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ArchitectureMiniature Tower of Po Kluang Karai
The cornered miniature tower in the shape of lotus-bud is very popular during this period. This is the simplified form of the Chines-pagoda-liked cornered miniature tower, as exemplifiable at Canh Tien, in late Binh Dinh style. The lotus-bud-shaped cornered miniature tower indicates that the temple should be dated in the 13th century.
ArchitectureLibrary (?) of Po Kluang Karai
The so-called library at Po Kluang Karai is the rectangular building with the wagon roof, similar to Śālā tyle of Indian artecture. Started from My Son, this kind of building has been continued in the same form and also in the same cornered location.of the main tower. As the main temple is dated to the Later period, the library would be dated to the same period. The cornered miniature tower of the superstructure of the library is conceived in the form similar to Chinese pagoda, this form has been continued since Late Binh Dinh art.
ArchitecturePo Rome
This temple is the last tower in traditional Cham art. Several details of the Cham architectural articulation are now omitted, including the reduction of the number of pilasters. Formerly, it was five in number but Po Rome architects put merely two pilasters, specifically at the corners. However, the spear-liked pointed arch and the lotus-bud-like miniature corner towers are of the same characters as Po Kluang Karai
ArchitectureCandi Puntadeva
These temples closely resemble to those in South Indian art. The plan of the temple is characterized by the sanctum attached by the short porch. The body is divided by four pilasters into three parts, i.e. the central and the side projections. The superstructure comprises the superimposing miniature tiers (Tala) and the corner miniature temple (Hara). The step-like contour of the superstructure is similar to those in South Indian art. The central projection of Candi Puntadeva is decorated by the square frame whereas the corner projections are decorated by the pilasters and niches. These features indicate the further artistic development of this temple, being more complex than that at Candi Arjun
ArchitectureLowest base at Borobudur
Borobudur is conceived as Maṇḍala or the Mahayanist iconographic diagram. Therefore, the lowest base is conceived as Kāmabhūmi or the lowest realm of the universe in which the common people occupy. The story of defilements of common people in Kāmabhūmi has been narrated in the scripture named “Karmavibhanga” and these stories have been depicted in the narratives at the lowest base of Borobudur. The narratives, however, were hidden by the stone later added for strengthening the structure.
ArchitectureCircumambulatory path and narratives at Borobudur
The stupa comprises five multi-angled terraces, each of them provides the circumambulatory path and the narratives of Mahāyāna Buddhism. The themes of the narratives derive from several scriptures. The narratives at the lower terrace depict the stories from Lalitavistara, Jātaka and Avadāna while the upper 2nd-4th terraces depict the story form Gandhavyuhasūtra. Devotees who circumambulated the stupa would be able to be educated from these narratives. Moreover, these narratives are also the iconographic symbol of the cosmological program conceived at Borobudur.
ArchitectureCircular base with Stupas at Borobudur
The circular upper plain bases, devoid of any narrative, indicate the realm of formless, Arupabhumi. On these bases there exist the perforated Stupas inside which the statues of Vairochana in Dhamacakra gesture are enshrined. The perforated Stupas indicate the transition between the form and formlessness. The topmost solid Stupa represents the supreme Adi Buddha, the first Buddha of the cosmos, the immortal one, the timeless and the formless one, the original source of the whole Buddha in the universe as well as the world.
ArchitectureCandi Kalasan
Candi Kalasan is one of the first examples of the temple with five sanctum s during the Late Central Javanese Art. This kind of plan would be again repeated at Candi Sewu and Candi Parambanan. The five-sanctum plan had been popularized before in Pala of eastern India. The body of the temple is divided into three parts as before. However, the central offset becomes the projecting porch. The side offsets are decorated by the most beautiful Prasada niches. Though the superstructure is of south Indian fashion, the octagonal miniature tiers are of special character. The miniature towers that decorate the superstructure of the temple are topped by the Stupika, the miniature Stupa which becomes the typical character of this period.
