This site basically has two different kinds of buildings: the sacred and the profane. According to the Abayagiri Wihara inscription found on the site, dating from the Caka year 714, or 792 A.C., the Boko Palace is a Buddhist monastery built by Tejahpurnapana Panamkarana. The evidence is strengthened by the findings of stupas, gold plates with inscriptions of Buddhist mantra and Bodhisattva statues. Archeologists also believed that the Ratu Boko site was a once a palace belonging to the Anchient Mataram dinasty. It is also mentioned in the epic of Balaputradewa, a Buddhist king of the dinasty, who built a hilltop fortress in an attempt of defense against the attack of Rakai Pikatan.

Although there is a strong indication that the Ratu Boko temple is of Buddhist origin, there is interesting and controversial evidence of Hindu remains in the form of lingga, yoni, Ganesha, and Durga Mahissasuramardini. According to the Pereng inscriptions, of 856 A.C., the complex was a palace of local Hindu ruler called Rakai Walaing Pu Kumbhayani. Thus, the function of the complex is so far undiscovered, and a short visit will only give a glance. We recommended sparing time to visit the following sites.

Alun-alun. One of the ruins is a site called alun-alun (town squre). Following the path leading to the site, you will notice foundations of large white stones at its left. The site has a pair of entrance gates (gapura) of andesite. The first has three doors and the second, behind several stone steps, has five. The alun-alun is composed of two squares, measuring 170x20m each and surrounded by a 1,5m-wide pit. On the stone terraces you can see a group of plinths in neat formation, indicating that there was once a pillared building on top, perhaps a pendopo (reception hall). Not far from the plinths there is a brick-and-cement well built by locals, preserved to indicate that the location of the alun-alun was in the recent past inhabited.

Crematory Temple. On the vast ground, you will see a tall platform, bordered by steps, surrounded by parapets and equipped with a basin of white stones. This construction measures 25x10m at the base and 1.5m in height. It functioned as a crematorium for the dead, as practice in the hindu tradition.

Audience Hall. To visit the ruins of the palace, you have to continue to the right (west), through the Dawung village. The site is constructed of two rectangular esplanades of 20x25m, a meter in height, made of andesite rocks. These are thought to once function as a waiting room before an audience with the king. About 10m to the south lies another door in ruin and half destroyed, which is thought to be part of the entourage of the Ratu Boko palace.

Pendopo. To the south of the paseban, through a bit of a teak forest, we will face a pendopo (audience hall) surrounded by a high rock fence of white and andesite rock with three entrance gates. The 40mx30m rectangle of stone blocks retains the plinths of the pillars of a wooden construction it used to support. A part of its floor has larger rocks, which indicates where the wood pillars once stood. The structure has waterspouts, or jaladwaras, outside its fence. Inside the fence there are two separated rooms: Batur Pendopo (10x10m) and Batur Pringgitan (4x10m), connected by a narrow opening with a downward flight of steps.

Miniatur Temple. At the west of the pendopo fence there is an altar of 10x10m with three little gates at one side. The gates, standing side by side, are not higher than 1m and symbolize the three Hindu goods: Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu. The building is often called the miniature temple and is thought to function as a place of worship.

Keputren Pool (Princess' Bath). The most intersting element of the Ratu Boko complex is located at its eastern side, consisting of a group of pool called Keputren (literlly “ladies’ quarters”); some of them still contain water. Some of the pools are cavities dug into the white rocks and lime while others are rectangular pool, sometimes with kala-ornamented gates. You will have a better view stepping onto one of the platforms boerdering them. Fragments of sculputures and bas-reliefs can be found around the pools: elephants, birds, and snakes. Near the bath, stupas are visible; some whole and ithers in ruin. It was here that the Bodhisattva statue, now kept at the Office of Archeologaical Services, was found.

