Bubrah Temple

 
Bubrah temple is located in the tourism area of Prambanan, Bener hamlet, Bugisan village, Prambanan subdistrict, Klaten Regency, Central Java province. Little is known about this temple, which leaves only its already damaged base and a heap of stones previously constructing the temple’s walls. The name Bubrah (Javanese) means badly damaged condition. It is not obvious whether the temple is called bubrah because it is already 'bubrah' ( in damaged condition) or because it really is the name.

The size of the Buddhist temple is relatively small, built on a square plan extending from north to south. It is difficult to find out the exact size of the temple since the area of the temple is surrounded by locked fence. The base is about 2 m high. Reliefs in symmetrical pattern are carved along the upper edge of the base, but none are found on the walls of the base. A staircase used as an entrance way to the platform lies on the east side of the base.

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.

Banyuniba Temple

Banyuniba Temple is located at southern side of Cepit hamlet, Bokoharjo village, Sleman sub-district. It is around 200 m from Barong temple and about 1 km to the southwest of Yogya-Solo highway. This Buddhist temple faces west and stands alone within a plantation area. About 15 m in front of the Banyuniba temple, there is a small river.

Banyuniba Temple was discovered in a ruined condition. The first investigation and reconstruction of the temple were done in 1940. According to the research, it is estimated that Banyuniba Temple consists of three main temples which face to the west and surrounded by lines of ancillary shrines arranged in three rows to the south and three rows to the east. At present only the main temple that has been successfully restored and none of ancillary temples remain. At the back yard of the Banyuniba temple there is a hole in the ground, like a well.

Banyuniba Temple is relatively small, only 11 m high and around 15 m long. The body of the temple stands on a 2.5 m high stone platform and is laid out in the middle of neatly arranged andesite stones. The difference in size between the platform and the temple’s body forms a walkway, which is wide enough for one person to pass through. The wall of the temple and the upper edge of the platform are full of decorations in the patterns of creeping plants and leaves rambling out of a jar.  There are decorations like Kala head called 'jaladwara’ in every corner of the temple’s base. These decorations function as a gutter of rain water. The roof of the temple has a dome (dagoba)  shape with a stupa on top.

At the front porch lies a 1.2 m wide staircase as an access to the walkway at the temple platform. The top of the staircase is decorated with a couple of dragon head with open wide mouth.

The entrance door has a porch with curved-roof projecting around 1 m from the body of the temple. The front side of the porch is full of creeping plant decorations. A Kalamakara without its lower jaw is carved above the door frame.

At the inner side of the wall above the door frame there is relief depicting Hariti sitting in sedentarily position flanked by two peacocks and surrounded by children. A relief of Kuwera or Avataka in sitting position is carved on the southern wall of the porch. To his left and slightly to the back, a servant sits with right hand on the thigh.

On each of the four walls of the temple there are windows, through which the temple’s interior can be seen. Above the frame of each window there is an ornament of Kalamakara, whereas to its left and right side there is a niche containing carved figures of the divinity such as kinara and kinari, hapsara and hapsari, also Hariti and Avataka. Hidden between kalamakara and the window frame, there is a carving of man in sitting position.

There is no statue at the chamber of the temple, but the entire wall is decorated with relief of child and male figures in various positions, such as a child hanging on a branch of tree, people sitting and hugging each others, and etc. A statue of cow in sitting position is placed in the temple’s court. It remains uncertain whether the statue is still on its original location or has been moved.