Kalasan Temple, also known as Kalibening Temple, is a Cultural Heritage building categorized as a Buddhist temple. It is in Tirtomartani Village, Kalasan District, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

This temple boasts 52 stupas and is located on the south side of the highway between Surakarta and Jogja, approximately 2 km from Prambanan temple.

Initially, only Kalasan Temple was discovered on this site, but further excavation revealed more supporting structures. In addition to Kalasan Temple and other supporting buildings, three small temples are outside the main temple structure, shaped like stupas.

Kalasan Inscription

Based on the Kalasan inscription dated 778, discovered not far from this temple, it mentions establishing a sacred building to honor the female Bodhisattva, Tarabhawana, and a monastery for the monks.

The ruler overseeing the construction of this temple was Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran (Rakai Panangkaran) from the Syailendra family.

Later, by comparing the manuscript to the Kelurak inscription, this figure can be identified as Dharanindra or, according to the Nalanda inscription, the father of Samaragrawira. Thus, this temple can serve as evidence of the presence of the Syailendra Dynasty.

The Kalasan Inscription, written in Pre-Nagari script in Sanskrit, mentions the teachers of King Tejapurnapana Panangkaran from the Syailendra family successfully persuading the king to build a sacred structure for Goddess Tara and a monastery for the monks as a gift from the Sangha.

Based on the Kalasan inscription, Professor Dr. Casparis interpreted that the Kalasan Temple was built in collaboration between Buddhism and Hinduism.

Meanwhile, Van Rumond, a historian from the Netherlands, believes that on the same site, there was once another sacred building much older than Kalasan Temple, according to his research in 1928.

This sacred building was a spacious vihara measuring 45 meters by 45 meters. This implies that the temple underwent three repairs. As evidence, according to him, there are four corner feet of the temple with protruding parts.

On the temple’s south side, there are two Bodhisattva reliefs, and its roof consists of three levels. The top roof has 8 chambers, the second-level roof is octagonal, and the bottom roof is square, with each side equipped with niche statues.

Location, Entrance Ticket, and Operational Hours

Location : Jalan Yogya-Solo KM 13, Kalibening, Kalurahan Tirtomartani, Kapanewon Kalasan, Sleman,

Operational hours: every day from 08.00-17.00 WIB

Ticket price: Rp5,000

Kalasan Temple is still in the cool tourist area of Yogyakarta, specifically in Kalasan Village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Province. It’s not far from Sari Temple, just a few hundred meters away, and about 2 km from Prambanan Temple.

Getting to Kalasan Temple is a breeze. You can roll up in your wheels or hop on public transportation since it’s pretty easy to get to, right on Yogya-Solo Road at Km 13.

If you’re going the public transport route, catch a Yogya-Solo bus or Trans Jogja headed to Prambanan Terminal. From there, you can keep the journey going by motorbike taxi or other local rides that are easy to find.

Kalasan Architecture

The Kalasan Temple features a protective layer known as Bajralepa, a fine stone carving plaster. The intricate details of the Bajralepa ornamentation are a distinctive feature of Kalasan Temple, also found in Sari Temple.

The architectural layout of Kalasan Temple is square with an octagonal roof, topped with a dagoba (stupa) shape.

Unfortunately, the temple is considerably damaged, with only the southern part remaining intact. It’s mentioned that its central chamber once housed a 6-meter bronze statue, now lost. The three chambers are currently empty.

The body and roof of the temple are adorned with exquisite carvings, including niches, vines, Buddha statues, dagobas, and Gana statues—plump-bellied dwarf figures usually carrying items.

Regarding these decorations, Bernet Kempers mentions in his book, “Indonesia During the Hindu Era,” page 25, that the meticulous and captivating way these ornaments were crafted indicates that during the construction of this temple, there were highly skilled sculptors and building plaster experts.

Bernet adds that Kalasan Temple was once entirely covered in stucco, similar to other temples. The refinement of the temple’s parts also included a covering of limestone.

Inside The Temple

Inside the current temple structure, there is evidence of an older construction. Some experts suggest that the existing building is an additional structure dating back to the 9th century. The original structure undoubtedly has an older age than that.

The footprint of Kalasan Temple is situated on a square-shaped platform. The temple’s base is also in the form of a square. Makaras adorn the temple’s base, which is surrounded by decorative jambangan.

The temple’s body is square-shaped with projections outward in the middle of each side, complemented by a throne adorned with a lion standing on the back of an elephant.

Outside The Temple

On the temple’s outer part, niches adorned with depictions of gods holding lotus flowers. Each entrance features a decorative Kala head with budding flowers in its mane.

Above them is the divine tree, and celestial inhabitants play musical instruments like the rebab, drum, conch, and cymbals.

The temple’s roof is adorned with Gana sculptures. Shaped like an octagon, it has two tiers. On the first tier, there are Buddha statues. Surrounding the temple are 52 stupas, each standing at a height of 4.6 meters.

At The Southern Part of The Temple

The beauty of Kalasan Temple can still be enjoyed, especially in the southern part of the temple. A large Banaspati, a vertical lane adorned with vines and makaras, represents some of the finest Javanese parts from the Hindu era.

Another unique feature is that the Makaras face is both inwards and outwards, and above Kala’s head, there is a painting shaped like the towering roof of the temple.

When viewed from the inside, the temple comprises interlocking and widening stacks of stones.

Although the temple was restored in 1927 and 1929, people may still find it challenging to appreciate Kalasan Temple’s beauty fully. This is because certain parts could not be restored to their original state, as many original stones were lost over time.

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