Ancient temple group hidden in Padang Lawas plain<\/p>\n
By Bambang Budi Utomo<\/p>\n
SOUTH TAPANULI, North Sumatra (JP): Sumatra is a large island
\nof many mysteries, including that of its archeology. Few people
\nknow that there are three temple groupings on the island,
\nscattered over the provinces of Jambi, Riau and North Sumatra. Of
\nthe three, the temple grouping in North Sumatra is the least
\nknown.<\/p>\n
Near the Panai and Barumun rivers, which run through the
\nPadang Lawas plain where the air is hot and dry, clusters of
\ntemple ruins are reaching for the sky. This vast and silent place
\nwas once a religious center during the Kingdom of Pannai -- one
\nof the least heard about kingdoms in Indonesia's history.<\/p>\n
The temples were built like odes of stone. Their pinnacles,
\nhigh against the skies, are witnesses to the kingdom's past
\ngrandeur, of a religion that flourished for several centuries,
\nand of its sculpting and building culture. All are proof of a
\nculture of priceless value.<\/p>\n
The temple complex in Padang Lawas contains 16 sites scattered
\naround the Barumon and Panai rivers. Local belief has it that a
\nregion where rivers join is a holy place, such as the place where
\nthe Ganges and Indus meet in India. In Central Java, there is a
\nplace similar to those two aforementioned, where the Progo and
\nMuntilan rivers meet. Temple complexes were usually built at such
\nplaces.<\/p>\n
The temple ruins of Padang Lawas are known as biaro, an
\nadaptation from the Sanskrit word vihara, denoting a Buddhist or
\nHindu temple in Sumatra. In India, the word vihara means a
\nmonastery where priests of a certain order reside. In Sumatra,
\nbiaro is a holy place, in Java it is called candi.<\/p>\n
The oldest records concerning the discovery of the temple
\ncomplex in Padang Lawas were made by Junghun, a German
\nresearcher. He visited Padang Lawas in 1846. The next visitor was
\nVan Rosenberg (1854), followed, in 1887, by Kerchoff, a
\nControleur (this was an administrative title during colonial
\nrule) from Tapanuli.<\/p>\n
Kerchoff wrote about the ancient site in Padang Lawas. His
\nbook, entitled Aanteekeningen betreffende eenige der in de
\nafdeeling Padang Laras voorkomende Hindoe-oudheden (Notes
\nRegarding Some Of The Ancient Hindoe Temples In The Sector Of
\nPadang Lawas) referred to Si Pamutung biaro, and a graveyard on
\nGunung Tua.<\/p>\n
More and more researchers came to Padang Lawas as more ancient
\nsites were found. In 1920, Stein Callenfels was there. He
\nmentioned several archeological sites on Gunung Tua; Si Topayan,
\nAek Biaro, Bahal I, Bahal II, Bahal III and Si Pamutung.<\/p>\n
Krom, another Dutch researcher, wrote about Padang Lawas in
\n1923. In his writings, he called the archeological finds in
\nPadang Lawas On Javaansch, referring to the dissimilarity of
\nthose buildings and the building style of Java. On the other
\nhand, he discovered a great similarity with carvings from South
\nIndia, and with those from the plains of Southeast Asia. Later,
\nKrom connected the archeological finds in Padang Lawas with the
\nSriwijaya kingdom in South Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Pannai Kingdom<\/p>\n
Located in South Tapanuli, Padang Lawas is related to a
\nkingdom whose name was carried by the nearby Panai River. The
\nname of this river is connected with a kingdom -- the Pannai
\nKingdom -- attacked by Rajendracola I of the Cola Kingdom, South
\nIndia, in 1023 and 1024.<\/p>\n
The Tanjore inscription, written in Tamil in 1025 and 1030,
\nmentions that several kingdoms in Sumatra were attacked. One of
\nthem was described as \"Pannai watered by the rivers\".<\/p>\n
It appeared that the Kingdom of Cola did not immediately
\noccupy Pannai after the attack. Pannai continued to exist and its
\ngovernment ruled on as before. This situation went on until the
\nMajapahit Kingdom took over in 1365.<\/p>\n
According to the Nagarakertagama book written by Prapanca,
\nPannai was one of the regions in Sumatra under the rule of
\nMajapahit.<\/p>\n
According to Satyawati Suleiman, an Indonesian archeologist,
\nthe center of the Pannai Kingdom should have been around Padang
\nLawas. There seems to have been a connection between Pannai, and
\nthe western coast of North Sumatra. The Barus harbor, for
\nexample, is located on the western coast, and its fame dates from
\nthe 2nd century, since it was mentioned in the Periplous and
\nbecame known because for its abundance of camphor.<\/p>\n
The kingdom enjoyed trade and political ties with Sri Lanka
\nand South India and activities were maintained through the
\nwestern coast. Proof of this can be found in two inscriptions
\nwritten in Tamil and old Malaysian, which were discovered in
\nLubuk Tua. From this it can be assumed that the attack on Panai,
\nby the Cola Kingdom, began from the western coast of North
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
Si Pamutung<\/p>\n
The temple of Si Pamutung is the most important in the Padang
\nLawas group because of its size. It is located near where the
\nBarumun and Panai rivers meet. To visit the temple, one has to
\ncross the Barumun River, then walk the four-kilometer path to the
\nvillage of Si Batuloting.<\/p>\n
The temple stands isolated in a field of tall grass and dense
\nshrubs. In its walled garden are six buildings. The buildings are
\npiled up in two lines facing east and west.<\/p>\n
The major temple, flanked by two smaller buildings, stands at
\nthe back of the complex. In the front line are three smaller
\nconstructions. A few meters in front of the surrounding wall are
\nthe ruins of the entrance gate. Nine meters are what is left of
\nthe main temple's original height, while the smaller
\nconstructions of red bricks measure about 1.25 meters to 2.5
\nmeters high.<\/p>\n
Two statues, each 1.50 meters high, are found in the yard of
\nthe Si Pamutung complex. It is thought that these statues depict
\nMahakala and Nandiswara, gate guards on the left and right of the
\nentrance into the temple. There are also two stone crocodiles,
\ntwo stone lions, and various other stone pieces.<\/p>\n
The crocodiles are found on the east stairs of the main temple
\nof Si Pamutung. These stone images have replaced the position of
\nmythological creatures, which can usually be found in temples of
\nJava. During an excavation conducted by Schnitger in 1936, a
\nbronze statue of Buddha Amitabha, measuring 12.5 centimeters
\nhigh, was found.<\/p>\n
The Bahal temples<\/p>\n
An outstanding group of temples was found in the hamlet of
\nBahal, near Portibi. This complex of red bricks is mostly in
\nruins. The Bahal site holds three temple groups, Bahal I, Bahal
\nII and Bahal III. Each group is walled in by a fence of red
\nbricks.<\/p>\n
Of all the temple groupings in Padang Lawas, Bahal I is the
\nmost complete. It consists of six structures, including the
\nentrance gate. The surrounding walls have succumbed to time, but
\nthe lines which used to form the yard, measuring 7,000 square
\nmeters, are still discernible. The entrance gate is located east
\nof the complex.<\/p>\n
The roof of the main temple is partly preserved. The roof's
\nedges are decorated and garlanded with lotus flowers. The top of
\nthe roof is in the form of a stupa complete with sunshades.
