Ngawen Buddhist Temple - Indonesia

Address

Ngawen Buddhist Temple – Indonesia

Magelang Regency, Central Java,

Ngawen village, Muntilan sub-district,

Jawa Tengah 56415,

Indonesia

Moolavar

Buddha

Introduction

Ngawen (known locally as Candi Ngawen) is an 8th-century Buddhist temple compound in Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Located in Ngawen village, Muntilan sub-district, 6 km (3.7 mi) to the east of Mendut temple or 5 km (3.1 mi) to the south of Muntilan town center. Ngawen temple compound consists of five temples, however today only one is successfully reconstructed. Ngawen is thought to be connected with the other three Buddhist temples nearby — Mendut, Pawon and Borobudur — all of which were built during the Sailendra dynasty (8th–9th centuries).

Puranic Significance

The temple was made from andesite stone and built in typical Central Javanese candi temple architecture. The temple complex was built on site measures 3,556 square meters, sandwiched between a village and rice paddies. The temple complex consists of five temples creating a row of temples spanning north to south; two main temples and three perwara (ancillary) temples in between the main temples in alternating order. The temples are numbered according to their order from north to south; so temples no. 2 and 4 are larger main temples, while temples no. 1, 3 and 5 are ancillary smaller temples. Today, only northern main temple or temple number 2, was successfully reconstructed, the other four temples are still in ruins. The temple faces east and stands on a square base.

The outer walls of Ngawen main temple is carved with niches adorned with kala’s head and the heavenly scene. The niches are now empty; it probably once contains the statues of Bodhisattvas or taras. There is a headless stone statue of meditating Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava performing Varamudra stance inside the main square chamber. The roof section of is crowned with small ratnas pinnacles, however the upper parts of the roof is still missing, creating a gaping hole on top of the main chamber. The peculiar thing is the roof section was adorned with ratna and not a stupa.