Magnificent Borobudur revisited

Magnificent Borobudur revisited

By P.G. Punchihewa

YOGYAKARTA (JP): After descending the last flight of steps
leading to Borobudur I turn back to have another look at this
magnificent monument which I am leaving behind for the sixth
time. In the back of my mind there is a restless feeling. Will
there be a seventh time?

Every time I go back I have the desire and hope to come back.
It's magnetic charm pulls me again and again like few other
places. Is it the sanctity of the place? The serene beauty of the
environment? The magnificent edifice itself or the philosophy
behind it? I cannot say for certain.

At the Trevi fountain in Rome, visitors throw in coins to make
a wish. At the Borobudur there is a covered Buddha statue which
visitors try to touch with stretched hands to make a wish. Had I
touched it I would have wished to come back. But even though I
haven't, here I am for the sixth time.

I recall my first visit in 1977. At that time restoration work
had commenced and was progressing. There were statues, some
headless, some lying without arms in the compound and others in
temporary sheds. Slabs of stores were heaped up. Bas-reliefs were
lined up. Workers were busy attending to them. Even in that
setting it was a worth a visit. Over the years I have seen the
Borobudur restored gradually. More than one million stones have
been removed, measured, cleaned, treated and replaced in the
course of restoration.

Now it is a magnificent site both from near and far. One
cannot imagine how it would have looked a thousand years ago when
it was completed by the Saliendras. I do not think there is any
document or model which describes its original structure. Sir
Thomas Raffles, who initiated investigations into the Borobudur
in 1815, surely would have been happy to see the restored
Borobudur.

Ascending the stairs during a full moon or as the sun rises
are two of the best times to be at Borobudur. I made my way to
the gate early morning. But with the gates locked until six in
the morning and having had to queue up to buy the entrance
ticket, by the time I reached the top the sun was almost up. I
missed the sunrise, but the panoramic view from the top with the
pervading tranquility all around was worth the early morning dash
to the summit.

I gazed all around. On one side the passing clouds allowed an
intermittent view of a Mount Merpati struggling to clear itself
from the morning mist and haze. The crowns of the coconut trees
were a sea of green becoming more visible.

I climbed down, taking my time as there were only a few
visitors. I stopped in front of a Buddha with its hands in a
meditation pose and observed the half closed eyes exuding calm
and tranquility. I walked to another and peeped through the
trellis of a stupa. The Buddha statue had its hands in a pose
symbolizing fearlessness.

Looking back I see the stupa towering above the entire edifice
as a symbol of the final goal. I climb down the stairs from the
compound and proceed towards the warungs on the edge of the park.
The only thing that disturbs the serenity and sanctity of the
environment is the mini train which keeps trudging along and
circling the proud monument. But what attracts me most are the
bas-reliefs at the lower terraces depicting the life of the
Buddha and his previous births.

After nearly a thousand years, battered by inclement weather
and buried under volcanic soil, it is surprising that the figures
still retain their beauty of expression. It is no wonder that the
Borobudur is called the Buddhist marvel of stone. Some even call
it the eighth wonder of the world.