The Lanang and Wadon Caves. To the south of the complex there are two artificial caves called Lanang (male) and Wadon (female). The white-stone Lanang cave, the one situated higher, is larger (about 3m long). The names of these caves come from the discovery of, respectively, a lingga and a yoni inside of them. The caves, until today a place of meditation and contemplation, are eqiupped with a well for washing before prayers. Men will meditate in the Lanang cave and women in the Wadon.

The complex of Ratu (King) Boko site is popularly believed to be royal palace of a king who had the habit of eating human flesh. The habit started in his infancy, when his mother cut herself during cooking. Tasting the blood in the food, he found it so delicious he developed a penchant. As an adult and a king, he sent one soldier every day to find a human prey. If the soldier failed, the king would devour him. The people were terrorized and fled to the neighboring kingdom Pengging, whose king of Pengging tried to find a solution and finally decided to send his son Bandung Bondowoso to fight Boko. After an insight from God and a ferocious battle of ten days, Bandung defeated Ratu Boko.

Source: Situs-Situs Marjinal Jogja (Sanctuaires Retrouvés/ Sites Out of Sight) - M. Rizky Sasono, Jean-Pascal Elbaz, Agung 'Leak' Kurniawan (Enrique indonesia, Yogyakarta: 1997).

This temple overhangs that of Banyunibo, thus you have to follow the same directions: on the Jogjakarta-Solo highway, at the Prambanan intersection, turn right (south) to the direction of Piyungan. After 3km, you will find a signpost indicating the direction of the Banyunibo, Barong, and Ratu Boko temples. Follow the direction to the Cepit hamlet, Bokoharjo village, Prambanan district. The Barong temple is on top of a 200m-high hill.

The site is comprised of two separate terraces. The first terrace is empty, with its sides bordered by stones that are thought to once support a wooden construction. On the second terrace stand the two temples called Barong or “Sari Sosro Gedug”. Uniquely, the two temples are almost identical and both have no entrance. Each side shows similarity in decorative pattern and variations. Each of the temple bodies sits on a base of three steps, and has four niches, one on every side. Every niche, decorated by a makara motif in the form of barong is believed to once house a statue. The temple’s roof is of three ornamented tiers resembling those on the Ijo temple.

Based on the form and types of decorative patterns and the findings of Sri and Laksmi statues, it is believed that this temple is of Hindu origin and was built in the IXth century. These marvelously located temples must have been much revered and were part of a sacred complex of terraces of which they were the crowns.

From afar the Barong temple resembles a twin building because of its similar main temples. There is a serene view of the valley at the south and west of the temple, with blocks of yellow and green rice fields. To the southwest, the dark, tiny Banyunibo temple is visible.

At 50m to the north of the Barong temple lies the Dawangsari site, which is an array of andesite stones sprawled at the plane of the hill. The blocks of rocks are poor in motifs and decorations. It is thought that the site was part of a destroyed stupa. The Dawangsari site seems to be Buddhist, although situated near the Hindu temple of Barong.

The temle is called Barong because of the Barong head ornament on the entrance gate of the complex. According to the locals, remnants of accessories and decorative objects, incuding an inscription on gold plate, were found in the main temples at the beginning of the restoration.

Source: Situs-Situs Marjinal Jogja (Sanctuaires Retrouvés/ Sites Out of Sight) - M. Rizky Sasono, Jean-Pascal Elbaz, Agung 'Leak' Kurniawan (Enrique indonesia, Yogyakarta: 1997).

Selain dibedakan atas warna, kain yang digunakan untuk bahan dan perlengkapan busana prajurit juga menggunakan motif tertentu, diantaranya batik, lurik, atau cindhe.

Batik digunakan oleh para Manggala, Wadana Ageng, Pandhega (Bupati enem), Panewu Bugis juga mengenakan kain batik. Prajurit lain yang mengenakan adalah Surakarsa dan Miji Jager.

Penggunaan batik (yang rumit dan relatif mahal dibanding dengan kain polos) untuk para pimpinan menunjukkan adanya hirarki secara simbolik. Kain batik dengan ragam hiasnya yang bervariasi tersebut memiliki lebih banyak makna daripada sekedar kain polos.

