Prajnaparamitha

Prajnaparamitha is buddhist of perfect wisdom considered as the feminine personification of the prajnaparamitha texs. A headless statue was found at Gumpung temple.t is seated female image, it has the hand in dharmmacakramudra. It's jewellery: necklace and beed upavita remind us of that of the Singhasari Statue. The style of Singhasari which is not surprising, as Kertanegara (The King of Singhasari Kingdom) paid special attention to Jambi which is shown by his sending of Pamalayu Expedition in 1275. He did the help of the King of Dharmasraya in Jambi. He needed this strategic point to defend Sumatera against the agression of Khubilai Khan

House drawing

During excavation and restoration of the temples in the muarajambi temple compounds, some of the bricks remain some scratches. Among them are house drawing. There is no information whether this drawing is models of houses they have at that time. Find out more picture of the bricks with scratches on it here

The Muarajambi Temple Compound Situation Map

Here is the information about the muarajambi temple compound areas
SOo, once you decided to go to all around this temple compound, prepare yourself and it would be very much recommended to see each of the place.
First, you can have a look at this picture. There are some temples, menapo *a hill of bricks originally the ruins of building or narrow yard surrounded by trench made by ancient people*, lake, pond, information centre, river, canals, and the hill.

Teluk I Temple

Teluk I temple is located on 103° 22’ 45” of east and 01° 24’ 33” of south. The temple was coincidently found in 1980. A bulldozer doing land paving for the preparation of a factory building hit the old structure ruins. Subsequently, a team from Ditlinbinjarah and Puslitarkenas Jakarta conducted survey and excavation so as to get conviction that it is an old structure (Teluk I temple) and that the area is archaeological site.
Teluk I temple is located on Batanghari riverbank, exactly in Kemingking river. There are four mounds which are identified as main temple in square sketch 20 x 20 m directing to northeast, 11 x 20 m square shape perwara on the northeast of the main temple, perwara in octagon sketch 11 x 5 m located on the northeast of the main temple, 50x50 m surrounding fence.

Kedaton Temple

Kedaton Temple is astronomically located on E 103° 38’ 55,6” and S 01°28’ 32,8”. The temple is first found 1976, after an archaeological survey in the Muarajambi compound site. The research showed that the Kedaton temple is the biggest and largest structure among other temple in the site. The dimension is 55850 m2 surrounded by concrete fence. While, the main temple dimension is 26 m x 26 m with white corals inside. The white corals are unique, as other temple within the site having bricks inside. The corals later predicted that they are taken from Batanghari river upstream which is closeby Bukit Duabelas highlands. To date, the Kedaton Temple are for the most part covered by forest plants, while the only open sky yard is the main temple location which is now being reconstructed. Inspite of the temple structures, some other arcaeological properties were also found here, including padmasana (arca base), elephant arca, bronze pots, and other findings which are now being kept in the Site collection hall.

History of Muarajambi Temple Compound

The name of Muarajambi first appeared on a report written by a navy officer from United Kingdom named S.C. Crooke in 1820. Crooke reported that he saw ruins of brick constructions and found a stone elephant sculpture. The Crooke’s description then enriched by T. Adam, a dutchman visiting Jambi in 1921. He also did not mention archaeological heritage except the constructions and arca. Thirteen years later, F.M. Schnitger visited Muarajambi. He added some information about names of new temples, they are Gumpung, Tinggi, Gunung Perak, Gudang Garem, Gedong I and Gedong II. Schnitger did excavation in the inner part of some temples. Schnitger is the first scholar relating the Muarajambi Site to ancient Malay (Mo-lo-yeu) mentioned in Chinese manuscript XVII century. He went through a small river called Melayu in western part of Muarajambi village as basic argumentation. In 1954, this site was researched by by Department of Education and Culture team lead by R. Soekmono. The team took new photos and assumed there is relation between this site and Sriwijaya kingdom. Then in 1975, restoration was started by Directorate of History and Archaeology, Department of Education and Culture. During forest sweeping mission, the workers in the field successfully showed large seven temples area: Kotomahligai, Kedaton, Gedong I and II, Gumpung, Tinggi, Kembarbatu, dan Astano. In 1985, Bakosurtanal (National Survey and Mapping Coordination Board) did aerial photo on the temples area. It is visibly on the map that the Muarajambi Site has canal system which is made encircling natural levee. Of the archaeological researches, shows that Muarajambi Site is an old malay kingdom heritage which has been developed since the 8th to 14th century by Mahayana Buddhist.

Astano Temple

Astano temple is located on the Kelari lakeside, exactly on S 01° 28’ 28.9”, E 103° 40’ 43.8”. The temple structure is on higher surface surrounded by canal. The main temple is dodecagon and it is predicted that the construction conducted in three phases. The main construction as the oldest and highest is in the middle, while other constructions are on the east and west side. archaeological properties found within this temple area are 2 stone padmasana, 14 stone arca fragments, stone mortar, beads, and foreign and local ceramic. All the artifacts are now being kept in collection hall of the Site.

