When 1,008 Oil Lamps and Damaru Drums Illuminate the Night at Prambanan Temple

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) — Moderate rainfall swept across most of Sleman Regency in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Klaten Regency in Central Java on Sunday, 15 February 2026. However, the Prambanan temple area at the border between Sleman and Klaten—home to a significant cultural and historical structure built in the mid-9th century, around 850 CE—remained remarkably dry.

The rain did not dampen the temple courtyards built by Rakai Pikatan of the Sanjaya Dynasty during the Ancient Mataram Kingdom, thus posing no obstacle to preparations for the Mahashivaratri ceremony, which was being held in Indonesia for the first time by the Hindu community.

Mahashivaratri is a sacred day in Hindu religion, often called “Shiva’s Night,” dedicated to honouring the God Shiva. This celebration falls annually on the 13th or 14th night of the Hindu month of Magha, marked by the darkest night before Tilem Kepitu (the seventh new moon).

The Mahashivaratri ceremony at Prambanan Temple was organised through a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Religion through the Hindu Guidance Directorate General, and the Prambanan Temple Utilisation Team under the Ministry of Culture, along with the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Council (PHDI) and InJourney Destination Management (PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko).

The event served as the closing ceremony for the Prambanan Shiva Festival 2026, which had been running since mid-January 2026. The festival was not merely a religious celebration but also a strategic opportunity to provide meaningful and quality tourism experiences. The ceremony was illuminated by 1,008 oil lamps and accompanied by the resounding tones of traditional damaru drums.