Panataran Temple is located in the southwest slope of Kelud Volcano, approximately 12 km to the north of Blitar city, or in Panataran village, Ngleggok Subdistrict, Blitar Municipality. This temple is a compound of ancient buildings in a row from northwest to the east and to the southeast, occupying an area of 12,946 m2.
Panataran temple compound was re-discovered in 1815 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781 – 1826), a lieutenant General Governor of British colonial government in Indonesia. Together with Dr. Horsfield, a natural scientist, Raffles made a visit to Panataran Temple. After Raffles’ rediscovery, researchers began to flock the area for research and recording of archeological objects in Panataran compound. In 1867, Andre de la Porte and J. Knebel also carried out a research on Panataran Temple compound. The outcomes were published in 1900 under a title “De ruines van Panataran”.
In Negarakertagama, Panataran Temple was mentioned as Palah temple. The book tells that King Hayam Wuruk (1350 - 1389 AD) of Majapahit frequently visited Palah to worship Hyang Acalapati, or more knowledgeably Girindra (meaning king of the mountain) in Shiva belief. Therefore, it becomes clear that Candi Palah was intentionally built in an area with Kelud Volcano as a backdrop, because the temple was meant to be a mountain worshipping shrine. Worshipping of Kelud Volcano was intended to ward off potential dangers and disasters the volcano might bring.
Based on inscription on a stone to the south of the main building, Palah Temple was probably built early in the 12th century AD by King Srengga of Kediri. Yet, Panataran Temple had always undergone ongoing development and renovation until, or even after, the ruling of King Hayam Wuruk. This assumption is founded on different dates inscribed on a number of places in this temple, which range between 1197 and 1454 AD. The entire area of Panataran, except the southeast yard, is divided by two-line walls that cross north to south into three sections.
a. Gate
Entrance gate into the temple compound is located on the west side. From the entrance gate there are stairs that lead to a court 6 m2 in size. In this court there are two statues of gate-keeping giant (dwarapala). The statue’s pedestal is inscribed with 1242 Javanese calendar (1320 AD) in ancient Javanese characters. Based on the date inscription, scholars assume that Panataran Temple was officially opened as an imperial shrine during the ruling of King Jayanegara, who reined Majapahit between 1309 and 1328 AD.
On the rear side of the veranda, flanked by the two Dwaraphala statues are stairs that lead to the front court. On top of the stairs are found remnants of traces of entrance door made of red bricks. This entrance door is still mentioned by Jonathan Rigg during his visit to Panataran Temple in 1848.
The arrangement of Panataran Temple is indeed exciting because the buildings are placed one facing the other in a row from front to back, which appears to be confusing. Such arrangement of buildings resembles the arrangement of temples in Bali. In such arrangement, the holist building is located in the innermost or rearmost court, the one closest to mountain.
b. Outer Court
Bale Agung (the Great House). On the front court, there are 6 building sites, 2 of which are unrecognizable of their original shape. One of the important buildings is the Bale Agung, located on the northwest side of the front court, slightly projecting to the west (to front. Bale Agung, according to N.J. Krom, was used as a meeting room by priests or forecasters like those found in Balinese temples.
Bale Agung is a stage-like square building in 37 X 18.84 m2 dimension and 1.44 meter high floor. Its walls and roof have gone. Only the floor remains intact. On the floor there are stone pedestals, which probably served as the bases for wooden columns supporting the roof. The entire floor is made of stone, with reliefs of dragons constricting around the floor and head protruding on each corner.
To the center of each side there are stairs flanked with two Mahakala statues. The whole Mahakala statues remain in their place, except the one on the east side.
Priest Residence. Building located on the north side and in line with the Bale Agung was probably used as a priest residence. The entire building has been damaged, leaving only the pedestals.
Batur Pendapa. This building is located to the southeast of Bale Agung, right behind the priest residence. Like the Bale Agung, what is left from this building is its floor, which is made of stone in 29.05 X 9.22 m2 dimension and 1.5 m high. Around the floor walls are decorated with story-telling reliefs. Batur Pendapa was probably used as a place to put ritual offerings during religious rites.
