IDENTIFIKASI SIMBOL-SIMBOL ASTRONOMI PADA CANDI BOROBUDUR

• Main Author: Aliy Andra Putra, Rizki
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Astronomi
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/55153
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Borobudur Temple is an architectural work of Hindu-Buddhist civilization in the VIII - IX centuries AD during the golden age of the Syailendra dynasty. Borobudur Temple consists of nine floors, divided into three levels, namely at the foot (Kamadhatu) which is the ground level, the body (Rupadhatu) which consists of hallways containing reliefs, and the head of the temple (Arupadhatu) which consists of medium-sized stupas and one main stupa. Archeoastronomy is the study of ancient human knowledge about celestial bodies through artifacts, buildings, and culture by observing from the point of view of scientific disciplines, namely archeology, astronomy, architecture, and art. At these three levels, there are a number of stupas, reliefs, statues, and ornaments that are analyzed and can be related to scientific and astronomical phenomena such as the kala-makara ornament (on the gates and in the temple's niche) which depicts the phenomenon of a solar eclipse with Capricorn's background; then the reliefs that carved the Sun Dog phenomenon or parhelion, the nine planets (Navagrahas), and the constellations (Nakshatras); a number of statues (Dhyani-Buddha) showing cycles of time (yuga); and the last is the relationship of the 12 zodiacs with 27 Nakshatras from the shading of the main stupa as gnomons. If it is assumed that the height of the main stupa is around 25 meters, then the shadow of the main stupa will shaded 12 terrace stupas with square slits and 27 terrace stupas with rhombic slits, it is according to the ancient Indian astronomy, Jyotisha. The choice of the location of Borobudur Temple is due to several reasons for astronomical phenomena. Such as the phenomenon of a solar eclipse which is an extraordinary and rare phenomenon. This is carved in the form of a kala-makara ornament depicting the phenomenon of a solar eclipse with a Capricorn’s background. This phenomenon during the construction of the Borobudur Temple occurred on January 20, 790 AD.