Reliefs @ Borobudur
There are 1,460 narrative reliefs in Candi Borobudur, which makes it the most complete ‘story telling’ walls about the life of Buddha.
The story starts from gallery 1 (east gate), and begins with the birth of Buddha; and the story ends at gallery 4 illustrating Buddha giving his first sermon.
We did not follow the right sequence because we were walking down from the top terrace.
These are some of the 368 statues.
Most of the reliefs are corroded by weather and damaged.
The panels and reliefs are still an eye opener due to the quantity.
Considering that these sculptures were carved in the 8th century, and buried by volcano ashes and dirt, they still look great.
Look at the expression of this eroded relief. The screaming expression so captivating.
Below is one of the panel depicting the pregnant Queen Maya on a carriage.
The visit reminds me a lot about the reliefs I saw at Angkor as well as in Bali.
The 3D layered stone carving still look incredible artistic and real.
I have plenty of other snapshots of the reliefs and do not want to bore you with more relief.
If you dislike heritage and history, this place could be just another ancient ruins. If you appreciate culture and heritage, you can find many articles online related to UNESCO and about Borobudur.
1) Chandi borobudur – a Monument of Mankind by Dr. Soemono, 1976
2) Preserving Borobudur’s Narrative Relief Wall of UNESCO Cultural World Heritage, by Hary Gunarto, 2007