Stairs leading to the pendapa floor are only on the west or front side. There are two pairs of stairs, on the left and right, each of which flanked by a small size of winged giant statues that rest on one knee with one hand holding a gada (club). The handrails are curved with beautiful 'tumpal' on top. On the upper edge of the floor wall’s east side, hidden among engravings of climbing plants and foliage, there are date inscription indicating that this building was build in 1297 Javanese year or 1375 AD. This Batur Pendapa is also decorated with dragon engravings in back-to-back position, constricting around the floor walls. The tails of the two dragons are twisting each other, while their upward-looking heads wear a necklace and have tufts projecting upwards among building columns.
Other Buildings. The other two building sites leave only their foundations of red bricks. Noticing the many stone pedestals left on the front court, there were probably buildings that used wooden columns like those found in Balinese temples. The definite number of buildings that used wooden columns is not known.
c. Central Court.
Approximately 8 m to the east or back of the Batur Pendapa, there are remnants of red brick wall going from north to south that separate front court and central court. On the southernmost of the wall, in line with the front gate, there are traces of door guarded at its front by a pair of dwarapala statues, in a smaller size than those at the front gate.
One of the statues’ pads is inscribed with 1214 Javanese year (1319 AD). Events to which this date relates are still unknown. At the center court, there are still 7 building sites made of either red bricks or andesite stones. Six out of the seven building sites are no longer unrecognizable.
The center court is divided in to two by a wall that crosses from the east to west. It is not known whether this central court was enclosed by walls, because what are left on the site are only its foundations. Similarly, the walls that enclosed the entire area of Panataran compound have collapsed. The encircling and separating walls are made of red bricks that will not endure through a long period of time.
Year Number Temple. This building is located 20 m to the east of Batur Pendapa, and is completely made of andesite stones. It is called Year Number Temple because the building above its entrance gate sills bears an inscription in Javanese year of 1291 (1369 AD). The local people know the temple better as Brawijaya Temple, because the use this building as the insignia of Brawijaya Regional Military Command. Some calls it Ganesha Temple, referring to a Ganesha statute inside its room (god with elephant head). The shape of this temple is very familiar among the people, as if this temple represents the whole Panataran Temple.
The Year Number Temple faces towards the west, because its entrance gate is on the west side. There is a pair of statues on the front yard to the left and right hand side of the temple. The temple base is quite high, which requires a stone stairway to access the entrance gate with big curved handrails decorated with 'tumpal' ornaments of flowers in isosceles arrangement. The temple body has a room (gerbagrha), in which there is a Ganesha statue.
Like other temples, above the door sills are engraved in kalamakara decoration. Right to its lower side, a year number is inscribed as described above. The walls on the three other sides have a niche that resembles a door, which is also engraved in kalamakara decoration. In East Java, kalamakara is often referred to as Banaspati, which means king of the jungle. Kalas above the door and niche sills of the temple are intended to frighten evil spirits and prevent them from entering the temple compound.
The temple’s roof is full of lively ornaments with a square top. The dome-covering stone on the upper part of temple room has a relief of 'Surya', a circle enclosed by rays of light in the form of vertical lines that shape a number of isosceles triangles. The 'Surya' relief, which is the symbol of Majapahit Empire, is also found in several other temples in East Java, although in slightly different shapes.
Dragon Temple. This building is called Dragon Temple because it is wound around by dragon engravings. The temple, which is 4.83 X 6.57 m in dimension and 4.70 m high, is also located at the central court. The whole structure is made of andesite stones.
Like the Year Number Temple, the door of this temple is located on the west side. The temple’s base is quite high, requiring a stairway to access the door. The handrails are curved, with 'tumpal' decoration. The staircase is flanked by statues of giant holding a club; only one of them still in existence today. The present building is the result of restoration work between 1917 and 1918. The restoration manages to return only the temple base and body to their original condition. The roof, probably made of less durable materials, has collapsed.
The wall of the temple body is engraved in nine figures standing on left and right hand side of the entrance door, on each corner, and in the middle of the other three walls. The nine figures are depicted in luxurious imperial attires with 'prabha' (a place to lean on with carved decoration). One the arms hold a hand bell, while the other hand support the dragon’s body that winds the upper part of the building. Among the engraved figures are circle engravings called 'medallion motif'. Inside the circles is a combination of foliage or floral and various kinds of animal reliefs. Among the circles there are animal story reliefs in smaller scale. Unfortunately, the stories described in the reliefs have yet to interpret.
