TEMPLE HERITAGE

Scattered throughout the mountains and plains of central and eastern Java are the remains of numerous stone temples dating roughly from between the eighth and fifteenth centuries. Taken together, they tell story of the rise, development and decline of Java’s Hindu/Buddhist civilization.

Generally speaking, the Central Javanese monuments are earlier than those found in the eastern part of the island. Most were built between about 750 and 950 A.D. Exceptions are the curious structures on Mt Lawu near Solo, which date from the 15^th century, right at the end of the Hindu/Buddhist period.

The temples of Central Java were the work of master builders, who drew their inpiration from Idian architectural models. The principals upon which they built, however, are far older than either Hinduism or Buddhism and are rather connected with the ancient belief that humans are somehow influenced by subtle forces emanating from stars, planets and from the cardinal directions. Aside from functioning as places and of worship, then, these sacred buildings were magical diagrams representing the order of things in the unseen world. The groundplans were invariably symmetrical and carefully aligned with the points of the compass, entrances usually facing eat or west, towards the rising or setting sun. In the case of a large complex, like Prambanan, minor buildings were balanced around a tall central structure. The focus was towards the center, the direction vertical, to the heavens. In short, Javanese temples were earthly replicas of the spiritual mansions; places where gods and ancestral spirit would be inclined to congregate, feel at home and, hopefully, mingle with humans.

Temples also sometimes functioned as shrines for departed leaders, a tradition harking back to the times of primitive ancestor cults. Following the death of a powerful ruler, a funerary statue of the monarch as a god or potential Buddha would be created and a temple built to house the image. The Indonesian term cand, meaning ‘ancient shrine’, is nowdays used to indicated all manner of sacred sites, including bathing pools or even rocks. Principal temples in Central Java include those on the Dieng Plateau, the Gedong Songo group on Mt Ungaran, Candi Sukuh and Ceto on Mt Lawu, as well as the famous monuments or Borobudur and Prambanan near Yogyakarta. The best times to visit these places is in the early mornings or late afternoons when the weather is cooler, the light better for photography, and in the mountains the visibility more likely to be clear. In fact, the optimum time for photographing these beautiful objects is immediately following the rain, when the vegetation surrounding the temples appears green and fresh, and the stone glistens.

Principal Temple Sites – Yogyakarta and Central Java

Vicinity	Temple	Date
Yogyakarta	Prambanan	Hindu, Mid 9th C.
	Sewu	Buddhist, Late 8th C.
	Plaosan	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Kalasan	Buddhist, Late 8th C.
	Sari	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Sambisari	Hindu, 9th C.
	Sojiwan	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Ratu Boko	Hindu/Buddhist, 8th-9th C.
Magelang	Borobudur	Buddhist, 8th-9th C.
	Mendut	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Pawon	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Gunung Wukir	Hindu, Mid 8th C.
	Ngawen	Buddhist, Early 9th C.
	Selogriyo	Hindu, 9th C.
Parakan	Pringapus	Hindu, Mid 9th C.
Wonosobo	Dieng Temples	Hindu, 8th – 9th C.
Ungaran	Gedong Songo	Hindu, 8th – 9th C.
Tawangmangu	Sukuh, Ceto	Hindu, 15th C.

The Temple of Prambanan

While scholars may be uncertain as to who built the temple of Loro Jonggrang at Prambanan, there is no doubt in the minds of local residents that it was constructed in one night by Bandung Bondowoso. The legend surrounding the temple goes something like this :

Loro Jonggrang was the daughter of Ratu Boko, whose palace was situated on Ratu Boko Hill, to the south of Prambanan. When a dominic warrior prince by the name of Bandung agreed, on the condition that he build for her a vast temple in a single night. Undeterred by the request, Bandung Bondowoso took up the seemingly impossible challenge and, when evening came, set to work. As the result of his extraordinary magical powers, the temple began to take shape rapidly and by 3 o’clock in the morning it was almost finished. Seeing that her conditions were going to be met, and that she would be forced to marry this unwelcome suitor, Loro Jonggrang immediately ordered the villagers to begin pounding rice, which was a customary sign that the new day had begun. At that moment, Bandung Bondowoso had only one more atatue to complete. In his anger at having been tricked in this way he cursed the princess and turned her into the image of Durga which now stands in the northern chamber of the main temple at Prambanan.