Kotomahligai Temple

Kota Mahligai temple compound is located on the west of Kedaton temple separated by Terusan river, exactly on S 01° 28’ 15.6”, E 103° 38’ 20.7”. Almost all the structures are currently remain ruins like mound which is locally cited as Menapo. Based on archeologist who conducted excavation, the structures are main temple, perwara, surrounded fence and a surrounded ditch flowing into Terusan river. The uniqueness of this temple beside its function as holy building, a Gajahsinga (a lion on an elephant) sculpture was found at this temple.

Sengalo Hill

Sengalo Hill is the only highland resembles a small hill and located on the westernmost of the Muarajambi site compound land or exactly on S 01° 28’ 445”, E 103°37’ 29.2”. The hill is clearly visible for the nature of Muarajambi site land is flat as it is located next to the east coast area of Sumatera. Archeologists said this hill is unique and some of them assumed this as orientation point of the Muarajambi site compound. In reality, majority of temple compound main gate are located on the east side where the sunrise, while the Sengalo hill is located on the westernmost, this is a reflection of life which is started from the sunrise and ended in the sunset.

Ancient Canal and Hydro System

The ancient canal network in Muarajambi archaeological site are Melayu river, Terusan river, Jambi river, Johor ditch, Sekapung ditch, Buluran Dalam river, Buluran Keli river, Buluran Paku, and Selat river. This canal network interconnected to tributaries along Batanghari watershed and flows along the Muarajambi site area. The tributaries are Seno river, Amburan Jalo and Berembang river. As canal network knot, Berembang river has important role as the ancient canals circulation connected with the Berembang river before then flowing to Batanghari river.
Batanghari river and the canals flow and located in the Muarajambi temple compound is inseparable part of the land where holy structures are built. Batanghari river as cruise line to connect the Muarajambi temple site area to mobility of community in Jambi territorial and its environs as well as other territorials in Nusantara and oreign people including Chinese, India, and even people from central Asia.
Furthermore, the ancient canals developed in the same time with the temple construction is landscape unity as water use network, crossing each other and develop a ‘protection system’ for the Muarajambi temple site. In this case, symbolically the canals function as boundary between the sacral and profane. Dalam hal ini secara simbolis fungsi kanal merupakan batas antara yang sakral dan profan. The ’holied’ land is bound and specialized as location for temple construction are inside the canal network. Functionally, the canal is not only developed to support population and comers in the Muarajambi site, but also symbolically related to macrocosmic and microcosmic world in Buddhism. In this case, the ancient canals indicate symbol, while the mountain are represented by the temple structure.

Telagorajo Pond

The Telagorajo pond was found in the mid of 1970, the sureness about its function have not been clear, but it can be concluded that the pond related with reservoir for clean water saving for ancient people. Advance research accordingly is required to identify the function. Telagorajo is a symbolism of macrocosmic and microcosmic in Budhism, that a pond is a symbol of an ocean.
The name of Telagorajo is taken from the local community citation that is inherited to date and related to collective memory that the Muarajambi site is a very important part of kingdom at that time.
The Telagorajo pond is located on 100 meter southeast of Gumpung temple. The depth is two to three meter from recent land surface. If calculated from the surrounding mound, the pond depth is about three to four meter.

Gedong I Temple

Gedong I temple compound is located on S 01° 28’ 39.2”, E 103° 39 32.5”. The area width of this compound is 5.525 m2 which was reconstructed in 1998 consists of a main temple, perwara and surrounded fence with main gate in east part. The fence is 65 m x 65 m, the main temple is square sketch about 14,5 m X 14,5 m. On the left side is entrance ladder to the upper part of the structure. Archaeological properties in this location are 6 stoned base, arca fragments, ornate and paleograph bricks, as well as Chinese ceramic fragments from Sung Dinasty (10 - 13 C), Yuan (15-16 C) and Ching (17-20 C), and old glass fragments which are predicted made in Middle East and India. Itis interesting to be scrutinized there found concrete base and tile roof fragments which represents that in Gedong I temple beside the concrete structure there were wooden structure as well.

