The Persistence of Classical Architectural Features
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International Journal of Engineering & Technology IJET-IJENS Vol: 11 No: 04 105 The Persistence of „Candi‟ Representation in Modern Architecture in Indonesia A Study of Architectural Representation in Post- Colonial Era. Rahadhian P.H. Abstract- The sources of inspiration for architectural design After the fall of the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit can be traced by way of reference to the history of the past. Kingdom in the 15th century, the majority of the indigenous The dynamic of architectural developments in Indonesia population of Nusantara changed its religious affiliation to indicates the presence of one of the products of this history that Islam. An interesting aspect of this conversion is that in persistently rears its head and has been employed up to the spite of this change of faith the values or elements contained present, as has been the case with classical architecture (Greco- in the typical Hindu-Buddhist architecture would keep Roman) in the West. Indonesian culture shows the presence of a significant plurality, even if the resulting products have been appearing and being used throughout the Islamic era, and be used creatively and with conspicuous persistence in the continued in dynamic ways up to the present day. The ideas development of its architecture. The elements of architectural originating in this Hindu-Buddhist architecture were design considered to be persistent and still in use until today persistently applied to several types of buildings, both happen to be the ones originating in the architecture of the independently and combined with other architectural styles. Hindu-Buddhist era in Indonesia, namely the temples called The art of temple architecture did not abruptly fall out of use candi. Although Indonesia is the country with the largest in the era of the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, but its Muslim population in the world, the architectural elements implications are presumed to be quite prominent at the level representation that refer to this pre-Islamic tradition can be of both concepts and practical applications in the Islamic regarded as architectural archetypes that have been persistently used from the Islamic era (from the 15th century (pre-colonial) era and the post-colonial period in Indonesia. onwards) up to the present – post colonial era. The temple buildings may be interpreted as one of the archeological remains or relics from the past occupying an Index Term-- Persistent, candi, representation, Post-colonial important position in the history of architectural era. development in this country. I. INTRODUCTION Indonesia has seen an architectural tradition that has II. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF CANDI IN INDONESIA been developing for approximately seventeen centuries. This The art of Hindu-Buddhist architecture considered to tradition is closely interrelated with several important eras, show consistency over the centuries was the art of designing th th namely the ones influenced by Hinduism-Buddhism (4 -15 so-called candi temples, sacred buildings used as shrines. th th century), followed by the era of the Islamic (15 -20 These buildings form the remains of the Hindu-Buddhist era th century), the Western Colonial period (started in the 17 that can still be witnessed at present, such as the Borobudur century, particularly by the Dutch colonial powers), the temple, the Prambanan temple, and the like. The latter can Post-Colonial Era - the period of the Indonesian Republic – actually be regarded as the first high-rise building to have the era of Independence until the present (1945-present). been erected in the SE Asian region, in the 9th century (see The latter may be subdivided into several periods, namely fig. 1). The Angkor art of enshrinement in Cambodia is also the Old Order period under president Sukarno‟s government thought to have been influenced by that of Indonesia. (1945-68), the New Order under president Soeharto‟s According to Soekmono (1986), the architecture of government (1968-98), and finally the period covering the candi in Nusantara consists of the result of the effort to Reformation Era up to the present, also known as the period “concoct” various artistic designs for sacred buildings of Democratization (1998-today). Over a period of abroad and from various arts centres and periods, integrated approximately eleven centuries, Indonesia (formerly known and enriched with all kinds of local elements, blending into as Nusantara or the Indonesian Archipelago in the region of a “new” creation. The architectural art found in Indonesian th Southeast Asia, with the Sriwijaya Kingdom of the 7 temples basically forms the result of the creativity of the th century and the Majapahit Kingdom of the 13 century as design restrained by the concept of local genius, yielding a its main centres) established a system of government based product that differs from its original