Lonely Planet author George Dunford sums up Edinburgh. More Europe than Britain probably because of the month-long Edinburgh Arts Festival every August, the city is sophisticated Scotland. Pub culture is the backbone of society, making it easy to meet the locals. Try scotch or hand-made Real Ale but steer clear of football in conversation until you find out which team they go for! Produced by Lonely Planet TV
Sangit Desh performing an ambient arrangement of Borobudur by Sri Chinmoy at the Sacred Songs concert in Vasa, Finland June 13th 2010. Borobudur is a an impressive ancient monument in Indonesia dedicated to the Lord Buddha. Vocals: Premananda, Hridananda Keyboard: Jigyasu Get the words and sheet music here: www.srichinmoysongs.com
Prambanan temple, the most beautiful Hindu Temple in South East Asia was constructed in the tenth century at the height of the Sanjaya Empire in West Java. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters higher than Borobudur temple), Prambanan is reminiscence of Hinduism’s triumph and influence in South East Asia. The Complex comprises of three main temples, dedicated to Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva, the great trinity or Trimurti, which is the Hinduism concept of creator, preserver and destroyer. Shiva temple, the highest is located in the middle of the complex. There is a statue of Shiva in the main hall, while the other three halls contain the statues of Durga (Shiva’s wife), Agastya (Shiva’s teacher), and Ganesha (Shiva’s son). The statue of Durga is said to be Roro Jonggrang, a princess in Javanese folklore. A Garuda temple is located near Vishnu Temple dedicated to the mystical bird of the Hindu mythology. Both Indonesia and Thailand uses the bird as the symbols for their country. There are many panels of bas relief at the main temples depicting scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana. This UNESCO World heritage site was damaged by an earthquake on 27 May 2006 and is in constant danger of collapse due to its close proximity to the volcano Mt Merapi.
Margajebat and Ferry trying to trace the relief of keris carved in candi Borobudur. Borobudur was built by King Samaratungga, one of the kings of Old Mataram Kingdom, the descendant of Sailendra dynasty. Based on Kayumwungan inscription, an Indonesian named Hudaya Kandahjaya revealed that Borobudur was a place for praying that was completed to be built on 26 May 824, almost one hundred years from the time the construction was begun. The name of Borobudur, as some people say, means a mountain having terraces (budhara), while other says that Borobudur means monastery on the high place. Borobudur is constructed as a ten-terraces building. The height before being renovated was 42 meters and 34.5 meters after the renovation because the lowest level was used as supporting base. The first six terraces are in square form, two upper terraces are in circular form, and on top of them is the terrace where Buddha statue is located facing westward. Each terrace has beautiful relief panels showing how skillful the sculptors were. In order to understand the sequence of the stories on the relief panels, you have to walk clockwise from the entrance of the temple. The relief panels tell the legendary story of Ramayana. Besides, there are relief panels describing the condition of the society by that time; for example, relief of farmers’ activity reflecting the advance of agriculture system and relief of sailing boat representing the advance of navigation in Bergotta (Semarang).All relief …