began to hit the street of Tegalalang village.

The screams of more than five hundreds children turned the quiet village into a wild hullabaloo. They paraded down the main street and stopped sometimes in front of temples to pay homage. The parents lined up on the side of the street, encouraging their children to scream and distributing refreshment to them. The procession lasted for three hours and ended up at Duwur Bingin temple.
Ngerebeg ritual is a preliminary ritual for the anniversary ceremony of Duur Bingin Temple. This ritual enacts the journey of Duwur Bingin Deity’s vassals. The children represent Panjak hana-tan hana (exist-non exist vassal). Panjak hana-tan hana refers to various supernatural beings, range from the Bhuta Kala (spirits of Nature) to the Wong Samar (human-like residents of isolated gorges and deep jungles). This ritual serves to purify the village through the noisy parade of scary-looking children it is believed that supernatural beings will be pacified so they will not disrupt the upcoming temple anniversary ceremony.

Masalah Seputar Organ Intim

Karena sensitif, organ intim wanita perlu diperhatikan lebih seksama. Berikut ini jawaban atas pertanyaan seputar masalah kesehatan organ intim yang kerap melanda.

A. Keputihan bisa sembuh?
Keputihan, atau Fluor Albus, sering menimpa wanita. Penyebabnya bisa karena infeksi jamur, bakteri, atau virus. Jika tidak segera diobati, keputihan dapat menjalar ke daerah saluran kencing. Jika keputihan sudah menyababkan nyeri di daerah saluran kemih, segera ke dokter.

Bagaimana bakteri dan jamur masuk ke dalam vagina?
1. Kurang bersih
Kebersihan usai buang air kecil atau besar, sangat mutlak. Terlebih jika Anda buang air kecil atau besar di toilet umum. Bersihkan vagina dengan cairan khusus dengan kadar keasaman yang sama dengan vagina. Jangan bersihkan dengan sabun mandi biasa, karena tingkat keasamannya tinggi, karena akan membuat bakteri yang menguntungkan pada vagina mati.
2. Pakaian dalam lembap
Pakaian dalam yang lembap, akan memancing bakteri dan jamur hinggap. Bakteri dan jamur pun akan bersinggungan dengan vagina. Jangan memakai celana dalam dari bahan nilon (yang mengandung karet), karena tidak dapat menyerap keringat di daerah genital. Pakai pakaian dalam dari bahan katun yang dapat menyerap keringat dengan baik.
3. Bersih usai berhubungan
Tidak langsung membersihkan vagina setelah berhubungan seks. Usai bermesraan, segeralah buang air kecil dan membersihkannya dengan air, lalu keringkan hingga tidak lembap.
4. Memakai celana ketat
Celana panjang ketat, seperti jins, dapat menghambat sirkulasi darah di daerah vagina, perut, dan selangkangan. Hal ini juga akan memicu sekresi (pengeluaran cairan) berlebih karena terhambanya peredaran darah.

Tips:
1. Jangan digaruk, karena akan menyebabkan lecet dan perih.
2. Membersihkan dengan air rebusan daun sirih juga bisa menyembuhkan keputihan. Ambil kurang lebih 5 lembar daun sirih, lalu rebus hingga matang. Diamkan air sampai hangat, lalu segera gunakan.
3. Jika keputihan sudah dalam tingkat patologis, cepat ke dokter.

B. Kenapa Banyak Cairan?
Jika Anda stres, kelelahan, atau usai melahirkan, hormon Anda berubah tidak stabil. Hal ini akan memicu cairan pada vagina menjadi tidak terkontrol. Akibatnya, banyak pasangan mengeluhkan dampaknya terhadap hubungan seks. Untuk mengatasinya, coba bebera cara ini:

1. Totok vagina
Cara ini adalah dengan cara menekan titik-titik syaraf yang berhubungan dengan syaraf vagina. Gunanya adalah untuk membuat aliran darah menjadi lancar (tidak ada penyumbatan) dan menguatkan otot-otot di daerah panggul. Jika aliran darah lancar, maka cairan pada vagina pun keluar dengan normal, tidak berlebihan. Dan, jika otot-otot panggul kuat, maka kehidupan seksual Anda pun semakin berkualitas. Totok vagina biasanya dilakukan oleh orang yang sudah ahli.

2. Pengasapan atau V fogging (ratus)
Ratus kerap dilakukan perempuan jaman dulu. Caranya, dengan membakar rempah-rempah wangi di wadah yang disebut anglo. Guna pengasapan adalah untuk mematikan bakteri, dan menjaga vagina tetap kering. Anda pun dapat melakukan sendiri di rumah, dengan membeli perlengkapan berupa, anglo, kursi rotan khusus, dan rempah wangi yang kini banyak dijual. Jangan terlalu sering melakukan ratus, cukup 2 minggu sekali. Jika terlalu sering, bakteri yang berguna bagi vagina jadi ikut mati. Hal ini malah akan membuat daya tahan vagina terhadap penyakit menjadi menurun.