Prambanan today is a small village lying about 16kilometres east of Yogyakarta. To the north lies the smouldering mass of Mt Merapi. For the ancient Javanese who lived in it’s shadow, the mountain was a sacred symbol, the resting place of gods and ancestors. It was the great provider, source of the swift flowing rivers which poured down from it’s slopes to water the fertile plains. When angered, however, it would erup violently, causing the most awesome devastion. Little wonder, then, that it was deemed necessary to placate Merapi’s resident spirits with prayers and offerings.

The Ramayana Ballet

A unique event Yogyakarta is the performance of the Ramayana Ballet at the Prambanan Theatre, using the tempke as a backdrop. The balet, which involves a huge cast of more than 100 dancers and musicians, is staged on four consecutive nights around the full moon during the dry season (May – Oktober).

Other Temples in the Prambanan Region

The Loro Jonggrang temple is just one of literally scores of archaeological sites in the immediate vicinity of Prambanan. While many can only be approached on foot, most of the major temples can be covered in a few hours by andong.

Two important Buddhist temples, Sewu and Plaosan, lie a short distance from Prambanan to the north and north east respectively. Candi Sewu, which literally means ‘1000 temples’ is an enormous complex containing some 250 separate buildings arranged in a mandala pattern. Built during the late 8th century, the temple is currently undergoing reconstruction.

About a kilometre to the east of Candi Sewu stands temple o Plaosan, which should not be missed. While much of the site is in ruins, one of the main buildings has been restored and the temple displays some of the most refined sculpture to be found anywhere in Central Java. To the south, on the others side of the main Yogya-Solo road, The 9th century Buddhist temple of Sojiwan is worth a visit.

Still more remains to be seen on the Ratu Boko Hill, about two kilometres directly south of Pambanan. The principal objects of interst, which are easily accessible, are the ancient entrance gates, Pendopo Terrace and bathing pools, apparently part of what may once have been a fortified palace. This area has only recently begun to be examined seriously and it is still shrouded in mystery. For those with more time to spare, the are many more old temple sites which can be reached on foot from Ratu Boko, oncluding Candi Barong, Banyuibo, Dawangsari, Miri and, futher afield, candi Ijo.

More temples lie within a short distance of the main Yogya-Solo road on the 16 kilometre stretch between Yogyakarta and Prambanan. Candi Gebang, Sambisari, Kalasan, Sari and Moragan are all worth visiting.

Candi Gebang, a small Hindu temple which was discovered in 1936 and has since been restored, can be found 7,5 kilometres north of the main road. A left turn at the Sri Wedari Hotel, 7 kilometres from the city, lead ti the site.

Candi Sambisari, which lies 2,5 kilometres north of the main road, 12 kilometres out of town, was not discovered until 1966.A farmer working in the fields came upon some stones displaying carved decoration and reported his find to the Archaeological Service. Excavations which followed recvealed a 9th century Hindu temple lying buried nder 6 metres of volcanic dust and ash. After 20 years of restoration work. Sambisari was formally opened to the public in March 1987.

An inscription conected with Candi Kalasan is dated 778 A.D. making this temple one of the earliest ‘dated’ monuments. The remains of this impressive Buddhist structure, which displays some extremely refined decoration, are visible 50 metres to the south of the main road at the village of Kalasan.

Candi Sari is located a short distance further a long the road to the east of Kalasan, on the northern side. It is a Buddhist temple resembing Candi Plaosan in form and dates from about the same period.

Lastly, for those who are interested in seeing an excavation in progress, it is worh visiting Candi Morangan, which is still half buried underground about 2 kilometres north of Kalasan. A small signpost on the main road, easily missed, points the the way to this small Hindu temple , which has just recently been discovered.

BATIK

According to some, the ancient textile art called batik, for which Java is particularly famous, was developed in the Middle East and introduced to Indonesia from India. Others claim China as it’s birthplace. Whatever the truth may be, there can be no doubt that the technical and artistic excellence of Javanese batik has never been surpassed.

Batik, is, fundamentally, a ‘resist-dye’ technique. The method involves creating a pattern on a plain cloth with molten wax which, when hardened, becomes dye-resisant. Only the unwaxed part of the cloth is affected when the material is dyed, the patterned areas remaining the original colour. The hardened wax is then scraped or boiled off and a fresh pattern can be applied. This process can be continued indefinitely, allowing for enormous complexity in design and subtlety of colour.