According to a Balinese who have visited Panataran, the function of Dragon Temple is similar to that of Kehen Temple in Bali, namely a place to keep objects owned by the gods. It is probably more reasonable to compare Dragon Temple with Taman Sari Temple in Klungkung Regency of Bali. This temple, discovered in 1975, indicates a close relationship with Majapahit Empire. In addition to a being Klungkung’s imperial shrines, Taman sari temple is also used as a place of 'pemasupatian' (the giving of power) to hereditary weapons brought in from the Majapahit Empire. Should this comparison be justifiable, Dragon Temple then serves not only as a place to keep ritual objects possessed by the gods, but also a place to impart power of weapons belonging to Majapahit Empire. Therefore, for pemasupatian purposes, Majapahit weapons do not need to be brought to Bali.
d. Inner Court
The final court is the inner court that previously was also separated by a wall that crosses in north-to-south direction. To its south, there is a formerly entrance gate guarded by a pair of dwarapala statues. There are at least 9 buildings in this court, 2 of them have been recognized as the main temple and an experimental structure of temple body. The other seven buildings leave only rubbles of which the shape and functions are unidentifiable.
The Main Temple. The Main Temple is the biggest building among all other building in Panataran compound. It is located at the rearmost (the east), which is considered to be the holiest part. The temple structure consists of three terraces with overall height of 7.19 m.
The first terrace is square 30.06 meters in east-to-west diameter. In the middle of its four sides, there is a part projecting 3 m to the outside. To access the first terrace, two staircases are available on the left and right of the west side. On each side of the two staircases, there is a dwarapala statue inscribed in Javanese year of 1269 (1347 AD). Story-telling reliefs are engraved along the first terrace wall.
The second terrace is smaller than the first, because if the first terrace has a part projecting to the outside, this terrace has a part projecting to the inner side. The different size between the first and the second terrace forms a walkway on the floor of the first terrace, enabling people to walk around the temple watching scenes as described in the engraved reliefs along its wall. A series of sculptured panel containing Ramayana and Krisnayana stories are found along the wall of the first and the second terraces.
The second terrace has a staircase located nearly at the center of the wall. This staircase connects to that of the third terrace. The third terrace is square in shape. The walls have engravings of a winged-dragon with head raised upwards and a winged lion with rear legs in squatting position while the front legs rose to the front. Engravings on the third terrace’s walls are not only to fill the empty space, but also to serve as pillars.
When the floor on the third terrace was removed during restoration, it was found out that the center part of the floor is made of red bricks. The square site plan is very obvious, along with its frontward projecting parts. Based on the findings, an assumption is developed that the original structure of Panataran Temple is made of red bricks. In the next period of time, Panataran was expanded by overlaying the original structure with andesite stones. The expansion is estimated to have taken place during Majapahit era.
The third terrace is an empty veranda. On this place a temple body should have been there, but to this day it is still impossible to restore the original structure because not all components have been found. Some of this main temple structure has been reconstructed in an experiment arrangement on the temple’s courtyard.
Palah Inscription. To the south of the main temple, there stands a sculptured stone. Considering the big size of the stone, scholars assume that the stone has been in place since the beginning.
Sculptured stone written in ancient Javanese characters is dated in Javanese year of 1119 (1197 AD) and was made upon the order of King Srengga of Kediri Kingdom. The inscription mentions, among other things, the official opening of independent Regency in the interest of Sira Paduka Batara Palah, which becomes the basis of an assumption that Palah is referring to Panataran Temple. In case it is true that Palah is Panataran Temple, this temple has at least been 250 years old and has had gone through a long history of construction period from 1197, through the Kediri kingdom era, to the year 1454 at the time of Majapahit Empire. Nearly all buildings that we can still see today come from the time under the reign of Majapahit kings. It is probable that the older buildings (from Kediri era) have long collapsed.
e. Other Buildings
There are still two more buildings located outside Panataran compound which are connected to Panataran Temple, namely a pool with inscription date in Javanese year of 1337 (1415 AD) located to the southeast and a petirtaan (a bathing place) in rather big size, located approximately 200 meter to the northeast of temple compound.
