This is now the last set of photographs from the East Java tour I made in November last year. This set of almost 300 photographs is quite diverse, covering candis, tombs and modern temples.
Trowulan itself was once known as Wilwatikta, and was the capital of the Majapahit Empire which stretched over East Java, Bali, and other islands to the east, and also had alliances throughout the region.
One of the most important historical sources for the kingdom is the Nagarakretagama, a 14th century Old Javanese poem, which glorified the then King, Hayam Wuruk, and describes the royal and religious life of the capital and its king.
The first album is of Candis and Archaeological sites in and around modern day Trowulan. These are not so well-preserved as other sites I have covered previously, but it is still of interest as it includes temples, gateways and ponds; and other archaeological sites in the area.
Because Trowulan was the capital of the Empire, it has a lot of very famous tombs, ranging from past Kings and Queens, to a tomb site of Islamic missionaries, who eventually replaced the Hindu-Buddhist faith with their own.
Trowulan is still a thriving cultural centre, and as such it still has centres for faiths other than Islam, most notably a large temple built by the Head of the Buddhayāna sect in Indonesia; and a newly founded sprawling Hindu temple, begun by descendents of the Majapahit Royalty.
This now concludes publication of the photographs taken in East Java and Sumatra at the end of last year. Altogether there are more than 1,000 photographs in 13 albums on the site now, and they are a very valuable addition to the materials already collected in Indonesia.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Publication of Old Javanese Metres
- New Album: Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on Level 1 at Borobudur
- Update of the Gaṇḍavyūha Reliefs at Borobudur
- Text and Translation of the Bhadra-cari-praṇidhānam
- Publication of Romesh Dutt’s Condensed Translations of the Indian Epics