The traditional sarong and kain panjang are the two items most frequently produced. Both are rectangular textiles which are worn wrapped around the waist, extending to the ankles, the main difference being that the sarong is sewn together at the ends to form a cylindrical garment. A smaller textile, the selendang, which is used variously as a sash, shawl, headwrap, support for women carrying goods or young children etc., is also popular. Then there is the dodot, a batik cloth used largely for ceremonial puposes, which is both wider and longer than the kain. Other traditional uses for batik included square headcloths, temple decorations as well as flas and banners.

Wax is applied to the cloth in one of two ways. The original, and by far the more skilful method, is by means of a pen-like instrument known as canting, which consists of small copper resorvoir with a spout, attached to a short handle of wood or bamboo. The wax is ‘drawn’ on the cloth’s surface by hand, the size of the canting varying to suit the type of work to be carried out. In the hand of a skilled artist this instrument can archive designs the utmost delicacy and precision.

The other method of application is by hand pressing the wax directly onto the cloth using a copper stamp, or cap, which is far less time consuming. Today, most commercial batik kain and sarong are produced by the cap method, thogh large numbers of hand drawn textiles, known as batik tulis, contiue to be made. Some of these are so fine as to make it vitually impossble for the layan to distinguish cap from tulis. Matters are further complicated by the fact that some batik are produced by a comination of the two techniques. Nevertheless, with experience one can learn to spot the difference. A fairly reliable method is to look for a fault or inconsistency in one of the pattern elements. If this fault repeats it self regularly across the cloth one can be almost certain that the cap technique has been used. For purposes of identification, Javanese batik can be divided into two broad categories : those produced in the Sultanates of Solo and Yogya on the one hand, and those from other, mainly coastal districts. The former can bedescribed as somber, severe, restrained and ultimately classical, reflecting the ancient heritage of Hindu-Javanese culture. Colors are restricted to idigo/black, a brown known as soga, and white/cream. Patterns and motifs are steeped in symbolic meaning and recall a time when the pace of life was slower, when noblewomen in the courts practiced the art as a spiritual dicipline, developing what would seem today an extraordinary degree of patience and concentration.

Batik from the north coast of Java show’s a completely different character. In fact, the island’s history can practically be read from the wide variety of designs on these cloth. The artists make use of an enormous range of colours, both synthetic and natural , and abstract motifs, including those adapted from imported Chinese porcelain, Indian printed fabrics, Arabic calligraphy and even fairy tales of European origin such as ‘Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Cinderella’. The latter examples, reflecting European taste during the colonial period, are just some of the innovations which were introduced by Dutch and Eurasian residents in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Batik today is can Indonesian national symbol. Men wear batik shirts and jackets on formal and festive occasions, while women continue to wear the kain. The last few years have seen an explosion of new styles and patterns, as well as funtions, and shops are full of batik clothing and accessories and all kinds of items for home funishing. In addition, a lively batik painting industry has grown up, especially in Yogyakarta, where well known artists include Sapto Hudoyo, Amri Yahya, Ardiyanto and Amron Eddy, to name just a few.

For more information about batik, visitors can contact the Batik Research Centre, Jalan Kusumanegara 2, Yogyakarta. Recomended place for purchasing batik are, among those listed in the directory. Batik Plentong in Yogyakarta and, in Solo, Danar Hadi and Batik Keris.

YOGYAKARTA

PLACES

OF

INTEREST

The Sultan’s Palace

Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the Sultan;s Palace, is located at the southern end of Jalan Ahmad Yani. The Kraton is the heart of the city of Yogya and covers an area of one square kilometre surrounded by a wall. It is in a sense a city within the city, housing some 25,000 residents, many of them artisans producing traditional crafts like batik cloth, silver wares, wayang puppets and masks. Construction of the complex began in 1755, following yhe division of the kingdom of Mataram, and continued for nearly forty years. The innermost group of buildings, known as Proboyekso, is still the private residence of the reigning Sultan and this family. Here are kept many ancient pusaka, or sacred heirlooms. He reception hall, Bangsal Kencana, is a beautiful structure displaying exquisitely carved teak pillars and painted rafters. Itt was completed in 1792. A small museum exhibits some of the palace treasures, including gifts from European monarchs. Outside, in the Sri Manganti courtyard, two pendopo, traditional Javanese open sided buildings, contain four sets of gamelan instruments dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Also on view are gilded palanquins and sedan chairs, as well as an ancient bedug, the drum used to call Muslims to prayer.