source, namely India. on Hindu-Buddhist characteristics. The latter happen to be An explanation can be found in Sanskrit, namely that candi identical with other kingdoms in SE Asia, such as Siam is a term employed for Durga or the Goddess of Death as (Thailand), Kmer (Cambodia), Campa (Vietnam), and candika, candigreha, and candikagrha or even candikalaya others. are names to designate the places of worship for this particular goddess. According to Soekmono (1995), temples 114904-6363 IJET-IJENS @ August 2011 IJENS I J E N S International Journal of Engineering & Technology IJET-IJENS Vol: 11 No: 04 106 function as places of worship (kuil refers to a Hindu temple in the shape of ornamental features: period-bound elements, or shrine) and if related to graves, candi temples can be profile-moulding, antefix-floral ornaments, framed classified as buildings erected to honour royals or aristocrats Cartesian-geometric ornaments, stripes, frames, upward- who have passed away (monuments). spiralling vine-like patterns or pendant shapes, vegetational ornaments, application of crowns, stairs/steps, dome-shaped In typo-morphological terms, architectural design gates/niches (curved and non-curved) (see fig.3). (Prajudi, 1999) is based on the frame of the shape of sacred buildings as the archeological remains of the Hindu era can In addition to the aspects mentioned above, temples be divided into several kinds (see fig. 2), namely the minaret also contain the concept of in-between duality as is evident type such as the Prambanan temple, the Sewu temple and in the shape, ground plan or lay-out and other elements. This others; the punden type, both the terraced/storeyed ones concept of duality is thought to have been influenced by the such as the temples on mountain slopes (such as the Cetha syncretism (tantrayana) such as the temples erected in temple) and the non-angular ziggurat (terraced step worship of Shiva-Buddha), masculine-feminine (deities and pyramid) type (Sukuh temple) as well as the pool type such their spouses/partners), and the like. These values of duality as the Belahan temple and Tirta Empul, among others; the can be interpreted as a form of syncretism indicating that terraced stupa (dome) type such as the Borubudur temple there is a dialogue between the elements within (although and the non-terraced variety such as Sumberawan and some experts contradict this notion) yet they can become others; the grotto or cave-like type such as the Selomangleng one (fuse) in a single unit, as referred to in the Old Javanese cave in Kediri (East Java), the Gajah (Elephant) cave, and poem Sutasoma, promoting tolerance between Hindus and the like. Apart from these five varieties in shape, there are Buddhists, a fragment of which is used in the Republic of also remains in the shape of a portal or ceremonial gate, split Indonesia‟s national motto, Unity in Diversity: Bhinneka as the paduraksa such as the Bajangratu temple, and the tunggal ika tan hana dharma Mangruwa (“They are indeed split gate as found in the Wringinlawang temple. As a different, but of the same kind, as there is no duality in whole, these types can also be encountered in one capacious Truth”). complex, such as for instance Penataran in Blitar, East Java and Boko in Yogyakarta. Based on the shape of the original sketch or site map of III. REPRESENTATION OF TEMPLE DESIGN IN THE POST- these candi temples, the basic square, rectangular, round and COLONIAL PERIOD (REPUBLICAN ERA) cruciform shapes can be employed for the elements The post-colonial era was marked by the end of the representing head, body, and legs. The pattern used for the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia. President Sukarno (who design of the ground plan and spatial arrangement along had studied Architecture at the Bandung Institute of with its architecture indicate the presence of an element of Technology) developed the spirit of nationalism as a symmetry, of axis/pivot, of centralization/concentration, and starting-point for the ensuing development in Indonesia. of hierarchy. In certain candi temples, a combination of Nation Building was one of the programmes propagandized these basic shapes is used of the legs, body, and head-like to strengthen the spirit of nationalism in Indonesia. The elements, for instance the legs may be square in shape while architecture developed in this period can be shown to the body and head parts are cruciform, as found in the represent Indonesia‟s position as a new nation in the Prambanan temple. Considered from the angle of their international arena (local-global dialogue) supported by this location or lay-out, temples may stand alone or gathered in a nationalistic spirit. The buildings deemed to support this cluster. The placing and grouping of temples are presumed concept of Nation Building include the national monument to be closely associated with the realm of higher thought or known as Monas, the Bank of Indonesia, the Istiqlal philosophy and the state of society in that particular era. The Mosque, and others.