borbudur temple

about the temple..

borrobudur is built as a single large stupa. 
for me the the most interesting thing about it,
is that from its ground plan it takes up a giant bhuddhist mandala,coincidence?? i think not..i guess evrything in architecture is always related in someway.
according to my previous blog the mandala represents the buddhist cosmology and nature of mind.

second is the carved gargoyle for water drainage??very detailed,i mean carvings even for the drainage?


 The foundation is a square.
 It has nine platforms, of which the lower six are  square and the upper three are circular The upper platform features seventy-two small stupas surrounding one large central stupa. Each stupa is bell-shaped and pierced by numerous decorative openings.
 Statues of the buddha sit inside the pierced enclosures.

The stone was cut to size, transported to the site and laid without mortar.

Knobs, indentations and dovetails were used to form joints between stones.

 Reliefs were created in-situ after the building had been completed.

The monument is equipped with a good drainage system to cater for the area's high stormwater run-off.

 To avoid flood, 100 spouts are provided at each corner with a unique carved gargoyles in the shape of giants or makaras...100??a lot?huh..

Instead of building on a flat surface, Borobudur is built on a natural hill.

 The building technique is, however, similar to other temples in Java.

With no inner space as in other temples and its general design similar to the shape of pyramid, Borobudur was first thought more likely to have served as a stupa, instead of a temple.

 A temple, is used as a house of deity and has inner spaces for worship. The complexity of the monument's meticulous design suggests Borobudur is in fact a temple!

 

about masjid demak

The mosque is a classic example of a traditional Javanese mosque.
 Unlike mosques in the Middle East it is built from timber. Rather than a dome,
the roof is tiered and supported by four saka guru teak pillars.
 The tiered roof shows many similarities with wooden religious structures from the Hindu-Buddhist civilizations of Java and Bali.
The main entrance of Masjid Agung Demak consists of two doors carved with motifs of plants, vases, crowns, and an animal head with an open wide-toothed mouth.
It is said that picture depicts the manifested thunder caught by Ki Ageng Selo, hence their name “Lawang Bledheg” (the doors of thunder).

ayuthia or ayutthaya?

Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana
Phra is a Thai royal and noble title, Nakhon designates an important or capital city;
Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. The city was founded in 1350 by King  u Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 CE had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps reaching 1,000,000 around 1700 CE, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time.

angkor watt

A Hindu temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and part of his capital city.

As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation — first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture.

It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.
The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"

Angkor is a vernacular form of the word នគរ nokor which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara meaning capital or city

minangkabau roofs

Minangkabau roof
(Minangkabau language: 'big house') are the traditional homes
(Indonesian: 'rumah adat) of the Minangkabau.

The architecture, construction, internal and external decoration, and the functions of the house reflect the culture and values of the Minangkabau.

the house,serves as a residence, a hall for family meetings, and for ceremonial activities.
With the Minangkabau society being matrilineal, the rumah gadang is owned by the women of the family who live there - ownership is passed from mother to daughter.

The houses have dramatic curved roof structure with multi-tired, upswept gables.
Shuttered windows are built into walls incised with profuse painted floral carvings.

tri angga

What is tri angga?
In bali architecture, Tri angga also known as tri loka,is a spatial hierarchy ,it is known as zone or space division system, tri anga is a part of tri hita karana (Atma, Angga dan Khaya).
It is the fundamental concept which is closely related to the architectural planning of which Tri Hita Kirana originated. Tri Angga divided everything into three main components or zones:
- Nista (underneath, dirt, foot)
- Madya (center, neutral, body)
- Utama (above, pure, head)

mandala

what is mandala?
mandala is a type of hindu or budha,schematic representation of the cosmos or symbolising the universe. consist of geometrical shapes representing deity or attribution to them.
its origin is from sanskrit language which means circle
in bali architecture mandala is known as the cosmological orientation
it consist of three sourses:
tri loka
natural
spiritual

the above picture of a colurfull mandala...,yah..thats what happens when ordinary people tlike me,try to make thier own mandala..obviously lacks of soul and  detailing