Onthe northern and southern sides of the main palace buildings are large grassy areas known as Alun-Alun. In the middle of each stand two banyan trees, which are said to ‘guard’ the Kraton. Today, much of the Kraton is open to the republic and on Sunday’s visitors have the opportunity to watch classical dance rehearsals there.

Tamansari

Built in 18758 as a recreation area for Yogyakarta’s royal family, the ‘Water Castel’ of Tamansari lies a little to the south west of the Kraton. Although mostly in ruins, brought about by time, neglect and an earthquake in 1867, Tamansari is still an anteresting place to see. Visitors can walk through a maze of underground passageways leading down to dark and mysterious rooms, long since desrted. Two large bathing pools, apparently used by princesses from the palace, are still visible but no longer in use.
Tamansari once had two long tunnels, one of which was connected to the Kraton, the other surfacing some distance outside the city, some say as far away as Parangtritis. This second one wasbuilt as an escape route in the event of danger. Today, many batik artists live along Tamansari’s narrow pathways.

Mesjid Agung (The Great Mosque)

Lying on the western side of the northern Alun-Alun is the Great Mosque. The building was designed by the court architect Wiryokusumo on the order of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I ang completed on 29th May 1773. Two plaques, inscribed in Arabic and Javanese, are displayed on the walls ot the Mosque and mark the date of it’s completion.

The Bird Market (Pasar Ngasem)

The Bird Market is located near the ruins of Tamansari. Rows of brightly coloured cages contain a large variety of birds from all oer Indonesia, as well as rabbits, kittens, guinea pigs and the occasional fruit bat. Many people come here to find rare songbirds, which are entered into competitions and commad very hidh prices. Visitors may be surprised to see some of the caged bird set high up on poles. The reson for this is that the birds are said to sing better in this position.

Jalan Malioboro

Malioboro is the most famous street in Yogyakarta. It runs north-south from the main rail wal station towards the Kraton. Derived from the word Marlborough, the name of the street traces it’s origins back to the brief period of British rule at the begining of the nineteenth century. In the daytime the streets is lined with colourful market stalls selling all kinds of local handicrafts. Here it is possible to have a rubber stamp made in a few hours, or purchase an oil to promote hair growth made from an extract of crushed scorpions. Competing with the street sellers are modern, glass fronted shops stocked with fashion goods, electronic gadgets, cassete tapes and quality batik. A night Malioboro transforms itself into what may be the world’s

longest restaurant. A continuous row of food stalls extends down oth sides of the street, offering traditional delicacies like fried chicken or pigeon, and of course nasi gudeg, until well into the early hours of the morning. Entertainment is provided by a varety of artists and dtreet musicians, who help make every evening on Malioboro one of constant celebration.

PROMINENT BUILDING

Tugu Monument

Situated on the crossroads at the northern end of Jalan Mangkubumi, the Tugu monument was built on the order of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in 1755 to mark the founding of the city of Yogyakarta. Originally 25 meters high, it collapsed during the eartquake of 1867 and was rebuilt 20 years later. The height of the present monument is less than half that of the original one.

Bank Negara Indonesia 1946

This elegant old building was designed by the Javanese architect R. Sindutomo in 1923. During World War II it was used by the occupying Japanese forces as their headquarters. Following the Japanese surrender it became the temporary location of the original Radio Republik Indonesia, before the Bank was founded in 1946. The building is situated at the southern end of Jalan Ahmad Yani, next to the Central Post Office.

Syuhada Mosque

Syuhada Mosque lies to the east of Jalan Mangkubumi, on the bank of the River Code. If’s large green dome can be seen from afar and forms a significant landmark. The mosque is situated in the area know as Kotabaru, where the streets are named after seventeen young citizens of Yogya who died fighting the Japanese in 1945.

Sasono Hinggil Dwi Abad

In former times, the Sultan’s of Yogyakarta used to watch military parades from this old building, which faces the southern Alun-Alun. Today it is a public building which stages regular all night performance of Wayang Kulit (see directory).

Margomulyo Congregation Reformed Church

This is the oldest church in the city and dates back to early Dutch colonial days. Located at 7 Jalan Ahmad Yani, the church was inaugurated and it’s first members baptised on 21st June 1830.