Lurik dikenakan sebagai baju luar untuk pasukan-pasukan Jagakarya, Ketanggung, Mantrijero, Miji Jager, Patangpuluh, dan Langenastra, baik untukLurah Parentah maupun untuk Prajurit Jajar.

Kain lurik bukanlah kain semahal batik dan filosofisnya juga tidak sesarat kain batik. Kain ini cenderung digunakan untuk pakaian sehari-hari seperti surjan atau pranakan. Oleh karena itu, makna kain ini cenderung kepada kesederhanaan, kesetiaan dan kejujuran.

Motif lurik yang digunakan sebagai pakaian seragam prajurit kraton dinamakan Lurik Ginggang yang berarti renggang karena antara lajur warna yang sama diisi oleh lajur warna yang lain. Namun makna yang lebih dalam lagi adalah kesetiaan prajurit kepada rajanya, serta hubungan antar prajurit jangan sampai ada kerenggangan.

Warna lurik yang mendekati abu-abu (abu = awu Jw.) melambangkan kasih sayang dan restu raja terhadap prajurit laksana abu yang tidak dapat dibakar api. Meskipun demikian, terdapat motif lurik yang berbeda di antara pasukan-pasukan tersebut. Dalam hal ini, perbedaan motif dapat dianggap bermakna indentitas.

Motif cindhe digunakan untuk celana panji-panji, lonthong (misalnya untuk manggala, prajurit Ketanggung, prajurit Patangpuluh, dan prajurit Mantrijero), serta bara (misalnya untuk Manggala, Prajurit Patangpuluh, Mantrijero).

Cindhe sendiri merupakan motif tekstil pengaruh dari India. Penggunaan motif ini dapat bermakna teknis sebagai aksen dari kain-kain polos dan batik. Motif ini biasanya berdasar warna merah. Penggunaan warna ini cenderung kepada makna keberanian yang disandang oleh para prajurit.

Sumber : Buku Prajurit Kraton Yogyakarta, Filososfi dan Nilai Budaya yang Terkandung di dalamnya, Dinas Pariwisata dan Kebudayaan Yogyakarta, 2008.

The Watugudig site is located 2km to the south of the Prambanan, at the Watugudig hamlet, village of Bokoharjo, Prambanan district. To reach it, turn right (south) at the Prambanan junction on the Jogjakarta-Solo highway, going to the direction of Piyungan for 2km. At the foot of the hill of Ratu Boko there is a litte road turning right with signpost indicating the site. The location is 50m from the road.

Watugudig is a group of umpak or pole sitting with variuos dimensions, the largest being 80cm in diameter. This group of umpaks is made of andesite rocks, scaterred on an area of about 200m sq. The form of umpak is like a Javanese gong, with a protruding part in the middle. There are about 40 umpaks, and it is thought that there are still many others burried.
From the spreading of the umpaks, it is likely that the place was a pendopo (hall) with wooden pillar and roof, which are now vanished. Fro the similarty of pattern on the umpaks found in near locations, these are believed to date from the VIIIth-IXth century, at the epoch of the Ratu Boko palace.

Watugudig means “wound stones”, reffering to the stones’ abscess-resembling appearance. The locals believe that they are the ruins of a resting place for the King Boko of the nearby palace.

Source: Situs-Situs Marjinal Jogja (Sanctuaires Retrouvés/ Sites Out of Sight) - M. Rizky Sasono, Jean-Pascal Elbaz, Agung 'Leak' Kurniawan (Enrique indonesia, Yogyakarta: 1997).

From Jogjakarta, take the highway that goes to Solo, then turn rigt (to the south) at the Prambanan intersction to the direction of Piyungan. After three kilometers you will find a signpost indicating the temples of Banyunibo, Barong, and Ratu Boko. Take the left (east) turn anf follow the directions to the Cepit hamlet, Bokoharjo village. The temple stands in the middle of rice fields, 150m to the hills. It is accessible by most kinds of public transport, especially the bus, from Jogjakarta: get off at the Prambanan intersection and take a minibus to the direction of Piyungan until the Barong intersection; you can walk remaining 1.5km or take a motorbike-taxi (ojek). A fee is collected upon entrance.

