Prambanan

We reached the temple complex of Prambanan when the evening was turning a golden shade, the searing temperatures had mellowed, and the air shone with mirror clarity. Our drive was accompanied by a view of the majestic Mt. Merapi - a very active volcano on outskirts of Yogya, breathing out its smoky breath into the intense blue evening sky.

The temples of Prambanan were built in the 10th century by the powerful Mataram kings, and are the greatest hindu monument in Java. The temples are dedicated to the hindu trinity Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and are each accompanied by a smaller temple dedicated the vehicles Hamsa, Garuda, Nandi. Most of the temples were destroyed by a series of natural disaters and are still in process of being painstakingly reconstructed towards their original grandeur.