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CIWA TEMPLE
The temple complex could be divided in another dimension. Vertically, the complex of temples consists of three groups of temples, the foot temples, the body temples and the top temples. This grouping is as a symbol of relationship between the heavenly Devine, the earth and mankind. The foot temples expresses the lower world (the commoners), the body temples shows the middle world, (the souls) and the top temples which express the highest world, the place for the Devine, God. The heavenly beings are expressed as human, animals, ornaments, trees and others. All of these pictures showed as the place for the Devines, the Mahameru Mountain (Mahameru mountain lies in East Java, near Malang). Lorojonggrang could be pictured as a replica of Mahameru Mountain which was shown the presence of Lokapala inscriptures at the foot of Ciwa temple which represent as God the guardian of the points of compass.
Ciwa Temples as the main temple had a gate at the East side. The stairs to this gate was wider compared to other stairs (The South, West and the North ). At the left and right side of the gate there were two statues, Nandiswara and Mahakala. These two statues are manifestation of Ciwa, and function as guards of the entrance gate. Ornamentals at the outer side of the wall were of Prambanan type, Kalamakara, heavenly beings in dancing and music playing postures, and other ornamentals representing God's heavenly nature, The base of the temple is surrounded by an open verandah with balustrade in the outer side. The inner side of the balustrade was inscripted Ramayana story as relief. The story of Ramayana is stated from the east.
The main body of the temple consist of four rooms, inside each room lies the statue of Agastya, the Ciwa, the Mahaguru (at the South room) Ganeca as a figure of the Son of Ciwa (at the West room), the statue of Durga Mahesasuramardini as Ciwa the Invulnerable (at the North room), and the statue of Ciwa Mahadewa (Ciwa the Supreme Devine) as the ultimate figure in the temple which occupied the central room. The top of the temple is a multi-story structure, each level is ornamented with diamond-shape figures. The overall dimension of the top temple is 47 meters high and 34 x 34 square meters. The very top part of the temple is a diamond shape structure.
Relief of Ciwa Temple
According to A.J. Bernet Kempers and Sukmono (1974), the inner side of the balustrade in
inscripted with the story of Ramayana. In that story, Rama a reincarnation of Wisnu, Sinta
his wife and Laksmana, his younger brother went to the wood. Many happenings occurred
during their journey in the wood. Sinta was kidnapped by Rahwana, a demonic giant and ran
into Rahwana's palace in Alengka. The Rama got a help from the king of the Ape Kingdom,
Hanoman. Soldiers of apes leaded by Rama moved to Alengka. The row of the inscripted story
ended at the scene where the soldiers of apes were making a bridge connecting to the
palace of Rahwana.
The next is the main part of Ramayana story which can be followed by walking along the alley with the main temple at the right. It was told in that story that the Gods visited Wisnu, asking permission to be allowed to descend to earth in the form of Rama.
