Prambanan Apit temple, Indonesia

Address

Prambanan Apit temple, Taman Wisata Candi Prambanan, Jl. Candi Sewu, Kranggan, Bokoharjo, Kec. Prambanan, Kabupaten Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55572, Indonesia

Diety

Amman: Sarasvati

Introduction

Apit temple is a 9th-century temple located within the complex of the Prambanan Temple Archaeological Park, in Central Java, Indonesia. Apit temple and smaller shrines, Between these rows of the main temple, on the north and south side, stand two Candi Apit temples. Apit in Javanese means “flank”. It refers to the position of the two temples that flanked the inner courtyard on the north and south sides. The room inside the Apit temples is now empty. It is not clear to which deities these Apit temples were dedicated. However, examining the southern Apit temple bas-reliefs on the outer wall, a female deity is depicted, most probably Sarasvati, the Shakti (consort) of Brahma. Considering the Hindu pantheon represented in Prambanan temples, it is possible that the southern Apit temple was dedicated to Sarasvati, while the northern Apit temple was dedicated to Lakshmi.