Dieng Plateau Hindu Temples / Wonosobo/ Central Java island / Indonesia

Dieng Plateau Hindu Temples / Wonosobo/ Central Java island / Indonesia :
Dieng group of Hindu Temples presently numbering 8 are probably built in the 7th to 8th century AD belonging to Kallingga kingdom .. These belong to the Dravidian / Pallava style ... Dieng in Indonesian language means 'Abode of Gods'.... originally thought to have numbered 400 but only eight remain. The temples are now named after the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The temples are clustered around three groups; Arjuna, Dwarawati and Gatotkaca clusters, while Bima temple was constructed as a separate single temple.
Dieng's misty location at almost 2,093 m above sea level, its poisonous effusions and sulphur-coloured lakes ( lake photo uploaded) make it a particularly auspicious place for religious tribute. The temples are small shrines built as monuments to the god-ancestors and dedicated to Shiva....These Hindu shrines are miniature cosmic mountains based on plans in Indian religious texts,
It is believed that the temple was abandoned after volcanic eruptions that became common in central Java...
The climate is really cool ... Lots of tourist attraction for the whole family available ... The nearest international airport is at Yoygakarta aka Jogja which is just 80 KM away ...Remember my earlier posts on Hindu temple Prambanan and Buddhist temple at Borobudur at Yogyakarta ... One can spend 3 to 4 days in Jogja covering all these places plus trips to Indonesia's most active live Volcano Merapi ( if u like hiking , u can join night time teams going up a nearby hill to watch molten lava flow seen in the early mornings ... Nights are cool and they make fire camp ... Watching mother nature's fury LAVA coming out of Volcano is an unforgettable experience in one's life ) ... During my long stay in Indonesia , I visited these places including hiking the small hill to watch Volcano Merapi a no of times ... Amazing places and not to be missed ...
Indonesians irrespective of their religious affiliations love Ramayana and Mahabharatha epics very much ... One can see cultural programs and monuments depicting these two epics stories every where in Indonesia.