Gedong Songo: Follow an ancient pilgrim’s trail along the rooftop of Java

The small mountain town of Ambarawa, at an elevation of almost 500 meters, lies 40 kilometers south of Semerang. It is known principally as a market town and historically as the site of a pivotal clash between the Dutch and Republican irregulars that took place here in 1949; a huge statue commemorates this famous action. 
 
The town is also well known for its Railway Museum (Museum Kereta Api) where over 20 locomotives built from 1891 to 1927 in Germany, Switzerland and Holland are on display – representing the Golden Age of rolling stock on Java. Tourists can also charter the only cog railway still running on Java from Ambarawa to the village of Bedono, 17 km uphill. 
 
The steam line running Semarang to Ambarawa to Magelang was fully operational until 1977, when it was driven out of business by faster and cheaper private road transport. Engineers still fire up a 1903 steam cogwheel, its engine with all its original working parts is still in excellent shape. Attendants start burning wood and coal in the steam locomotive at 4 a.m.; by 9 a.m. the engine is ready to roll. 
 
Small groups, mostly from Europe, ride in antique coaches remodelled after the original designs. A highlight is the 4.5-km section of track south west of Jambu which has a notched center rail which is gripped by a cogwheel. In the middle of the climb the train stops to let passengers hop down from early 20th century coaches and take pictures. 
 
Bandungan and the Gedong Songo Group  
 
Bandungan, a popular 981-meter-high hill resort on the southern slopes of Mt. Ungaran 30 minutes uphill from Ambarawa, is the base from which visitors explore the Gedung Songo temple group. It is always crowded, especially during the holidays. The area produces abundant vegetables, fruits, and decorative flowers. The locals hire out horses to explore the surrounding mountain trails. 
 
But the main attraction of the area is the archaeological park, seven km uphill from Bandungan on the slopes of a small valley on the southern side of Gunung Ungaran. The Hindu temples that make up the complex are among the earliest antiquities in Java. The name of the group, Gedong Songo, means "Nine Buildings." The number nine had profound numerological significance in ancient Java. 
 
At 900 meters elevation, this is perhaps the most breathtaking archaeological site on Java. The location was chosen with great care for its magnificent views over north-central Java, encompassing Gunung Ungaran (2050 meters), Lake Rawapening, Gunung Merbabu (3142 meters), and hazy Gunung Merapi (2914 meters). On clear days it’s even possible to see massive Mt. Lawu in east Java. 
 
The area is also scattered with volcanic fumaroles and sulphurous hot springs which no doubt added to the awe which the locality once held for the ancients. It was probably a rite of purification for pilgrims to walk from hill to hill among the powerful vents, paying homage to each of sanctuaries in turn.
 
These ancient candi (temples) were built between 730 and 780 A.D. by the Hindu Sanjaya dynastic line that ruled a 100 kilometer wide area (from north to south) of Central Java. The Sanjaya were most likely also responsible for building the sanctuaries of Dieng, an even more famous mountain complex to the west.  
 
The simple yet charming monuments of Gedong Songo are superb examples of the Early Classic style of Javanese architecture. The spires on top of some of the structures are given the name “false lingam.” Another feature of the Early Classic period are the temples’ projecting vestibule, often with its own roof.
 
Although most of the main candi of each group were dedicated to Shiva, one shrine was set aside for Vishnu, a Hindu god rarely worshipped on Java. Temple I, the site’s earliest structure, stands by itself, but the others form groups of structures. 
 
Some sections of the stone pathway from Temple I to Temple II are original. Temple II has a very well-preserved kala-makara relief on the portal. When viewing a candi, it’s best to walk slowly and look carefully because many attractive embellishments are not set at eye level. 
 
Group III is the largest. It consists of three main shrines, all facing west and each dedicated to a Hindu god: Brahma to the south, Vishnu to the north, and the main temple to Shiva in the center. In front of the Shiva shrine, a small structure housing Shiva’s mount Nandi, was built in strict accordance to an ancient Indian architectural manual. 
 
Though vehicles can drive almost to the first temple up an incredibly steep road, it's better to walk the six kilometers to Gedung Songo from Bandungan through a beautiful region of vegetable patches, rambling roses, and pine trees. 
 
Starting only 30 meters from the parking lot, a 2427-meter-long walking path connects all five complexes of Gedong Songo. It takes only about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to Temple Gedong V, one of the most faithfully and completely reconstructed of the group. The temples, lying on hilltops and ridges, are spaced 100-200 meters from each other. 
The horseback riding here (only Rp30,000 for one to two hours) is one of the best deals going on Java. You can either ride or be led. It is as if these small, non-complaining sturdy beasts are on automatic pilot--they know all the trails and they plod uphill with their heads down indefatigably – as if on tracks. 
 
The steep trail takes you through well-tended gardens of papaya, bananas, potatoes, tobacco, cabbages, beans, grapes, tomatoes, and corn, with cloud-scudding temples above and cloud-capped volcanoes looming in the far distance.
 
Practicalities
 
The roundtrip locomotive journey from Ambarawa to Bedono (12 kilometers) takes a whole day. A group of up to 80 people may sign up for this special tourist attraction, but a week's notice is required. It's possible to join a group of domestic tourists. Inquire at Exploitasi Jawa Tengah, Kantor PJKA, Jl. Thamrin 3, Semarang, tel. (024) 24500, or at the main PJKA office in Yogyakarta. 
 
Ambarawa Accommodations And Transportation
 
Both Losmen Sederhana and Losmen Aman on Jl. Permuda rent rooms for Rp9000-12,000. Losmen Tentaram is somewhat better, priced from Rp15,000. 
 
The bus from Semarang to Ambarawa (40 km) takes one hour. Yogyakarta to Ambarawa (90 km) via Magelang requires about three hours. Ambarawa is a good embarkation point for Wonosobo and the Dieng Plateau. Six to eight buses a day connect Ambarawa-Wonosobo-Purwokerto, or you can take a bus heading for Yogyakarta until Secang, then transfer to a bus to Wonosobo. In all, the Ambarawa-Wonosobo route takes about two hours.
 
Getting to Bandungan:
 
From Ambarawa's Pasar Projo, take another bus northwest off the main road for about seven km (Rp2500, 30 minutes) to Bandungan.
 
Bandungan Accommodations And Food
 
Numerous hotels and penginapan rent rooms with small mandi for Rp50,000-150,000. Check out Penginapan Sri Rejeki and the nearby Riani I.
 
E-mail : pakbill2003@yahoo.com
 
Copyright@2004 PakBill
 
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