Bahal temple
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Candi Bahal, also known as Biaro Bahal (''biaro'', derived from '' vihara'', a monastery) or Candi Portibi (
Batak Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...
''portibi'', derived from
prithivi Prithvi or Prithvi Mata (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, ', also पृथिवी, ', "the Vast One") is the Sanskrit name for the earth, as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. In the Vedas, her conso ...
, "earth") is
Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
candi complex in Bahal village, Padang Bolak, Portibi,
Padang Lawas Regency Padang Lawas is a regency in North Sumatra province of Indonesia. It covers an area of 3,912.18 km2, and had a population of 226,807 at the 2010 Census and 261,011 at the 2020 Census. Its administrative seat is the town of Sibuhuan. Padang Lawas R ...
,
North Sumatra North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. It is located about three hours journey with car from
Padangsidempuan Padangsidempuan (sometimes written as Padangsidimpuan or Padang Sidempuan) is a city in North Sumatra, Indonesia, and the former capital of South Tapanuli Regency, which surrounds the city. It has an area of 159.28 km² and a population of 178 ...
or 400 km from
Medan Medan (; English: ) is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra, as well as a regional hub and financial centre of Sumatra. According to the National Development Planning Agency, Medan is one of the four main ...
. The complex includes three candis: Candi Bahal I, Candi Bahal II, and Candi Bahal III. The temple site is linked to Pannai Kingdom circa 11th to 13th century CE.


History

Candi Bahal are one of a group of temples discovered in Padang Lawas. Padang Lawas (
Minangkabau Minangkabau may refer to: * Minangkabau culture, culture of the Minangkabau people * Minangkabau Culture Documentation and Information Center * Minangkabau Express, an airport rail link service serving Minangkabau International Airport (''see below' ...
"broad plain") is a grassy flat plain located between the
Barisan Mountains The Bukit Barisan or the Barisan Mountains are a mountain range on the western side of Sumatra, Indonesia, covering nearly 1,700 km (1,050 mi) from the north to the south of the island. The Bukit Barisan range consists primarily of volca ...
and the highlands of northern Sumatra. The plain is kept free of tall vegetation by the prevailing dry winds sweeping through the gap between the two highlands. There were no major settlements in Padang Lawas, but the area provided a strategic route for people moving between the east and west coast of Sumatra. The flow of people in the area might provide the reason for the establishment of 11th and 13th century shrines found in the area. At least 25 brick shrines have been discovered in the plain of Padang Lawas, including
Candi Pulo Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
, Candi Barumun,
Candi Singkilon Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance band, ...
, Candi Sipamutung,
Candi Aloban Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
,
Candi Rondaman Dolok Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
,
Candi Bara Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
,
Candi Magaledang Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance band, ...
,
Candi Sitopayan Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
and
Candi Nagasaribu Candi may refer to: * Candi of Indonesia, an Indonesian word for ''stupa'' (Buddhist temple, also used for Hindu temples in Indonesia) * Candi, Sidoarjo, a subdistrict of Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia * Candi & The Backbeat, a Canadian dance ban ...
. No kingdoms were associated with these temples, at least according to inscriptions discovered in the site, however the religion is identical to that practiced by
Adityawarman Adityawarman (formal regnal name Maharajadiraja Srīmat Srī Udayādityawarma Pratāpaparākrama Rājendra Maulimāli Warmadewa. ) was a king of Malayapura Suvarnabhumi, and is the successor of the Mauli dynasty based on central Sumatra. He was ...
. Candi Bahal are the only temples that has been fully restored, the other were still in ruins. Construction of the temples of Padang Lawas were estimated to be between the 11th to 13th century CE. They were possibly linked with Pannai Kingdom, one of the trading ports on the coast of
Strait of Malacca The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 500 mi (800 km) long and from 40 to 155 mi (65–250 km) wide, between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connec ...
under
Srivijaya Srivijaya ( id, Sriwijaya) was a Buddhist thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia), which influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important centre for the expansion of Buddhism from the 7th t ...
n
mandala A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...
. Restoration of Candi Bahal I occurred in 1977-1978 and 1982–1983. Candi Bahal II has been restored between 1991 and 1992.


