Barong Temple

Barong Temple is a heritage of Hinduism located in Candisari hamlet, Bokoharjo Village, Prambanan subdistrict. The temple is called Barong because there is an ornament of kala head inside its chamber which looks like a Barong. Barong temple, also known as Sari Suragedug temple, is mentioned in Ratu Baka inscription (856 AD) in Sanskrit language and written in ancient Javanese letter. The inscription describes that a king, named Sri Kumbaja or Sri Kalasodbhava built three lingas, Krttiwasalingga with Dewi Sri as his mate, Triyarbakalingga with Dewi Suralaksmi as his mate, and Haralingga with Dewi Mahalaksmi as his mate.
It is estimated that the description refers to Barong temple. Pereng inscription (863 AD), also in Sanskrit language and written in ancient Javanese letter, mentions that in the Javanese year of 784 (860 AD) the king Rakai Walaing Pu Kumbhayoni granted a field and two hills at Tamwahurang for the maintenance of a Shiva shrine called Bhadraloka. Scholars believe that Sri Kumbaja or Sri Kalasodbhava is Pu Kumbhayani and the Shiva shrine is Barong temple.
Unlike other temples in Central Java, Barong is a stepped-mound, a pre-Hinduism style of shrine. The temple consists of three terraces with diminishing size to the top. The first terrace is 90 x 63 m2 in dimension and the second terrace is 50 x 50 m2. Base on the location of its staircase, this Hindu temple faces west. The staircase to go into the second terrace is 4 m high and 3 m wide, lies in the middle of the west side.

And staircase to go into the third terrace is 25 x 38 m2 in dimension is lies around 5 m on the second terrace. The staircase has stone railings on its left and right sides. The bottom of each railing is decorated with ukel statue which has no clear shape. The staircase walls are decorated with relief of kalpataru leave which is partly damaged. The top of the staircase has roofed-gate that leads to the porch.

The walls of the terrace are supported by blocks of andesite covered with layers of white stones on its surface. The walls of the porch are plain, without decoration from bottom to the top. A niche, which has no clear function, is situated close to the southern end of the west wall of the third terrace.

At the upper platform, considered as a sacred place, there are two buildings in 8 x 8 m2 dimension, standing in line from north to south. The first building is at the southern end and the second in the middle of the platform, facing the staircase. Ruins of the building on the north end have not been restored to their original condition.
The two buildings have no entrance doors to the temple body, because there is no space inside, however, researches indicate that the temple has a cavity. The niches are empty, although Shiva-styled statues of 3 goddesses and 4 gods were said to be found during temple restoration. The four sides of each building only have niches to put statue in. A plain carving of Kalamakara statue, complete with its lower jaw, is placed above the niche frame.

No reliefs are found on the walls and base, except simple carvings of leaves and human figure. The roof of the temple is composed of horizontal layers with pointed top. The roof’s edge has ratna and kumuda pattern.