Less 12 km from the Blitar City center, East Java, standing a cluster of purbakala buildings named Candi Penataran. The historical building is located in the southwestern slope of Mount Kelud which administratively enters the village of Panataran, Ngleggok District, Kota Madya Blitar, East Java.
The temple or who was first called Candi Palah is estimated to be built on 1119 Saka or 1197 Masehi on the command of King Srengga from Kediri. The temple became a place of worship to avoid mara danger caused by Gunung Kelud who often erupted the scale. Candi Palah then occupies a long history during the next few centuries. The temple continues to be used and several times built as well as renovation until then set as a royal temple by the Majapahit Kingdom under the name of the Penataran Temple.
The Deputy Governor of Majapahit Kingdom, the Pelataran temple was abandoned by his support community. As the time runs, slowly the temple will be in the earth. A few centuries later, the temple that has been lost from the history was found back in 1815 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the British colonial government general governor who mastered the archipelago at that time. Pascapenemuan returned by Raffles, Penataran Temple has been researched and was slowly recognised as part of the history of the archipelago as can be encountered today.
A visitor rises to the top of the Candi Induk Complex Candi Penataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
Candi Angka Year in the Complex of Penataran Temple in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
After about eight centuries standing, Penataran Temple is now back crowded. Majapahit’s Kingdom Temple is now no longer a place of patience, but tourist objects. The largest temple complex in East Java every day is able to suck many visitors especially domestic tourists.
Recalling the long history of the Penataran Temple, it is indeed a historic relics back to be crowded. However, it will be better if the cluster of the temple is not only seen as a stone stack that is composed and carved, or only visited as a place to photograph without knowing and studying history as well as cultural wisdom values that fight the presence of the temple.
Already, the temple has been very important for the society is more developed and promoted to be the tourist attraction not only for the local area, but also for the country. It is not impossible, the existence of historical relics such as Penataran Temple can help the government reach the target visit of foreign tourists from 10 million people in 2015 to 12 million people in 2016. As a result, the receipt of the tourism sector from Rp155 trillion in 2015 can be Rp172 trillion in 2016. This is the ancestor’s heritage that will be the wealth of this country’s perennial.
Photo visitor at Candi Angka Year, Complex Candi Penataran in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
The visitor sits behind one of the Dwarapala statues in the Pelataran Temple Complex in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
Photo and Text: Ismar Patrizki
The visitor is activities around in Candi Angka Year, the Complex of the Pelataran Temple in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
The visitor photographed the relief of Sri Tanjung’s story that was advised on the Batur Pendapa building, the Complex of the Pelataran Temple in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
Relief story fabel (about animals) in the Swimming Pool building (Petirtaan), Complex Candi Penataran in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
The visitor descends from the Induk Temple, the Complex of the Penataran Temple in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
One side of the Temple Dragon building in the Complex of the Penataran Temple in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
The number of visitors observe the building of Candi Induk, Complex Candi Penataran in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
The fracture of the skull on the guard arca bow in front of the Induk Temple, the Pelataran Temple Complex in Panataran Village, Ngleggok, Blitar City, East Java.
