Sambisari Temple: A Hindu Temple Below Ground in Java

RRI.CO.ID, Sleman – Sambisari Temple is a temple complex in Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. Unlike other ancient temples in Indonesia, it has uniqueness of having located roughly 6 meters below the ground; one of the few temples in the region.

The temple is estimated to have been built in the 9th century, during the era of the Hindu kingdom of Mataram. The temple was buried by volcanic eruptions from Mount Merapi over time, until it was eventually discovered in the 1960s by a farmer hoeing the soil in a rice field.

As quoted from the Cultural Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, The complex consists of a main temple and three ancillary temples made of andesite stone. It has three tiered courtyards, each surrounded by a perimeter wall.

The main temple faces west, with the ascending stairs having stair cheeks decorated with makara. The niches in the temple body, located almost level with the lobby floor, are filled with statues of the Hindu pantheon: Durga in the north, Ganesha in the east, and Agastya in the south.

Outside the temple body is a corridor floor bordered by a balustrade. On the corridor floor are twelve pedestals, consisting of eight round and four square, thought to be wooden pillars used to support the wooden roof structure.

The three ancillary temples are lined up in front of the main temple, facing east, with the ascending stairs located on the east side. The three ancillary temples consist only of a base and a balustrade, without a body or roof.

The fence surrounding the three temple courtyards is made of white stone. In the courtyard are eight stone stakes placed at the eight cardinal directions, four at each corner of the courtyard, and four in front of the entrance.

The temple has now become one of the tourist spots in Sleman, and has attracted tourists from various locations. Tickets are less than 50 US cents, and once bought, visitors can enjoy the unique features of this temple.