Kembarbatu Temple

The Kembarbatu temple compound is located on 250 meter southeast Tinggi Temple, exactly on S 01° 28’ 39.7”, E 103°40’ 15.2”, while the dimension of land is about 59 m x 63 m. The temple which was reconstructed in 1994-1995, has discovered: 1 main temple, 5 reconstructed perwara, 2 other structures which function has not been identified, surrounded fence, gate and surrounded canal. The main temple facing to east, Perwara I facing to eastwest, perwara II and V facing to east and Perwara III and IV facing to North. Temples within the Kembarbatu temple compound are: main temple 11,39 m x 11,33 m x 2,82 m, Perwara I 11,60 m x 11 m x 1,86 m, Perwara II 3,75 m x 3,45 m x 1,30 m, Perwara III 8,09 m x 5,79 m x1,46 m, Perwara IV 12,32 m x 12,17 m x 0,65 m, Perwara V 5,10 m x 5,07 m x 0,92 m. Based on findings around, including bronze gong with Chinese letters on, golden plaque, gems, bricks with Old Java letters, and Chinese ceramic, it can be concluded that the structures had been constructed during 10 - 12 Century.

Tinggi Temple

Tinggi Temple is one of temples in the Muarajambi temple site compound, located on the northeast of Gumpung temple compound, exactly on S 01° 28’ 33.7”, E 103° 40’ 07.3”. The width of this temple is 2.92 Ha with one main temple, six perwara and enclosed fence. The temples had been reconstructed in 1980 – 1982 including the main temple with dimension of 16 x 16 m and 7.6 m height. Of archaeological research conducted during the resconstruction, initially, the temple was constructed in two phases; the inner part of the older construction was still in original shape in the time it was found. While, square perwara are located on the northeast, southwest, and south of the main temple. Currently, the remaining structures are the foundation and few footer parts. The main entrance is located on the east and west and a smaller gate on the west.

Gedong II Temple

Gedong II temple compound is located on S 01° 28’ 32.9’, E 103° 39’ 27.9’, in western part of Gedong I temple. The dimension of this temple compound is 75 m x 67,5 m surrounded by concrete fence and a main gate on the east. The compound consists of a main temple and 2 perwara. In the first perwara (in front of the main temple) is wooden pillar base, it shows us that in the past it was concrete structure in the base part and wooden structure on the upper part with tile roof. the yard is covered by pavement. Beside the temple structures, there found an arca called Arca Gadjahsingha. currently the arca is kept in collection hall of the Muarajambi temple compound site. During restoration of the temple in 2002, another arca as found called Dwarapala (keeper) on the left of entrance ladder, the arca is currently also kept in the collection hall.

GUMPUNG Temple

Gumpung Temple is located on S 01° 28’ 39.5”, E 103° 40’ 02.0”, and is one of large temple compound in the Muarajambi archaeological site. Gumpung temple is first called by F.M. Schnitger in his report in 1937. Boechari, an arcaeologist in reading old inscription, in his report wrote that based on result of his reading on the golden inscription found in the Gumpung temple, it is predicted that the Gumpung temple compound was constructed in the mid of 9 century to early 10 century. Of the golden inscription, it is found that Gumpung temple was prayer centre of Buddhist. This is supported with the finding of Pradjaparamita and other artifacts related to the Buddhist religious ceremony. Gumpung Temple surrounded by square fence in dimension of 150 m x 155 m. The land surface height is about 14,7 mdpl, directs to east, based on the main gate facing to east. While, the main temple is 17,9 m x x 17,3 m and the perwara 9,85 m x 9,75 m. the temple yard divided into some rooms, each surrounded by concrete fence and entrance gate. Currently, the remaining fences and entrance gates lost and result of restoration in 1982 had restored the remaining structure. While the original fence remains can be found under the protection building on the north of the temple.

Reconstruction of Kedaton Temple

Hidden by jungle since the end of its glory days, the mysteries of the Muara Jambi temple complex are gradually being unearthed by Indonesian archaeologists. Candi Kedaton is a busy place. Walls are being demolished and bricks are being diligently numbered and stacked under blue plastic tarpaulins. “We have to stabilise the foundations of the temple. Once we’ve done that we will rebuild the walls and reconstruct the temple,” explains Agus Widiatmoko, an archaeologist in BP3 Jambi.

Candi Kedaton belongs to the Muara Jambi temple complex, a 2062-hectare Buddhist site on the east coast of Sumatra vying for Unesco World Heritage status. Covering 7.5 kilometres of the Batanghari River’s banks, the site is quite rightly known as Indonesia’s Angkor Wat. Of the 82 known ruins on the site, so far only eight have been dug up and reconstructed.

The city of Jambi is a no-nonsense blue-collar town, producing oil and rubber. It is also the location for several paper mills that process the vast amounts of timber harvested, illegally or not, from the surrounding rainforest. The city has a few hotels meeting international standards as well as an airport, which makes it the ideal gateway to some of Sumatra’s most exciting nature reserves and historical sites.

Two-and-a-half hours south of the city is the Harapan Rainforest Reserve where you can spot hornbills, wild boar and treetop gibbons. A bit further away is the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park where Asian elephants, Sumatran tigers and orangutans roam the forest. Another exciting, if more inaccessible attraction are the stone age megalithic complexes of Mount Kerinci, which at 3805-metres is Indonesia’s highest volcano.

