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| Borobudur is an incredible, ancient Buddhist temple in central Java. This magical construction is regarded as one of the wonders of the world. Built in the 700's and 800's, it was soon cast into disrepair when the Hindus overthrew the makers of this monument. It was discovered by the British again in the late 1800's, and after 100 years it was brought back to life and is now a tourist attraction for both local and international visitors. I visited Borobudur with my father and I was astounded by the intricate carvings and the detail that went into this monument. Yet at the same time it is mindblowing for its immense size. It is possible to walk right to the top of Borobudur, but visitors can also walk around it at the many different levels, reading the carvings along the way. To walk the entire length of the temple can take hours! |
| However as much as I was taken by the temples beauty I was also saddened by the way it was being treated. To begin with the temple was covered in rubbish. Water bottes, plastic bags, even a smelly nappy could be seen on every part of the temple. This was despite the signs, in Indonesian, stating not to drop rubbish. It was difficult to even capture the momument on camera without there being any rubbish in the photo. There was a total lack of respect for what I saw as an incredibly holy and mystical place. On every statue were signs, once again in Indonesian, telling people not to climb. Yet everywhere people were ignoring these signs, posing for photos, seeing how far they could climb up a Buddha, etc etc. I was almost in tears to see how little people seemed to care for this monument. The main culprits of this disrespecfulness appreared to be the locals. I am not a Buddhist myself, yet I could still easily understand how special this place was. Most locals would also not be Buddhists. However this is no excuse for the appalling behaviour we witnessed. Not one official took any action against the disregard for what should be an amazing place for all visitors. This, to me, is simply a tragedy. What is desperately needed is respect for other people's culture and religion. Although this is an ancient Buddhist temple in a location which is now predominantly Muslim, it should still be treated with the same respect that we would expect visitors to show if they visited an ancient church or mosque. And imagine what our world would be like if this respect and understanding was extended further that just Borobudur, but to all other cultures and religion the world over. |
| The Tragedy of Borobudur |