Gado-GUnity in Diversity ado Issue #1 Winter Edition 15 January 2015 Bagus Bhirawa PPIT HarbinPresident 2012/2013 What do you think about LDR??<3 Borobudur the Forgotten Wonder Gado-gado | Issue #1 | 1 Editor’s Note Content Editor Editor’s Note 2 Hauwson Joncer Indonesian Tourism 3 Layout Design Profile 10 Manuel Chandra B. Bill Fennedy Indonesian Culture 12 Yasmin Putri Horoscope 14 Writer Indonesian Food 16 Yastian Wardhana A. Garry Andreson Learn 18 Photographer Calendar Event 19 Aldo Kurniawan My Story 20 VoxPop 24 PPIT News 26 What’s Next 27 Editor’s Notes Take the vegetables, peanuts and mix it all up, and we have gado2, one of the specialty dishes of Indonesia! Winter is here!There is something calming about the snow white atmosphere and tbe frost on the windowsill, though I cannot fully explain why. There were a few issues with the publishing of this magazine, but I’m ecstatic that we have made it this far. This is only possible because of the struggle and hard work put in by each and every member of this division, and I am very thankful for it. 2| Gado-gado | Issue #1 Indonesian Tourism Forgotten world Wonder Comparable to tem- complete Buddha reliefs en- ple of Angkor Wat in Cam- semble in the world, very rich bodia and the great cathe- in artistic value. drals in Europe, Borobudur The structure, com- Temple has stood gallantly posed of 55,000 square me- in Magelang, Central Java in ters of lava-rock is erect- Indonesia. Historians suggest ed on a hill in the form of a that the name of Borobu- stepped-pyramid of six rec- dur comes from the Sanskrit tangular storeys, three cir- ‘Vihara Buddha Uhr’ or the cular terraces and a central ‘Buddhist monastery on the stupa forming the summit. hill’. The building called by The whole structure is in the UNESCO as the most magnif- form of a lotus, the sacred icent and the largest mon- flower of Buddha. ument and stupa complex For each direction in the world is visited by pil- there are ninety-two Dhyani grims in the mid-ninth cen- Buddha statues and 1,460 tury until the beginning of relief scenes. The lowest lev- the 11th century. Buddhist el has 160 reliefs depicting people who want to get en- cause and effect; the mid- lightened were flocking from dle level contains various India, Cambodia, Tibet, and stories of the Buddha’s life China. Not only magnificent from the Jataka Tales; the and large, Borobudur Tem- highest level has no reliefs ple wall panels are filled with or decorations whatsoever 2672 sculptured reliefs which but has a balcony, square if arranged in row, it will reach in shape with round walls: a a length of 6 km! It is praised circle without beginning or as the largest and the most end. Here is the place of the Gado-gado | Issue #1 | 3 Indonesian Tourism ninety-two Vajrasattvas or pulses; the middle level, the Dhyani Buddhas tucked into world in which man has con- small stupas. Each of these trol of his negative impulses statues has a mudra (hand and uses his positive impuls- gesture) indicating one of es; the highest level, in which the five directions: east, with the world of man is no longer the mudra of calling the bounded by physical and worldly ancient desire. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty, the temple was designed in Javanese Buddhist ar- chitecture. Based on Kayumwun- gan inscription dated Arial view of Borobudur 26the May 824, Borobu- Source: http://www.borobudurpark.co.id/ dur Temple was built by King Samaratungga be- earth to witness; south, with tween the 8th until 9th cen- the hand position of bless- tury, coincided with Pawon ing; west, with the gesture of and Mendut. The building meditation; north, the mudra process lasted for 75 years of fearlessness; and the cen- under the leadership of an tre with the gesture of teach- architect, Gunadarma. Al- ing. though not familiar with Besides being the high- computers and other sophis- est symbol of Buddhism, the ticated equipments, Guna- Borobodur stupa is also a rep- darma was able to apply the lica of the universe. It symbol- interlock system in construct- ises the micro-cosmos, which ing the temple. The monu- is divided into three levels, in ment is a marvel of design, which man’s world of desire decorated with relief panels is influenced by negative im- and Buddha statues. The ar- 4| Gado-gado | Issue #1 Souce: http://fc05.deviantart.net Indonesian Tourism chitecture and stonework UNESCO, following which of this temple has no equal. the monument was listed as And it was built without using a UNESCO World Heritage any kind of cement or mor- Site. Up until now, Indone- tar! The structure is like a set sian government did a lot of of massive interlocking Lego rehabilitation to this temple blocks held together without