Ratu Boko Site, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
We visited Ratu Boko located about 3 km south of Prambanan on November 10, 2020. Ratu Boko is situated atop of a hill ± 195.97 m above sea level. Ratu Boko is not a temple, but remains of a palace. Ratu Baka is often called Kraton Ratu Boko. Legend said that Ratu Boko once was a palace for Ratu Boko, the father of Lara Jonggrang. Ratu Boko was built during the 8th century AD by the Buddhist Syailendra Dynasty, but then the Hindu Mataram kings took over the place. This takes over made Kraton Ratu Boko full with Hindu and Buddhist references.
The site covers 16 hectares in two hamlets (Dawung and Sambireja) of the village of Bokoharjo and Prambanan, Sleman Regency. In striking contrast to other Classic-period sites in Central Java and Yogyakarta, which are remains of temples, Ratu Boko displays attributes of an occupation or settlement site, although its precise function is unknown. Probably the site was a palace complex which belonged to the kings of Sailendra or Mataram Kingdom that also built temples scattered across the Prambanan Plain. The argument was based on the fact that this complex was not a temple nor building with religious nature, but a fortified palace instead with evidence of a remnant of fortified walls and the dry moat of defensive structures. Ratu Boko site is consisting of seven parts of the complex building. Those are Gate, Batukapur Temple, Pembakaran Temple, Paseban, Pendapa, Kaputren, and Cave.
The remains of settlements were also found in Ratu Boko vicinity. This site is located 196 m above the sea level, on the highest point of the site, is a small pavilion from whose one will be able to see a panoramic view of Prambanan temple with Mount Merapi as the background.
Abhayagiri Vihara inscription dated 792 CE is one of the few written evidence discovered in Ratu Boko site. The inscription mentioned Tejahpurnapane Panamkarana or Rakai Panangkaran (746-784 CE), and also mentioned a vihara located on top of the hill called Abhyagiri Wihara which means "a vihara on top of the hill that free from danger". From this inscription it was concluded, that King Panangkaran in a later period of his reign wished for a spiritual refuge and created a reclusion of Buddhist hermitage named Abhayagiri Wihara in 792 CE. Rakai Panangkaran was a pious follower of Mahayana Buddhist. A Dhyani Buddha statue was discovered on the site, which confirmed its initial Buddhist nature. Nevertheless, some Hindu elements are also found at the site, such as the discovery of statues of Hindu deities: Durga, Ganesha and Yoni.
The uniqueness of this site lay on the obscurity of its historical chronology and the distinctive of the monumental building type in comparison with Prambanan Temples complex as well as Borobudur Temple which was built around the same century by the same dynasty. Lack of sculptures which became the signature of the most building around this century made Ratu Boko site so different. If we look just a glance at the site it is quite simple and more likely was built in older period than Prambanan as well as Borobudur. It is also apparent the similarity with the site in South America such as Tenochtitlan. Nevertheless, comprehensive research on this site is utterly required, to unveil its uniqueness and the history beyond.
The site covers 16 hectares in two hamlets (Dawung and Sambireja) of the village of Bokoharjo and Prambanan, Sleman Regency. In striking contrast to other Classic-period sites in Central Java and Yogyakarta, which are remains of temples, Ratu Boko displays attributes of an occupation or settlement site, although its precise function is unknown. Probably the site was a palace complex which belonged to the kings of Sailendra or Mataram Kingdom that also built temples scattered across the Prambanan Plain. The argument was based on the fact that this complex was not a temple nor building with religious nature, but a fortified palace instead with evidence of a remnant of fortified walls and the dry moat of defensive structures. Ratu Boko site is consisting of seven parts of the complex building. Those are Gate, Batukapur Temple, Pembakaran Temple, Paseban, Pendapa, Kaputren, and Cave.
The remains of settlements were also found in Ratu Boko vicinity. This site is located 196 m above the sea level, on the highest point of the site, is a small pavilion from whose one will be able to see a panoramic view of Prambanan temple with Mount Merapi as the background.
Abhayagiri Vihara inscription dated 792 CE is one of the few written evidence discovered in Ratu Boko site. The inscription mentioned Tejahpurnapane Panamkarana or Rakai Panangkaran (746-784 CE), and also mentioned a vihara located on top of the hill called Abhyagiri Wihara which means "a vihara on top of the hill that free from danger". From this inscription it was concluded, that King Panangkaran in a later period of his reign wished for a spiritual refuge and created a reclusion of Buddhist hermitage named Abhayagiri Wihara in 792 CE. Rakai Panangkaran was a pious follower of Mahayana Buddhist. A Dhyani Buddha statue was discovered on the site, which confirmed its initial Buddhist nature. Nevertheless, some Hindu elements are also found at the site, such as the discovery of statues of Hindu deities: Durga, Ganesha and Yoni.
The uniqueness of this site lay on the obscurity of its historical chronology and the distinctive of the monumental building type in comparison with Prambanan Temples complex as well as Borobudur Temple which was built around the same century by the same dynasty. Lack of sculptures which became the signature of the most building around this century made Ratu Boko site so different. If we look just a glance at the site it is quite simple and more likely was built in older period than Prambanan as well as Borobudur. It is also apparent the similarity with the site in South America such as Tenochtitlan. Nevertheless, comprehensive research on this site is utterly required, to unveil its uniqueness and the history beyond.
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