Despite the long-standing temptation, it took me years to finally visit Yogyakarta, which is a real shame because this Indonesian city is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Kuala Lumpur.
Regarded as the center of traditional art and cultural heritage, this is home to the massive Borobudur Buddhist temple, as well as the impressive Prambanan Hindu temple. The most famous Borobudur is the most visited tourist site in Indonesia, attracting about 2.5 million visitors a year. That is also why the Indonesian government has considered the restrictions as part of its conservation efforts to protect this sprawling resort.
The 9th-century Buddhist shrine has stood tall for thousands of years, but it is struggling to cope with the daily crush of tourists. The damage inflicted includes the destruction and deterioration of almost half of the 2,000 stone steps due to human overload. Guards have now been posted to prevent overly excited visitors from ignoring no-climbing signs and curtail their attempts to climb the stupas for ideal Instagram photos.
Although designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, it has suffered severe damage from the elements, volcanic ash fallout, and even attempts by terrorists to blow it up. However, vandalism and unregulated visitors remain its main threat. In 2010, Borobudur was covered in volcanic ash after the eruption of nearby Mount Merapi, considered Indonesia’s most active volcano.
And before that, in 1985, nine bombs were detonated in the temple, seriously damaging nine stupas (the dome-shaped Buddhist shrine) on the upper rounded terraces. Regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world, it has indeed lived up to its name as a special iconic place by continuing to survive and defy all odds.
Abandoned in the 14th century, presumably due to the decline of the Hindu kingdoms in Java before the rise of Islam, the temple complex was eventually swallowed up by the jungle. But Borobudur was rediscovered by Sir Stamford Raffles after establishing his base in Singapore. He was previously stationed in Penang. He was also commissioned by the British to look after Java as its governor.
After reading the news about the authorities forbidding visitors to enter and climb the complex, I decided it was time to visit this magnificent structure. An Indonesian friend had visited the temple and was only allowed access to the grounds, so things were not looking very good for me.
There were previous reports of an additional charge of US$100 (RM450) for those harboring hopes of making the climb. But lo and behold, when I visited Borobudur recently, I was allowed to do the ascent, and I only needed to shell out RM24 for the one-hour access! Divine intervention? I would like to think so.
The entrance fee was Rs 375,000 (RM113) for foreigners, which is considered steep by locals. My guide shook his head and said that he too was confused by the constant change of policies and decisions. These days, I dare not commit when my guests ask if they can still enter the temple complex or about the price of tickets,” he said.
But I wasn’t complaining. I had come to Yogyakarta to visit the temple with the resignation that my movements would be limited to the grounds and I cursed myself for not having made the visit years ago. Imagine my joy when I found out I had an hour’s access to the temple proper!
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