[navigasi.net] Budaya - Candi Singosari The top part which consider as the main body of the temple.

Singosari Temple or Candi Singosari situated in Candirenggo village, Kecamatan Singosari, Kabupaten Malang. This temple was found around 18th century (1800-1850) and it was called as Tower Temple (Candi Menara) by the Dutch. Perhaps it because its shape that looked pretty much like a tower. Another name given to this temple was Cella Temple (Candi Cella) by a European archeologist by looking at the four spaces in its walls. According to the report by W. Van Schmid who visited this temple on 1856, the local villagers called this temple as Cungkup Temple (Candi Cungkup). But as for now, people recalls this temple as Singosari Temple since its located in Singosari. Some people also called it Renggo Temple because this temple is in Candirenggo Village.

According to the written reports from this temple’s visitors from 1803-1939, it said that Singosari Temple is actually inside a huge temple complex. Inside this complex there were seven temple that has been ruined and the statues were scattered everywhere. One statue that can be rescued is the statue in the temple we called now as Singosari Temple. Most of the statues were taken to the Netherlands during the occupation by the Dutch and as the current statue remains were taken from the ruined temples.

	[navigasi.net] Budaya - Candi Singosari The statue of Resi Agastya which was left by the Dutch.

The shape of Singosari Temple can be said very special since this temple is seemed to have two levels. Normally the space/room of a temple/candi will be at the body part but in Singosari Temple, the room (bilik) is in the bottom part. Originally there’s statue in each room, in the North side there’s statue of Durgamahisasuramardhini and in the East side there’s a statue of Ganesha and in the South side is the statue of Resi Guru which is also known as Resi Agastya. But now we can only see the statue of Resi Agastya as the other statues were taken to Leiden. The reason for not bringing along the statue of Resi Agastya was because it was badly damaged so it won’t make a proper gift to the high ranking officials at that time.

	[navigasi.net] Budaya - Candi Singosari The statue of Dewi Parwati (Parwati Goddess) with its peculiar head. The real head part is believed to be lost and can not be found.

Another interesting thing in this temple is the ornaments or decorations. Normally temples were decorated with a flat-shaped decoration in all or some parts, but in Singosari Temple we will not see it like that. The decorations in Singosari Temple was not all completed. So it can be concluded that this temple was actually was not really finished when it was finally being abandoned. The reason of the abandonment was suspected to be a war or the sudden attack from King Jayakatwang from Gelang-Gelang kingdom to Kertanegara King from the kingdom of Singosari which happen in 1292. This massive attacked destroyed the Kingdom of Singosari since King Kertanegara was murdered so did all his people and followers. This marked the doomed of the Kingdom of Singosari. So it was strongly believed, this doomed was the reason why the decorations in this temple was never completed.

But there’s an advantage from that unfinished decorations since it allows us to learn and study how is the technique of making the temple’s decorations. We can see that the decorations was made from higher part at the top and went all the down. The upper part was finished perfectly, the middle part was half finished and as for the bottom part hasn’t been touched at all.

We can also see some statues are left in the area of Singosari Temple. Some of them in the shape of God or Goddess though all are not in a good condition. There’s one statue called Dewi Parwati that looks a bit peculiar because of the head part. It looks like it’s not the real head part since the real head part believed to be damaged, lost and can’t be found.

Visiting Singosari Temple with the guidance book in my hand bring the sadness in my heart. We can see in the book the statues which was brought to the Netherlands completes with the explanation of the gesture and positions together with the attributes worn by the statues. Those pictures shows that the statues brought to the Netherlands is the best one. Something that might be said as a ‘robbery’ to Indonesian art and culture.

source: Article at tourism object and Tourism History hand guide book