Story of Bali, Indonesia

There are many divergencies in points of detail: for instance, niches on the outer side of the three walls of the temple other than that in which tile door is cut. Such niches, although not so deep, can be found on the sides of the step-like parts of the temple roof. In these niches sculptures are rare. The entrance to the shrine is often built. Out to wards the stairway, thus forming a kind of porch. And finally the construction of the whole monument in tile form of terraces or storey permits many variations in the degree to which these terraces recede. The decorations of the tjandis vary greatly both in content and in shape, but several common features occur. The ka1amakara ornament decorating the frame of the doors and niches, is very widespread. Above the door or recesses one finds the stylized head of a lion, kala linked by bands with two heads of animals from Indian mythology makara.

A tjandi, or sepulchral monument, consists in its simplest form of three parts: tile base which bears the temple proper is cubic the plan square. The temple forms a cube, and is smaller than the base, leaving a terrace for perambulation around the temple; the third part of the whole structure is the temple roof, gradually receding in steps towards the top on the exterior, whilst in the interior it forms the rising ceiling of the shrine.

In the tjandis in eastern Java we do find the kala head, but the makara figures are replaced by snakes, naga. In both cases they serve tile purpose of warding off demonic influences.

It must always be borne in mind that monuments of this type were originally intended to represent the celestial mountain, meru, the' abode of the gods; this idea is also reflected in the ornamentation. For this reason the lotus flower is generally found as a motif: according to Indian mythology, gods are born oil, of lotus flowers, upon which they are seated.

In conclusion it may be noted that there are both Buddhist as well as Hindu tjandis, whilst die ornamentation of certain temples was in influenced by the fusion of Weltanschauungtn mentioned above.

A tjandi, or sepulchral monument, consists in its simplest form of three parts: tile base which bears the temple proper is cubic the plan square. The temple forms a cube, and is smaller than the base, leaving a terrace for perambulation around the temple; the third part of the whole structure is the temple roof, gradually receding in steps towards the top on the exterior, whilst in the interior it forms the rising ceiling of the shrine.

This is the most simple form, but there are innumerable variations, retaining this same basic form. A projection may be added to every side of tile three parts of the three part of the building. The plan has thus twenty corners instead of four, but is still square. In tire case of the larger tjandis, this is the common form.

Please access this web site for more Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and all Indonesia Hotels bali lombok yogyakarta jakartahotels- and Indonesian Holidays Information, hotels and travel reservation indonesia hotels travel holidays