3. Perawatan dari dalam
Minum jamu-jamuan juga layak dilirik. Misalnya ramuan berupa racikan kunyit, asam dan daun sirih. Diminum seminggu 2-3 kali. Jika ingin praktis, sudah ada, kok, jamu yang berbentuk pil. Tetapi ingat, konsumsilah jamu-jamuan yang sudah terdaftar secara resmi.

C. Vagina Terasa ‘Lebar’
Seusai melahirkan secara normal, biasanya para wanita merasakan vaginanya tidak terlalu ‘rapat’ lagi. Ini dikarenakan otot-otot daerah panggul melemah. Bagi Anda yang sudah lama menikah, juga akan merasakah dinding dan rongga vagina semakin ‘lebar’. Untuk menguatkan kembali otot-otot daerah panggul, dan merapatkan dinding vagina, ada dua cara yang bisa Anda lakukan, yaitu:

1. Senam Kegel. Tujuannya untuk menguatkan otot panggul pubococcygeus (PC). Senam yang ditemukan oleh Dr. Arnold Kegel, dulu bertujuan untuk wanita yang tidak bisa menahan pipis. Karena gerakan-gerakannya menyebabkan otot-otot panggul kuat kembali, senam ini dianggap bagus juga untuk merapatkan vagina untuk kenikmatan seks. Gerakan senam ini seperti sedang menahan pipis. Sebaiknya dilakukan setiap hari, pagi, siang dan malam, masing-masing 15-20 menit. Jika dilakukan setiap waktu, maka otot-otot akan menguat lebih lama.

2. Minum jamu. Resep yang biasa dipakai para perempuan jaman dulu untuk “merapatkan” organ intim adalah campuran dari beberapa lembar daun sirih, buah gambir, irisan kulit pinang muda, dan kapur sirih secukupnya. Bahan-bahan tersebut dicampur jadi satu dan direbus sampai mendidih. Lalu, diamkan sampai hangat, dan siap diminum. Minumlah setiap pagi.

Ronaldo Akan Bintangi Film Tentang Pengungsi Palestina

Bintang sepak bola terkenal asal Brazil - Ronaldo akan memerankan dirinya sendiri dalam sebuah film Iran yang diambil dari sebuah kisah nyata dari seorang gadis Palestina yang terbunuh, sebelum dirinya dapat mewujudkan impiannya bertemu dengan bintang sepak bola idolanya tersebut.

Film ini terinspirasi dari kisah nyata seorang gadis berumur 13 tahun bernama Alneyrab - yang memimpikan bertemu dengan bintang sepak bola terkenal Ronaldo selama kunjungannya dalam sebuah misi kemanusiaan pada tahun 2005 ke wilayah pengungsian Palestina, namun ia hanya dapat melihat bintang sepak bola pujaannya itu dari jauh.

Dia meninggal dalam sebuah kamp pengungsian warga Palestina di Libanon selatan setelah kehilangan satu kakinya akibat menginjak ranjau darat yang ditebarkan Israel tanpa bisa mewujudkan impiannya bertemu dengan bintang idolanya itu.

Ronaldo bintang sepak bola dunia yang mendapat penghargaan selama tiga kali berturut-turut telah menandatangani kontrak awal untuk pembuatan film ini, agen dari Ronaldo mengatakan kepada situs Brazilian Sports - Globo. Namun Ronaldo masih harus mendapatkan ijin dari klubnya untuk keterlibatannya dalam film tersebut.

Ronaldo akan tampil di film ini dalam beberapa adegan 'mimpi', kata Farrokh Faradji Chadan, presiden dari komite kerjasama Brazil-Iran.

Film Iran ini sampai sekarang belum memiliki judul.

Pembuatan film ini akan dimulai pada awal September di Libanon, dimana Ronaldo hanya perlu menghabiskan beberapa hari suting saja, Ronaldo sendiri tidak menjelaskan berapa banyak bayaran yang akan ia terima dalam pembuatan film "kemanusiaan" ini.

Dia akan berada di Palestina pada September nanti dengan klub sepak bolanya Corinithians untuk bermain dalam sebuah pertandingan persahabatan melawan klub sepakbola Brazil lainnya - Fluminese. Tim sepak bolanya jauh-jauh hari telah menolak untuk bermain melawan tim sepak bola di Israel.

Ronaldo sebelumnya telah mengunjungi Israel dan tepi barat pada tahun 2005 sebagai duta kemanusiaan PBB.

Yah mudah-mudahan dengan keterlibatannya dalam film ini, Ronaldo bisa mendapat Hidayah untuk masuk Islam..Amiin.(fq/aby)

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Monday 31 August 2009

MP3 LAGU DANGDUT

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Wednesday 5 August 2009

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Pemerintah Harus Blak-blakan Soal Pajak Progresif Mobil

AS Miliki Ikatan Tua dengan Islam

Monday 3 August 2009

Essential Bali

Peringatan Dini Cuaca Ekstrem di Indonesia

Sunday 2 August 2009

Gunung Kerinci Surga yang Tercampakkan ke Bumi

Saturday 25 July 2009

Teknik Perangsangan Klitoral

Menjaga Kesehatan Vagina

Friday 24 July 2009

The Unique Ngerebeg Ceremony

Masalah Seputar Organ Intim

Ronaldo Akan Bintangi Film Tentang Pengungsi Palestina

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