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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Prambanan temple is located some 17 kilometers from Yogyakarta. One can not miss the temple because it is only 100 meters off the main road.
This 47 high hindu Temple was built by Sanjaya Dynasty in the 9th century. It consists of three courtyard. The main temple is located in the inner courtyard and surrounded by several small temples called "Perwara" temples. Some of these were contributed by local chieftains as a token of their acquiescence to the king.
As a Hindu temple, the main temple has three shrines, dedicated to the Hindu Trinity; Çiwa, Whisnu and Brahma. Each of this shrines facing to smaller shrines for their vehicles. The cow Nandi is the vehicle of Çiwa, the destroyer god; the eagle Garuda is the vehicle of Whisnu, the creator god, and the swan Angsa is the vehicle of Brahma, the guardian god.
Entering the main temple from the north, one will find a statue of a very beautiful princess, Roro Jonggrang. According to the legend, Roro Jonggrang was the daughter of King Boko who was cursed into a statue. The legend says that a young powerful man named Bandung Bondowoso wants to marry Roro Jonggrang. Since she does not love him, Roro Jonggrang tries to avoid the marriage by asking Bandung Bondowoso a present. She will marry him if Bandung Bondowoso is really a powerful man. Bandung Bondowoso is required to build a thousand temples in one night. Having supernatural power, Bandung Bondowoso was almost successfully finishing the task. But Roro Jonggrang still tries to prevent the good work. She ask the maidens east of the village of the temples to burn the hay and pound the rice, so that cause the situation like dawn and time for sunrise. When the cock began to crow, all the supernatural being flee because they think the dawn has come. Being unable to control his anger, Bandung Bondowoso curses Roro Jonggrang into a statue that now complete the temple.
Relief depicting the heavenly creatures was carving around the food of the Çiwa temple symbolizing the cosmic system. Entering the temple from the south and walking around the sub base of the temple with the main shrine on your right (Pradaksina) one will see the whole relief of the story of Ramayana. The story ends at the relief carved on the balustrade of Brahma temple. The story of Kresnayana, which tells the childhood of Prabu Kresna, can be seen on the balustrade of Wishnu temple.
From May through to October, at full moon the story of Ramayana is usually presented in the evening from 07:30 pm to 09:00 pm. As a traditional dance, the dance is performed on an open-air stage to the west of the temple.
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