From after the Banyunibo temple resembles a small dark building among puzzle pieces of rice fields. Light in dimensions (15.3x14.25m at the base, 15.3m in height), the temple is harmonious in form. There is a watersout (jaladwra) on each corner of the temple. The north, east, and south sides of the temple’s main sanctuary have niches that must have housed statues, which have never been found. The outside walls are decorated with Buddhist notifs representing the Dhyanis Budha (Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, and Vairochana). Six secondary temples in the form of stupas, not yet reconstructed, stand to the east and the south of the main temple.

From the style of its statues and its architecture, this temple is believed to date from the IXth century and is of the Buddhist origin although found near Hindu fragments. 100m from the temple, on the plateau, villagers find walls of white stone across which they make openings. Half of the houses in the village seenm to be built on archeological remains.

Like all others sacred places, Banyunibo is often used as a place of meditation and contemplation. The name of Banyunibo means ‘dripping water’. It is said that once there was a river carrying gold that ran from the top of the hill. The keeper of the temple, Bapak Kardi, told that many of the village’s elder had heard that the river running from the Boko hill and crosses the Banyunibo hill carried gold. Mediums have often ‘seen’ an immense mass of gold under the temple.

Source: Situs-Situs Marjinal Jogja (Sanctuaires Retrouvés/ Sites Out of Sight) - M. Rizky Sasono, Jean-Pascal Elbaz, Agung 'Leak' Kurniawan (Enrique indonesia, Yogyakarta: 1997).

This temple is located in the Candi Sari hamlet, village of Tirtomartani, Kalasan district. It is very easy to reach this passionate site, whether or not you have a vehicle. It is exactly on the 15th km of the jogjakarta-Solo highway, at the left (north) side of the road in front of a restaurant (Ayam Goreng), just after a telecommunication office. The temple is 50m from the street. A fee is collected at the entrance.

The restoration of this temple, taking place in the 1929-1930, succeeded to bring back its splendor. Situated near Candi Kalasan and also of Buddhist origin, it is agreed to be of the same age (between the VIIIth and IXth century). Its architecture, however, is completely different. Rectangular in base (17.3x30m), the 17m-tall edifice of andesite is constituted of three cells divided i two tiers by what used to be a wooden plank (the spot of the beams are still visible). The presence of the upper tiers and tracers of use indicated that the temple was a place abode. It is often presented as a Buddhist monastery that is part of a larger complex. The base of the building, as well as the doors, has disappeared, and the roof, although damaged, retains three stupas and numerous niches decorated with kala-makara.

Windows are built around the temple, with the exeption of the west side because of the Buddha and Bodhisattva statues (unfortunately gone, but the footings remain) that must have stood on the three cells. The temple is decorated with talent: there are 36 large figures (12 on the west and 8 on the other three sides) represented in relief on the exterior walls, still covered with stucco (vajralepa), but some of the figures are difficult to recognize: half-gods, Naga kings, masculine and feminine divinities following the Tribangga rules, some of which are reminiscent of Tara, the bodhisattva consecrated at Kalasan. Notice the Kinara-Kinari (bird-angles) near the windows and the elephant friezes at each side of the door, also the two guardian statues of Dwarpala and Gupala at the entry.

It is said that temple, or the sanctuary to be exact, was inhabited by two women, Nyai Copati and Nyai Nyowati, who guard it against human and natural destruction. Visitors from places like Jogjakarta, Solo, Boyolali bring offerings of flowers and incenses for the two guardians.

Source: Situs-Situs Marjinal Jogja (Sanctuaires Retrouvés/ Sites Out of Sight) - M. Rizky Sasono, Jean-Pascal Elbaz, Agung 'Leak' Kurniawan (Enrique indonesia, Yogyakarta: 1997).