which was helped by UNES- any glue. The temple also demonstrates the influenc- es of Gupta art that reflects India’s influence on the re- gion, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and ele- ments incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indone- Stairs in borobudur sian. The monument is both Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/ a shrine to the Lord Buddha CO due to some accidents and a place for Buddhist pil- that ever occurred to Indo- grimage. Borobudur has the nesia, such as the eruption of largest and most complete Mount Merapi in 2010. ensemble of Buddhist reliefs The monument is con- in the world. sidered the single most vis- Evidence suggests ited tourist attraction in In- Borobudur was construct- donesia. In 1974, 260,000 ed in the 9th century and tourists, of whom 36,000 were abandoned following the foreigners, visited the monu- 14th-century decline of Hin- ment. The figure hiked into 2.5 du kingdoms in Java and million visitors annually (80% the Javanese conversion to were domestic tourists) in the Islam. The largest restoration mid-1990s, before the coun- project was undertaken be- try’s economy crisis. Tourism tween 1975 and 1982 by the development, however, has Indonesian government and been criticized for not includ- Gado-gado | Issue #1 | 5 Souce: http://fc05.deviantart.net Indonesian Tourism ing the local community on Guinness Book of World Re- which occasional local con- cords as the world’s largest flict has arisen. In 2003, res- Buddhist archaeological site. idents and small businesses To follow the flow of around Borobudur organized the story carved on the walls several meetings and po- of the temple, visitors must etry protests, objecting to a walk clockwise around the provincial government plan temple, known by the term to build a three-story mall of “pradaksina”. It is entering complex, dubbed the “Java through the east entrance, World”. walking clockwise to the po- International tourism sition where the temple is al- awards were given to Boro- ways on the right side, until budur archaeological park, reaching the foot of the east such as PATA Grand Pacif- stairs and stepping up to the ic Award 2004, PATA Gold next level. This is done repeat- Award Winner 2011, and edly until all the levels passed PATA Gold Award Winner and reached on the top of 2012. In June 2012, Boro- the temple shaping the main budur was recorded in the stupa. Arriving at the top, put your view in all directions, it will be seen a row of Menoreh Hill, Mount Sindoro, Mount Sumb- ing, Mount Mer- api and Mount Merbabu stand- ing up straight around the tem- ple. Mountains and hills are as if guarding the Source: http://wikitravel.org/ existence of 6| Gado-gado | Issue #1 Indonesian Tourism Borobudur Temple. wish deep in your thoughts, Enjoying the splendor reach your hand inside the of Borobudur Temple is no bell-like stupa at the top of enough just walking down the temple, and successfully the aisle and climbing into touch the Buddha’s figure in- the top of the temple. One side, your wish will come true. thing to look out for is to see The best way to ex- Borobudur Sunrise and Boro- plore this site is on foot. As budur Sunset over the tem- you climb to the top of this ple. The splash of morning magnificent temple you will sunlight hitting the stupas marvel at the intricate de- and the statue of Buddha tailed stone carvings dis- makes the grandeur and played on the temples walls. splendor of the temple be- You will certainly miss a great ing more felt. While standing experience if you visit this on the top of the temple at enormous temple without twilight within a row of stupas learning about its history and and watching the sun slowly importance which are cap- began to shade will create a tured on its many reliefs. calm and peaceful feeling. As a tourism spot, Boro- The whole monument budur temple is open every itself resembles a giant stu- day from 6 AM to 5 PM. pa. The great stupa at the top of the temple sits 40 me- ters above the ground. The top, which is the main dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perfo- rated stupa. When you’ve arrived at the top of the temple, there is something interesting to do here. Local superstition says that if you climb this temple with one Gado-gado | Issue #1 | 7 Source: http://www.elmirareiki.com/ Profile Bagus Bhirawa PPIT Harbin President 2012/2013 Biodata Name:Bagus Bhirawa Putra Birthday: 16 Januari 1982 University: Harbin Engineering University Major: Mechanical Engineering Hobby: Sports Favorite Food: Soto Nationality: Indonesia How PPIT was first founded? A few friends of mine which studied in Beijing and Nanjing province had already established the PPIT organization.