The Pakualam Palace

This is the residence of Prince Paku Alam VII, head of the junior line the Yogyakarta royal family. The Pakualam Principality was established in 1813 by Governor Raffles during the period of British rule in Java. The palace can be found on Jalan Sultan Agung. Although the building is not open to the staged on each Sunday Pon at the front reception hal (see calendar of events)

The Ambarrukmo Palace

This was originally the ‘country’ residence of Sultan Hamengku Buwono VII, whoretired here in 1921 after setting his son on the throne. Today it is the site of the four star Ambarrukmo Palace Hotel on Jalan Solo.

Fort Vredenburg

Situated on Jalan Ahmad Yani, this is an old Dutch fortrees dating from 1765. It is currently undergoing renovation by the Departement of Education and Culture and will eventually house a museum, art gallery and theatre for cultural performances.

The Beringharjo Market

Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX named this market Beringharjo after the forest area which was cleared for the purpose in 1756. Located on Jalan Ahmad Yani, the present building was constructed by the Dutch in 1925, though the remains of earlier Chinese werehaouses are still visibel on it’s northern side. Beringharjo stock an enormous range of merchandise, such as clothing, shoes, textiles, bags, baskets, mats, spices, foodstuffs, agricultural produce and household items. The narrow alley way running alongside the northern fence is a delight for those looking for unlikely articles. Here it is possible to find old bits of machinery, spare parts, second hand army boots, broken clocks, cameras and general scrap, among which may lie a few treasures.

Affandi Museum

The strange looking house on stills near the Ambarrukmo Hotel on Jalan Solo is studio of Affandi, Yogyakarta’s most famous painter. The roof is shaped like a banana leaf, which Affandi says was all that he had to shelter himself from the rain when he was still a poor young artist. Adjoining the studio is an exhibition hall displaying a permanent collection of his work, as well as tht of his daughter Kartika.

Kepatihan Danurejan

Once the official residence of the Patih Danurejo, the court administrator of the Sultanate when it still held power, the building now houese offices of Yogyakarta’s regional administration. It is situated on the eastern side of Jalan Malioboro.

Sasono Wirotomo

Sasono Wirotomo at Tegalrejo is the former residence of Prince Diponegoro, one of Indonesia’s culyure heroes. An heir to the Sultanate of Yogyakarta, the Prince led an uprising against the Dutch administration for five years between 1825 and 1830. He was eventually tricked into negotiations, arrested and exiled to Sulawesi where he died. Sasono Wirotomo houses a small museum containing Diponegoro’s keris and other possessions. Scratches on the arms of one of the chairs in the museum are said to have been caused by the Prince’s fingernails while he was trying to control his anger at having been deceived.

Gadjah Mada University

Founded in 1949, this is Indonesia’s most famous university. The campus covers an area of almost two square kilometres on the northern side of the city and consists of 18 departements registering close to 20,000 students from all over the country.

Plengkung Gading (The Arched Gate)

Plengkung Gading is the largest and most impressive of the remaining gateways which were originally set in the four kilometre stone wall surrounding the Kraton complex. Built after a European model, the gate once had a moat and a drawbridge, which have not survived. Another gate, called Plengkung Tarunosuro, is visible on the northern side of the palace. The eastern gate was rammed by British Sepoy Indian soldiers under Governor Raffles in 1812, after which the troops looted the Kraton and made off with seven million dollars worth of booty.

Hotel Garuda

The Garuda Hotel, at Malioboro 72, was originally built by the Dutch in 1909 and opened as the Grand Hotel. Recently renovated, the Garuda has the same kind of charm as hotels like the Raffles in Singapore, the Hotel Bali in Denpasar and the Dibya Puri in Semarang. A gamelan orachestra plays inthe reception hall daily.

OTHER PALACES

Imogiri – Graves of the Kings

Imogiri,wich lies about twenty kilometres south of the city, is the site of the royal tombs of Mataram, Yogyakarta and Surakarta. It has a serene and peaceful atmosphere with many large, shady trees. The grave can be found on top of a hill, approached by 345 stone steps. Tradition has is that anyone who attempts to count the stept will al always arrive at a different result.

