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ArchitectureCandi Sewu
The main temple of Candi Sewu is laid in cruciform plan, similar to Candi Kalasan and Candi Parambanan. The main temple composes of five chambers, with the central sanctum and the other ones at the cardinal directions. This reminds us of Paharpur temple in India, Early Pala art. This kind of plan , extremely popular during the later phase of Central Javanese art, was designed for enshrining Dhyāni Buddha in accordance with the iconographic program. There is an archaeological report yield the data that there was a curly hair discovered from the temple. This testifies that the temple used to be the temple for huge Buddha image, now lost. The superstructure of the temple comprises several miniature stupas, typical to Central Javanese art.
ArchitectureBody of the main Tower: Candi Sewu
During the later period of Central Javanese art, the house of Śailendra still patronized several Buddhist temples. These temples locate at Klaten, between Yogyakarta and Solo.
ArchitectureSubsidiary Tower: Candi Sewu
The complex of Candi Sewu is very complicate as it comprises the main temple and numerous surrounding subsidiary towers. The complex of Candi Sewu is therefore conceived as Maṇḍala-liked diagram in which the abodes of Buddha and Bodhisattva are allotted in the specific directions. The name “Candi Sewu’, literally means one thousand temple s, derives from this complexity, even though the actual numbers of the subsidiary towers are 240. The origination of this complexity should be the cloisters of Vihāra, the residential units, in Indian art, as exemplifiable at Paharpur in Bangladesh. However, the subsidiary towers at Candi Sewu are detached from each other, unlike the Indian prototype. The spire of these temples is ornamented with miniature stupas. On the top there is the stupa in bigger size attached in every direction by the cloisters of miniature stupas. The complexity of the superstructure decoration is unique for the later phase of Central Javanese Art.
ArchitectureCandi Parambanan
It is believed that the Hindu temple during this period was constructed in order to dedicate to the mortal king. After the cremation, the part of the mortal remain of the deceased kings would be scattered in the sea and then the rest would be embedded under the pedestal of the statue in order to deify the mortal. Presumably, Parambanan was functioned for this ceremony.
ArchitectureShiva Temple: Candi Parambanan
Shiva temple is the loftiest temple in the complex. The cruciform plan with five sanctums indicates the continuation of the same plan from the Mahayanist temples which was now adjusted to Hinduism. The central sanctum is dedicated to Shiva, the south one to Agastaya, the west one to Ganesha and the north one to Mahishasuramardani. At the base exists several statues of the deities of eight directions. Stylistically, the temple is considered to be the most developed style in Javanese art. The body is divided into 2 tiers. The superstructure is complicate as it is in cruciform plan, similar to the body. The miniature temple decorated at the superstructure is notable as they are capped by the fluted Amalaka-liked Stupika which seems to be related to the north Idnian Amalaka.
SculptureRamayana Narrative at Candi Prambanan
Unlike Borobudur, the narrative at Candi Parambanan is characterized by the background filled with motif and vegetation. The devoid of space in Parambanan narrative is noticeable and this is precursor towards the same trend in Eastern Javanese art. The volume of each figure is however still shaped and the face of these figures is still front-facing which is still traceable to Indian art.
SculptureRamayana Narrative at Candi Prambanan
Narratives at Candi Prambana have developed from those at Burobudo that is space is filled with natural patterns such as mountains and trees. This tendency is called by H.M. Subhahdaradis as “ the anti-enpty space”, which gets closer to the east Java art. Although some features are close to the east Java art, the human chracters are still round and volumed and face directly according to narratives in Indian art.