Panataran temple compound was re-discovered in 1815 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781 – 1826), a lieutenant General Governor of British colonial government in Indonesia. Together with Dr. Horsfield, a natural scientist, Raffles made a visit to Panataran Temple. After Raffles’ rediscovery, researchers began to flock the area for research and recording of archeological objects in Panataran compound. In 1867, Andre de la Porte and J. Knebel also carried out a research on Panataran Temple compound. The outcomes were published in 1900 under a title “De ruines van Panataran”.
In Negarakertagama, Panataran Temple was mentioned as Palah temple. The book tells that King Hayam Wuruk (1350 - 1389 AD) of Majapahit frequently visited Palah to worship Hyang Acalapati, or more knowledgeably Girindra (meaning king of the mountain) in Shiva belief. Therefore, it becomes clear that Candi Palah was intentionally built in an area with Kelud Volcano as a backdrop, because the temple was meant to be a mountain worshipping shrine. Worshipping of Kelud Volcano was intended to ward off potential dangers and disasters the volcano might bring.
Based on inscription on a stone to the south of the main building, Palah Temple was probably built early in the 12th century AD by King Srengga of Kediri. Yet, Panataran Temple had always undergone ongoing development and renovation until, or even after, the ruling of King Hayam Wuruk. This assumption is founded on different dates inscribed on a number of places in this temple, which range between 1197 and 1454 AD. The entire area of Panataran, except the southeast yard, is divided by two-line walls that cross north to south into three sections.
a. Gate
Entrance gate into the temple compound is located on the west side. From the entrance gate there are stairs that lead to a court 6 m2 in size. In this court there are two statues of gate-keeping giant (dwarapala). The statue’s pedestal is inscribed with 1242 Javanese calendar (1320 AD) in ancient Javanese characters. Based on the date inscription, scholars assume that Panataran Temple was officially opened as an imperial shrine during the ruling of King Jayanegara, who reined Majapahit between 1309 and 1328 AD.
On the rear side of the veranda, flanked by the two Dwaraphala statues are stairs that lead to the front court. On top of the stairs are found remnants of traces of entrance door made of red bricks. This entrance door is still mentioned by Jonathan Rigg during his visit to Panataran Temple in 1848.
The arrangement of Panataran Temple is indeed exciting because the buildings are placed one facing the other in a row from front to back, which appears to be confusing. Such arrangement of buildings resembles the arrangement of temples in Bali. In such arrangement, the holist building is located in the innermost or rearmost court, the one closest to mountain.
b. Outer Court
Bale Agung (the Great House). On the front court, there are 6 building sites, 2 of which are unrecognizable of their original shape. One of the important buildings is the Bale Agung, located on the northwest side of the front court, slightly projecting to the west (to front. Bale Agung, according to N.J. Krom, was used as a meeting room by priests or forecasters like those found in Balinese temples.
Bale Agung is a stage-like square building in 37 X 18.84 m2 dimension and 1.44 meter high floor. Its walls and roof have gone. Only the floor remains intact. On the floor there are stone pedestals, which probably served as the bases for wooden columns supporting the roof. The entire floor is made of stone, with reliefs of dragons constricting around the floor and head protruding on each corner.
To the center of each side there are stairs flanked with two Mahakala statues. The whole Mahakala statues remain in their place, except the one on the east side.
Priest Residence. Building located on the north side and in line with the Bale Agung was probably used as a priest residence. The entire building has been damaged, leaving only the pedestals.
Batur Pendapa. This building is located to the southeast of Bale Agung, right behind the priest residence. Like the Bale Agung, what is left from this building is its floor, which is made of stone in 29.05 X 9.22 m2 dimension and 1.5 m high. Around the floor walls are decorated with story-telling reliefs. Batur Pendapa was probably used as a place to put ritual offerings during religious rites.