Temple Complex

The three temples of Bahal are separated by a distance of about 500 meter. The complex of the temple is known locally as ''biaro'' (from ''vihara'' or monastery), possibly indicating a clue to its original use. The names of three of the Bahal temples indicate connections with Nepal and Sri Lanka. Bahal is a term still used in Nepal to refer the two-storied temples of the Vajrayana, a major sect which influenced Buddhism in Indonesia. Rampant lions carved flanking the temple of Biaro Bahal I was similar to carvings at Polonaruva, the 11th-century capital of Sri Lanka. The complex is the largest in
North Sumatra North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...
. All three temples of Bahal were constructed of red bricks, while the sculptures were constructed of sand stones. Each temple are surrounded with a perimeter red brick wall about 1 meter thick and 1 meter tall. A gate on the eastern wall provide entrance gateway into the temple; the gate is extended outward with 60 cm tall walls in both sides. The main temple of each complexes is located in the center. The architecture of this temple is similar to
Jabung Jabung is a 14th-century Buddhist temple dated from Majapahit era, located in the Jabung Sisir village (''desa''), Paiton area, Probolinggo district, East Java, Indonesia. The temple is made from red brick measuring 16.20 metres. The temple was ...
temple located in
Probolinggo Probolinggo ( id, Kota Probolinggo, mad, Prabâlingghâ) is a city on the north coast of East Java province, Indonesia. It covers an area of 56.67 sq. km, and had a population of 217,062 at the 2010 census and 239,649 at the 2020 census ...
,
East Java East Java ( id, Jawa Timur) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean bord ...
. Despite its rich archaeological value, unlike the popular
temples A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
of Java, the Padang Lawas temples are mostly neglected and in the state of ruins, partly due to its isolated location. There are some attempts to promote the temples as a tourism attraction, however because of its remote location and poor infrastructure, promotion and tourism activity is limited.


See also

*
Jabung Jabung is a 14th-century Buddhist temple dated from Majapahit era, located in the Jabung Sisir village (''desa''), Paiton area, Probolinggo district, East Java, Indonesia. The temple is made from red brick measuring 16.20 metres. The temple was ...
, a
Majapahit Majapahit ( jv, ꦩꦗꦥꦲꦶꦠ꧀; ), also known as Wilwatikta ( jv, ꦮꦶꦭ꧀ꦮꦠꦶꦏ꧀ꦠ; ), was a Javanese people, Javanese Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia that was ba ...
Buddhist temple with architecture style similar to Bahal temple *
Muara Takus Muara Takus ( id, Candi Muara Takus) is a Buddhist temple complex, thought to belong to the Srivijaya empire. It is situated in Kampar Regency in Riau province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Its surviving temples and other archaeological remains are thought ...
, a Buddhist
stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumamb ...
in
Riau Riau is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the central eastern coast of Sumatra along the Strait of Malacca. The province shares land borders with North Sumatra to the northwest, West Sumatra to the west, and Jambi to the south. Accord ...
*
Muaro Jambi Temple Compounds Muaro Jambi ( id, Candi Muaro Jambi) is a Buddhist temple complex, in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi province, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is situated 26 kilometers east from the city of Jambi. The temple complex was built by the Melayu Kingdom, with it ...
, a temple complex in
Jambi Jambi is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the east coast of central Sumatra and spans to the Barisan Mountains in the west. Its capital and largest city is Jambi. The province has a land area of 50,160.05 km2, and a sea area of 3, ...


References


Notes


Works cited

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bahal Buddhist temples in Indonesia Archaeological sites in Indonesia Cultural Properties of Indonesia in North Sumatra Srivijaya