Anusapati epitomizes unwavering dedication<\/p>\n
By Bambang Budi Utomo<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In the keputren (the female wing) of the palace
\nof the Kingdom of Singhasari, a boy, Anusapati, is talking to his
\nmother, Ken Dedes.<\/p>\n
\"Mother, I want an explanation. Why does my father treat me
\ndifferently from my half brothers and sisters? The way he looks
\nat me is different from the way he looks at them. It seems that
\nmy brothers and sisters from my younger stepmothers are better
\noff than I am.\"<\/p>\n
Ken Dedes replied, \"Apparently there is mistrust already.
\nSince you insist, son, I think it is time for you to know that
\nyour real father was Tunggul Ametung. I was three-month pregnant
\nwith you when he passed away.\"<\/p>\n
Anusapati eventually learned that his natural father had been
\nkilled by Sang Amurwabhumi, or Ken Angrok.<\/p>\n
Having learned the truth about the death of his father, he
\nvowed to take revenge. He killed Ken Angrok with the help of a
\nman from Batil. To cover his tracks, Anusapati then killed this
\nman and spread it around that the man had killed Ken Angrok.
\nAnusapati became King of Singhasari and reigned for 21 years from
\n1227 to 1248.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the truth about Ken Angrok's assassination was
\nlearned by Panji Tohjaya, Angrok's son by another wife. He also
\nvowed to take revenge, and his opportunity came when Anusapati
\nwas gambling with him at a cockfight. Tohjaya stabbed Anusapati
\nto death using the same kris Anusapati had used to kill his
\nfather. Anusapati was killed in 1248 and was buried in Candi
\nKidal (the Temple of Kidal).<\/p>\n
Candi Kidal<\/p>\n
This temple is located in the village of Rejokidal in the
\nMalang regency. It can be easily found east of a small road
\nconnecting Tumpang and Tajinan. The temple is 525 meters above
\nsea level and is to the west the valley below Mount Bromo.<\/p>\n
The name Candi Kidal is mentioned in the book Nagarakartagama
\npupuh 37:7. Another book that has something about this temple is
\nPararaton, which reads: \"Sang Anusapati passed away in the Saka
\nYear of 1171 (1248 A.D.), and was buried at Kidal.\"<\/p>\n
The was 7.5 by 7.5 square meters, had a red brick foundation
\nand was built with rock. The original height is unknown because
\nthe top has fallen off. It is believed that the temple is part of
\na building complex because a fence and entrance gate can be seen.
\nUnlike other temple complexes, Candi Kidal was not built exactly
\nat the center of the complex. To the west, there is a rectangular
\nplatform that may be the remnants of wooden building.<\/p>\n
Candi Kidal itself stands on a leveled platform. The legs of
\nthe temple are high, and the entrance features a penampil (a part
\nthat sticks out), in which stairs are found. The entrance stairs
\nhave wings, with dragon-shaped tips. The inside walls are adorned
\nwith medallions full of spiraling leaves and statues of lions are
\nfound in the corners. There are recesses on both sides of the
\nentrance stairs for the guardian statues, Mahakala and
\nNandiswara. However, Nandiswara, which is supposed to stand on
\nthe right has been missing for a long time. Now, only Mahakala
\nstands guard at the left.<\/p>\n
A statue of Wisnu, with a damaged head, is found in another
\nrecess. There are other cubbyholes in the north, south and east
\nwalls. Above each recess and the entrance are carvings of a
\nscorpion's head.<\/p>\n
Garudeya<\/p>\n
On all the walls of Candi Kidal is the relief and statues
\ndepicting the epic of Garuda. The story goes clockwise around the
\ntemple and from the north to the south.<\/p>\n
The relief and statues tell the story of Garuda's effort to
\nfree his mother, Winata, from slavery by Kadru. Garuda is the son
\nof Bhagawan Kasyapa and Winata. He came out from an egg that had
\nbeen produced during a sacrifice ceremony. There had actually
\nbeen two eggs, and the Bhagawan gave both to his wife, Winata.
\nThe two eggs then hatched, and two birds emerged. The older bird
\nwas named Aruna, and the younger Garuda. Garuda was born when
\nWinata was a slave of Kadru.<\/p>\n
When Garuda was born, there was a confusion among the gods
\nbecause he produced lights. They thought an apocalypse had
\narrived. Dewi Agni, one of the gods, then explained that
\napocalypse was still far in the future. The light that the gods
\nsaw was the same light that this goddess had. Then the gods came
\nto pay homage to Garuda, this made him happy and he turned out
\nhis light.<\/p>\n
Garuda then flew to meet his mother on the coast of the Ksira
\nsea. Winata welcomed him, and told him to stay. He soon was given
\na job taking care of Kadru's children, who were all dragons. One
\nday, Garuda took the dragons flying, and they went near the sun.
\nKadru's children could not stand the heat so she paid homage to
\nthe gods. The god Indra made it rain to cool down Kadru's
\nchildren. Thereafter, Garuda shepherded the dragons without any
\nspecific destination, until he grew tired.<\/p>\n
Finally, Garuda could not take it any longer. He asked his
\nmother why he had to obey all the orders of the dragons and why
\nhe had to take care of them. Winata explained that she was being
\nenslaved by Sang Kadru because she had lost a bet on the tail of
\nthe horse Uccaisrawa. Because of Kadru's craftiness, she had to
\nserve her as a slave.<\/p>\n
Garuda was then told to find out what it would take to
\nliberate Winata from slavery. He asked the dragons and they told
\nhim that his mother could go free when he brought them some
\nAmerta water, the drinking water of the gods.<\/p>\n
Garuda finally succeeded in getting the water and, as
\npromised, Sang Winata was freed. The dragons fought each other
\nfor the water and, with the clever intervention of the gods, the
\nwater was then sneaked back to paradise.<\/p>\n
In one part of the relief Garuda is shown carrying his mother.
\nIn another part, he is shown as carrying the special water in a
\nlarge jug. Still in another part, he is shown as carrying the
\ndragons, the children of Sang Kadru.<\/p>\n
The relief doesn't depict the story in its actual sequence;
\ninstead, it tells the story of the release of oneself and
\ntherefore conforms to the function of the temple as a burial
\nplace.<\/p>\n
The statue of Siva<\/p>\n
The 1.23 meter statue of Siva, which was placed in the main
\nroom of Candi Kidal, was made of pebbles and represents the
\nincarnation of Anusapati. However, the room is now empty because
\nthe statue was taken to the Netherlands and is on display in the
\nRoyal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n
The statue of Siva stands erect and it has four hands, each of
\nwhich holds a camara (fly swatter) and aksamala (beads). Both of
\nhis front arms are extended toward his lower chest. Both sides of
\nthe statue are adorned with lotus flowers that protrude from
\ntheir cobs. This decoration proves that the statue was made
\nduring the Singhasari era.<\/p>\n
The Candi Kidal compound is one of many ancient temples in
\nIndonesia. Like at most of the temples, the country's history has
\nbeen left to the care of one man -- who is not paid regularly.<\/p>",
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