The Mystical Dieng's Temples

I visited Dieng plateau in the highlands of Central Java, Indonesia back in May 2010 as my very first visit. The plateau actually sits at the floor of ancient giant caldera of mount Prahu. You could find at least 8 craters, high geothermal potential, and volcanic gas emission which sometime is deadly. Let's leave alone those volcanic stuffs.

It has 6 lakes including Telaga Warna. If you happen to be there, don't forget to observe sunrise. Mount Sikunir is one of the most popular spot to observe sunrise. I have a post on observing sunrise in Dieng in this link, here.

Dieng also is a home to some oldest Hindu temples in Indonesia. There are 4 group of temples in Dieng:

1. Arjuna temple complex, consist of Temple Arjuna, Temple Semar, Temple Srikandi, Temple Sembadra, and Temple Puntadewa
2. Temple Gatutkaca
3. Temple Dwarawati
4. Temple Bima

I visited Arjuna complex and Temple Bima only, due to time shortage. I took some pictures of those temples.

Tips: weather in Dieng may change very quick. Morning time is the best time for taking pictures before dark clouds coming at you at noon time.

Temple Bima

The entrance to Temple Bima

Temple Bima - rear view

Temple Bima

Arjuna Complex



The name sign of temple Arjuna complex



Temple Arjuna (left) facing temple Semar (right)



Temple Arjuna

  

Temple Semar

One of reliefs



Temple Srikandi (left), Temple Sembadra (middle), Temple Puntadewa (right)



A view of Temple Srikandi and Sembadra, from the inside of Temple Semar

A Hindu footprint in Vietnam

I was blessed with opportunities to travel to a lot of places in Vietnam. I saw a lot of Buddhist / Confucianism temples all over the country. But when I saw this ancient Cham temple, I felt being alienated from Vietnam cultures I got used to. The temple was Tháp Bà Po Nagar (the Po Nagar Tower)

I got impression that I must be in Cambodia or Laos. Even the red bricks material reminded me to Bali. But hey..., that was the hint!. The common thing here was the Hindu influence.

With currently over 50,000 followers, Hindu community is a minority among 84-million population in Vietnam. Most of them are Cham ethnicity.

The Po Nagar Tower was one of the most important Hindu temples in Vietnam beside My Son in Quang Nam and Po Klaung Garai (Poklongarai) in Phan Rang.

To visit the tower was easy. It was located by the Cái river, not far from Nha Trang downtown. Plenty of public buses went passing by the tower, or you could take the xe ôm (motorbike taxi).