\nFragments of these sunshades were found near the stairs leading
\nto the temple entrance. On the steps of the northern part of the
\ntemple, a relief depicting a dancing giant can be viewed. The
\nupper part of the steps is decorated with an image of a
\nmythological creature.<\/p>\n
The dancing giant is presumed to be a figure from the Bhairawa
\nritual, one of the Mahayana Buddhist rituals which enjoyed growth
\nat the time.<\/p>\n
The Bahal II temple group is located two kilometers to the
\neast of Bahal I. This heritage was built as a temple group
\nconsisting of four structures, including the entrance gate. The
\nwalled garden measures 4,000 square meters.<\/p>\n
The roof of the main temple is adequately preserved. It is
\nassumed that it would have had the same shape as that of the
\nmain temple of Bahal I. The top was also completed with sun
\nshades of andesite. A pair of mythological creatures adorn the
\nupper end of the steps. This stone relief is still in good shape.<\/p>\n
In Biaro Bahal II's garden were three giant statues, gate
\nguardians known as dwarapala, fragments of statues, and one
\nstatue of Heruka. This statue is now missing. When a Dutch
\narcheologist visited the sight in 1930, the statue was still
\nthere, and immortalized by the visitor with his camera.<\/p>\n
To the east of Bahal II, the ruins of Bahal III are be found.
\nThese temple ruins are in far worse condition than the remains of
\nBahal I and Bahal II. One of the wall sides is clearly showing
\noff white paste up marks.<\/p>\n
In front of the temple ruins several large statues are found.
\nThe andesite statues are still in relatively good condition with
\nonly the feet missing. Judging from their faces, they must have
\nbeen gate guardians at the entrance of the temple yard.<\/p>\n
Other temple groupings found in the surroundings of Padang
\nLawas are Biaro Si Topayan, Biaro Pulo, and Biaro Bara.<\/p>\n
Religion<\/p>\n
The ruins of Padang Lawas are mostly remnants of temples and
\nstupas of Buddhist origin. Various scriptures and statues bear
\nproof that the people of Padang Lawas were believers of Wajrayana
\nin times of old. The religion was an offshoot of Buddha Mahayana,
\nwhose followers were known as hard-liners. Wajrayana found a
\nfollower in Kertanegara of Singhasari in East Java. On Sumatra,
\nAdityawarman from Malaysia was another follower. Outside the
\narchipelago, the religion bloomed in Benggala, Nepal, China and
\nTibet.<\/p>\n
One important thought proclaimed by Wajrayana is that a
\nfollower may find total liberation in this life by way of magic,
\nthrough meditation (yoga), and from saying mantras.<\/p>\n
An important ceremony of this Buddhist sect is Bhairawa, which
\nwas held in grave yards and places where the dead were collected
\nbefore cremation. These sites were frightful places, believed to
\nbe gathering places for spirits. Adherents of the sect conducted
\na very secret ritual in these places.<\/p>\n
In the Bhairawa rituals, Wajrayana followers conducted a
\nterrifying rite. In graveyards and collecting places of the dead,
\nthe devout meditated, danced, said mantras, cremated the dead,
\ndrank human blood, as well as animal blood, and laughed a lot.<\/p>\n
The Heruka statue in Padang Lawas features a practitioner of
\nthe Bhairawa ritual. The stone image shows a person treading on a
\npile of dead bodies. In his left hand he holds a cup, in the form
\nof a skull. He wears a human skull as an adornment. The Bhairawa
\ndance rites can also be observed on the wall of the steps of
\nBiaro Bahal I.<\/p>\n
This, in short, is the heritage handed down by the Pannai
\nKingdom, which existed in the interior of South Tapanuli. The
\nname of this kingdom was never lost in history. It is
\nimmortalized in the name of a river, the Panai, that runs through
\nPadang Lawas; by a district in the Simalungun region; an ancient
\nBatak deity, Pane na Bolon; and in a family name of the Batak
\nAngkola marga (clan) of South Tapanuli.<\/p>",
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