Ijo temple (Candi Ijo) – Indonesia

Address

Ijo temple (Candi Ijo) – Indonesia

Groyokan hamlet, Sambirejo village,

Kecamatan Prambanan, Sleman Regency,

Yogyakarta 55572, Indonesia

Moolavar

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Introduction

Ijo temple (Candi Ijo) is) located 4 kilometers from Ratu Boko or around 18 kilometers east from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The temple was built between 10th to 11th centuries CE during the Mataram Kingdom period. The temple compound is located in Groyokan hamlet, Sambirejo village, Kecamatan Prambanan, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. The temple’s name derived from its location, the Gumuk Ijo hill.

Puranic Significance

Temple compound

The temple compound is estimated to span west to east according to hill’s topography; from the foot hill in the west ascending to the main temple on the higher ground on the hill. The temple compound consists of several terraces. On the western part some temple ruins were discovered, most of them are being excavated. It was estimated that more than 10 Perwara or lesser temples ruins are still buried in this terraces.

Perwara temples

The main temple compound located on the uppermost terrace consists of a large main temple facing west and three perwara temples on front of it facing east. The three perwara temples were meant to honor Trimurti, the three highest gods in Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All of these three temples having cella or room and there are windows perforated in the rhombus shape. The roof is arranged in three stages adorned with rows of ratnas.

Main temple

The main temple has square ground plan. The entrance into the garbhagriha (main room) is located on west side, flanked with two false windows, or niches adorned with kala-makara decoration. On the north, east, and southern walls there are three niches on each side also adorned in kala-makara style. The center niche is slightly higher than other two flanking niches. These niches are now empty, probably these niches once contains murti (statues).

Inside the main chamber there is a large linga and yoni adorned with naga serpent. The union of phallic linga and yoni symbolize the cosmic sacred union between Shiva and Parvati as his shakti. There are three niches on each sides of inner wall in the room, each niches flanked with a pair of devata, lesser gods and goddesses flying toward the niches.

The roof of main temple is arranged in three ascending terraces decreased in size to the top forming stepped pyramid. On each side there are 3 ratnas on each step, a larger ratna crowning the roof. On the margin between temple body and the roof adorned with floral patterns and gana (dwarf). On the edge of the roof there are antefixes with floral frames, inside the antefix there are images of gods bust with hand position holding flowers.