The Muara Jambi is only 22km outside the city, and the most relaxed way to get there is a one-and-a-half-hour boat journey up the Batanghari River. Faster, of course, is a drive by car through sleepy villages, rice paddies and lush orchards dripping with mangos, durians and langsat.

Temple tourism is in its infancy, so amenities for visitors are few and far between. For a few Indonesian rupiah, local guides will happily take you around the complex. Their view of history might not be completely accurate, but they will fill you in on the popular local stories and myths – which are certainly no less entertaining. The temples may have no religious significance to the Muslim guides, but they remain a source of local pride, reminding the locals of a far more ancient tradition of belief and achievement.

Burning bright: Sumatran women washing clothes on Samosir Island in Lake TobaFrom the 4th until the 13th century AD, Muara Jambi was the centre of the Hindu-Buddhist Melayu Kingdom and a partner in its tumultuous history. According to the Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing, who travelled through the area in the 7th century, the early Melayu was an independent kingdom and a centre of Buddhist worship and education. By the end of the century, however, it was taken over by the rival Srivijaya empire, another ancient Malay Kingdom. Even as a vassal state, Jambi continued to be powerful due to its gold mines, and is probably the reason why the Sanskrit name for Sumatra is Suvarnadvipa (island of gold).

In its heyday, the influence of the Srivijaya empire extended to Java, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. One major reason for this was Jambi’s strategic location at the point where the South China Sea, the Java Sea and the Straits of Malacca meet. Its control of this trade bottleneck enabled its influence to reach even the borders of present-day Cambodia, until Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer Empire, severed the link.

As Srivijaya’s dominance waned in the 11th century, due to conflicts with the Chola Kingdom of South India and Javanese feifdoms, the seat of the empire was moved to Jambi. Jambi’s political, diplomatic and commercial connections produced a cosmopolitan city where traders from Arabia, India and China mingled with the Bugis of Sulawesi and other indigenous tribes.

Road less travelled: a tourist negotiates a forest trailIn two restored temples, Candi Gumpung and Candi Tinggi, a collection of artefacts includes coins from China, ceramics from Siamese Sawankhalok and a huge bronze kettle from Vietnam. But beyond these artefacts and a few old documents, little is really known about the temples. “We even don’t know the real names of them,” admits Widiatmoko. He points to a block of sandstone with ornamental carvings on its sides, which sits next to Candi Kedaton’s main stairway. “We have no idea what purpose these stones served. They must have been imported since there is no sandstone in Jambi. Perhaps they served as pedestals for Buddha statues.” While most of the bricks used for the temples are plain red stones, occasionally archaeologists have found some bricks covered in carvings. “These bricks contain the oldest graphic representations of Sumatran architecture and show domestic architecture reflecting a variety of cultural influences in Jambi,” says Widiatmoko. One thing that is known is that it will be impossible to restore the Jambi temples to their original state since the main structure of each temple was made from wood.

Walking the tracks of an ancient civilisation makes you hungry. Fortunately Widiatmoko knows the perfect place for lunch: the home of batik artist Azmiah Edy Sunarto in Jambi. In the traditional manner, we sit on the floor in a living room that doubles as a show room for the colourful batik tulis – hand-drawn batik artwork. A red, beautifully designed batik sheet is spread out and the artist’s daughter serves lunch. Fish and meat curries are placed on the batik sheet, accompanied by vegetables, fruits and rice.

Pointing to her creations, Azmiah Edy Sunarto tells us that Jambi batik is characterised by its floral and fruit motifs, unlike Javanese batik that uses animals. There are about 80 traditional batik Jambi designs, which, she says, are as ancient as the temples, handed down from generation to generation since the glory days of the Melayu Kingdom.

Amorphophalus Campanulatus found

Wow!! Great!!
It was on Early January 2010 when we visited Muarajambi temple area. We went there for our office mission, accompanying visitors. Unfortunately the visitor has very limited time and they visited only Gumpung temple, Tinggi temple and the collection hall. After the guests left the area, we got information from the local people, they found an Amorphophalus Campanulatus (it's called Bunga Bangkai in Bahasa Indonesia, bunga means flower, while bangkai means corpse or cadaver) is growing up closeby the temple. We then had a look at there together with the keeper. YES!!! IT's GREAT!. Purple Amorphophalus titanum.

This flower is originally from Sumatera. Though, it's not common to see, as it rarely grow. "It grows between November to January", said a man owning the area. He also told us that the flower has twice growing on his cacao plantation. "In the beginning, when the flower started blooming, it smelled too bad", added him. This flower thrives at the edges of rainforests near open grasslands. Though found in many botanic gardens around the world it is still indigenous only to the tropical forests of Sumatra.