Stairs leading to the pendapa floor are only on the west or front side. There are two pairs of stairs, on the left and right, each of which flanked by a small size of winged giant statues that rest on one knee with one hand holding a gada (club). The handrails are curved with beautiful 'tumpal' on top. On the upper edge of the floor wall’s east side, hidden among engravings of climbing plants and foliage, there are date inscription indicating that this building was build in 1297 Javanese year or 1375 AD. This Batur Pendapa is also decorated with dragon engravings in back-to-back position, constricting around the floor walls. The tails of the two dragons are twisting each other, while their upward-looking heads wear a necklace and have tufts projecting upwards among building columns.
Other Buildings. The other two building sites leave only their foundations of red bricks. Noticing the many stone pedestals left on the front court, there were probably buildings that used wooden columns like those found in Balinese temples. The definite number of buildings that used wooden columns is not known.
c. Central Court.
Approximately 8 m to the east or back of the Batur Pendapa, there are remnants of red brick wall going from north to south that separate front court and central court. On the southernmost of the wall, in line with the front gate, there are traces of door guarded at its front by a pair of dwarapala statues, in a smaller size than those at the front gate.
One of the statues’ pads is inscribed with 1214 Javanese year (1319 AD). Events to which this date relates are still unknown. At the center court, there are still 7 building sites made of either red bricks or andesite stones. Six out of the seven building sites are no longer unrecognizable.
The center court is divided in to two by a wall that crosses from the east to west. It is not known whether this central court was enclosed by walls, because what are left on the site are only its foundations. Similarly, the walls that enclosed the entire area of Panataran compound have collapsed. The encircling and separating walls are made of red bricks that will not endure through a long period of time.
Year Number Temple. This building is located 20 m to the east of Batur Pendapa, and is completely made of andesite stones. It is called Year Number Temple because the building above its entrance gate sills bears an inscription in Javanese year of 1291 (1369 AD). The local people know the temple better as Brawijaya Temple, because the use this building as the insignia of Brawijaya Regional Military Command. Some calls it Ganesha Temple, referring to a Ganesha statute inside its room (god with elephant head). The shape of this temple is very familiar among the people, as if this temple represents the whole Panataran Temple.
The Year Number Temple faces towards the west, because its entrance gate is on the west side. There is a pair of statues on the front yard to the left and right hand side of the temple. The temple base is quite high, which requires a stone stairway to access the entrance gate with big curved handrails decorated with 'tumpal' ornaments of flowers in isosceles arrangement. The temple body has a room (gerbagrha), in which there is a Ganesha statue.
Like other temples, above the door sills are engraved in kalamakara decoration. Right to its lower side, a year number is inscribed as described above. The walls on the three other sides have a niche that resembles a door, which is also engraved in kalamakara decoration. In East Java, kalamakara is often referred to as Banaspati, which means king of the jungle. Kalas above the door and niche sills of the temple are intended to frighten evil spirits and prevent them from entering the temple compound.
The temple’s roof is full of lively ornaments with a square top. The dome-covering stone on the upper part of temple room has a relief of 'Surya', a circle enclosed by rays of light in the form of vertical lines that shape a number of isosceles triangles. The 'Surya' relief, which is the symbol of Majapahit Empire, is also found in several other temples in East Java, although in slightly different shapes.
Dragon Temple. This building is called Dragon Temple because it is wound around by dragon engravings. The temple, which is 4.83 X 6.57 m in dimension and 4.70 m high, is also located at the central court. The whole structure is made of andesite stones.
Like the Year Number Temple, the door of this temple is located on the west side. The temple’s base is quite high, requiring a stairway to access the door. The handrails are curved, with 'tumpal' decoration. The staircase is flanked by statues of giant holding a club; only one of them still in existence today. The present building is the result of restoration work between 1917 and 1918. The restoration manages to return only the temple base and body to their original condition. The roof, probably made of less durable materials, has collapsed.
The wall of the temple body is engraved in nine figures standing on left and right hand side of the entrance door, on each corner, and in the middle of the other three walls. The nine figures are depicted in luxurious imperial attires with 'prabha' (a place to lean on with carved decoration). One the arms hold a hand bell, while the other hand support the dragon’s body that winds the upper part of the building. Among the engraved figures are circle engravings called 'medallion motif'. Inside the circles is a combination of foliage or floral and various kinds of animal reliefs. Among the circles there are animal story reliefs in smaller scale. Unfortunately, the stories described in the reliefs have yet to interpret.