The tombs are divide into three main courtyards. The first, which occupies the centre of the complex, is the most important and contains the graves of Sultan Agung and the succeeding princes of Mataram. The other two, on either side of the central courtyard, are for the Susuhunans and Sultans of Solo and Yogya respectively.

Kotagede – Centre of Silver

The town of Kotagede, which lies about five kilometre south east of Yogyakarta, is best known today as a silverworking centre. The silversmiths who work here are descended from the original craftsmen who supplied the needs of the ancient court of Mataram in the sixteenth and seventeent centuries. The town was founded in the late 1500’s by Senopati, first Sultan of Sultan Agung, who moved the capital to nearby Karta. Although Senopati’s Kraton no longer exists, vicitors can still see his ‘throne’, which is a large black rock kept at the site of the original palace. Nearby is a royal cemetery, which was established by Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII (921-1939). The tomb of Senopati himself can also be found at Kotagede. It attracts many visitors, who come to place offerings at the grave and ask for blessings.

Not far from the tomb is the site of the original mosque, which was rebuilt by Sultan Hamengku Buwono VI (1855-1877) and set in a high walld courtyard. Attendants dressed in traditional Javanese costume direct visitors to the various Places of historical interest and receive donations.

Gembira Loka – The Yogya Zoo

For those interested in wildlife, a wide variety of native Indonesian fauna can be viewed at the Gembira Loka Zoo. Among the animals kept there is a Sumatran tapir, an orang utan, a magnificent South American mandrill and a large number of bird, snakes and monkeys. In addition, the zoo contains some Komodo ‘dragons’ (varanus komodoensis) from eastern Indonesia. Measuring about 35 metres long and weighing close to 150 kg, the Komodo dragon in the worl’s largest carnivorous lizard. The reptiles are fed every five days in the late afternoons.
A large selection of native trees as well as an orchid nursey can be seen at Gembira Loka’s botanical garden. The Zoo is best avoided on Sundays, when it becomes very crowded.

Kaliurang and Mt Merapi

Kaliurang is a cool, hill resort which lies in the southern foothills of Mt Merapi, twenty five kilometres north of the city. For those wishing to escape the heat of the plains for a day or two the place is ideal. There are many small guest houses and losmen, which are empty all week but fill up at weekends and onholidays. Some of Yogyakarta ‘s wealthier citizens have bought holiday homes here and a few resident artists can be found in thevicinity. Kaliurang and it’s suroundings is also a good place to find exotic plants for sale. Ibu Thea’s horticulture service at Jalan Kaliurang Km 22,9 has probably the larget range avaiable in Yogyakarta. The popular place for foreign visitors is information for the serious traveller. Here you can find out where to stay in Singapore, eat in India, or just decide where togo next. The atmosphere at Vogels is pleaseant and relaxing and from here the visitor can enjoy exellent views of the Kewu plain to the south.

Kaliurang is one of the starting points for the ascent of Merapi, which is the most worthwhile climb in Central Java. While the approach to the summit from Selo on the northern side is serious and not without danger. Unless one is an experienced climber it is definitely advisable to hire a guide, since it is very easy to lose sense of direction onthe steep rocky face near the top.

Guides are available at the village of kinahrejo, which is about an hour’s walk from Kaliurang and is the usual ‘base camp’ for climbers. At Kinahrejo it is best to report to Mbah Marijan, the juru kunci, or ‘guardian of the mountain’, who can advise about prevailing weather conditions and current tactics required. Christian, the owner of Vogels, also gives helpful advice to those wishing to attempt the mountain. The view from the peak is well worth the effort. On a clear morning, after climbing through the night, the whole of Yogyakarta and Central Java stretches out below, from Mt Slamet in the west to Mt Lawu in the east. To the north the sea is sometimes visible.

Parangtritis

About 27 kilometres south of Yogyakarta is a beach which is famed for it’s dunes of shifting grey sand. This is one of Yogyakarta’s mysical spots, where annual ceremonies are performed in honour of Nyai Roro Kidul, the goddess of the southern ocean. If a straight line is drawn from Parangtritis to Mt Merapi it will be found to pass directly through the centre of the Sultan’s Palace in Yogyakarta, indicating a spesial relationship between the mountain and the beach. While Parangtritis exhibits a strange beauty, the ocean is notoriously treacherous and great care must be taken when swiming here. According to local belief the goddess claimed numerous victims over the centuries and is particularly attracted by young men dressed in green.