According to a Balinese who have visited Panataran, the function of Dragon Temple is similar to that of Kehen Temple in Bali, namely a place to keep objects owned by the gods. It is probably more reasonable to compare Dragon Temple with Taman Sari Temple in Klungkung Regency of Bali. This temple, discovered in 1975, indicates a close relationship with Majapahit Empire. In addition to a being Klungkung’s imperial shrines, Taman sari temple is also used as a place of 'pemasupatian' (the giving of power) to hereditary weapons brought in from the Majapahit Empire. Should this comparison be justifiable, Dragon Temple then serves not only as a place to keep ritual objects possessed by the gods, but also a place to impart power of weapons belonging to Majapahit Empire. Therefore, for pemasupatian purposes, Majapahit weapons do not need to be brought to Bali.
d. Inner Court
The final court is the inner court that previously was also separated by a wall that crosses in north-to-south direction. To its south, there is a formerly entrance gate guarded by a pair of dwarapala statues. There are at least 9 buildings in this court, 2 of them have been recognized as the main temple and an experimental structure of temple body. The other seven buildings leave only rubbles of which the shape and functions are unidentifiable.
The Main Temple. The Main Temple is the biggest building among all other building in Panataran compound. It is located at the rearmost (the east), which is considered to be the holiest part. The temple structure consists of three terraces with overall height of 7.19 m.
The first terrace is square 30.06 meters in east-to-west diameter. In the middle of its four sides, there is a part projecting 3 m to the outside. To access the first terrace, two staircases are available on the left and right of the west side. On each side of the two staircases, there is a dwarapala statue inscribed in Javanese year of 1269 (1347 AD). Story-telling reliefs are engraved along the first terrace wall.
The second terrace is smaller than the first, because if the first terrace has a part projecting to the outside, this terrace has a part projecting to the inner side. The different size between the first and the second terrace forms a walkway on the floor of the first terrace, enabling people to walk around the temple watching scenes as described in the engraved reliefs along its wall. A series of sculptured panel containing Ramayana and Krisnayana stories are found along the wall of the first and the second terraces.
The second terrace has a staircase located nearly at the center of the wall. This staircase connects to that of the third terrace. The third terrace is square in shape. The walls have engravings of a winged-dragon with head raised upwards and a winged lion with rear legs in squatting position while the front legs rose to the front. Engravings on the third terrace’s walls are not only to fill the empty space, but also to serve as pillars.
When the floor on the third terrace was removed during restoration, it was found out that the center part of the floor is made of red bricks. The square site plan is very obvious, along with its frontward projecting parts. Based on the findings, an assumption is developed that the original structure of Panataran Temple is made of red bricks. In the next period of time, Panataran was expanded by overlaying the original structure with andesite stones. The expansion is estimated to have taken place during Majapahit era.
The third terrace is an empty veranda. On this place a temple body should have been there, but to this day it is still impossible to restore the original structure because not all components have been found. Some of this main temple structure has been reconstructed in an experiment arrangement on the temple’s courtyard.
Palah Inscription. To the south of the main temple, there stands a sculptured stone. Considering the big size of the stone, scholars assume that the stone has been in place since the beginning.
Sculptured stone written in ancient Javanese characters is dated in Javanese year of 1119 (1197 AD) and was made upon the order of King Srengga of Kediri Kingdom. The inscription mentions, among other things, the official opening of independent Regency in the interest of Sira Paduka Batara Palah, which becomes the basis of an assumption that Palah is referring to Panataran Temple. In case it is true that Palah is Panataran Temple, this temple has at least been 250 years old and has had gone through a long history of construction period from 1197, through the Kediri kingdom era, to the year 1454 at the time of Majapahit Empire. Nearly all buildings that we can still see today come from the time under the reign of Majapahit kings. It is probable that the older buildings (from Kediri era) have long collapsed.
e. Other Buildings
There are still two more buildings located outside Panataran compound which are connected to Panataran Temple, namely a pool with inscription date in Javanese year of 1337 (1415 AD) located to the southeast and a petirtaan (a bathing place) in rather big size, located approximately 200 meter to the northeast of temple compound.
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