Minister of Culture Opens Prambanan Data, Only 6 Perwara Temples Have Been Revitalized

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon revealed that there are still many parts of the Prambanan Temple that have not been revitalized. (Teddy VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon revealed that there are still many parts of the Prambanan Temple that have not been revitalized. Of the two hundred Perwara temples or small companion temples, only six have been completed.

Fadli said the three main temples in Prambanan had been revitalized. However, major work remains on the small temples around the main building.

"There is a quarter of the Prambanan Temple which is called Perwara, the small temples have not been revitalized. Of the two hundred, only six have been revitalized," said Fadli at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 7.

The data was conveyed by Fadli after a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Fadli, India is interested in supporting the revitalization of Hindu temples in Indonesia, especially Prambanan.

Fadli said that PM Modi had expressed this interest about a year and a half ago. Modi is also scheduled to see the Prambanan Temple in person.

"So we certainly welcome the desire of the Indian side to support us in revitalizing Hindu temples, in this case in particular is the Prambanan Temple," he said.

Even so, there is no agreed-upon cost figure. Fadli said India would still conduct a study. The Indonesian government is also still calculating the need for revitalization, including the availability of stone and carvings.

"Not yet, they still want to study," said Fadli when asked about the value of the agreement.

According to Fadli, the budget needs for the revitalization of Prambanan are likely to be quite large. In addition to the large number of Perwara temples, the age of the Prambanan complex is also more than a thousand years.

"It is quite large. But we don't know the numbers, we are still studying them, especially the availability of the stones and carvings that exist," he said.

He said Prambanan originated in the 9th century. Therefore, the restoration process cannot be done quickly. The government must take into account the materials, shapes, carvings, and restoration expertise.

Fadli assessed that India's experience in Hindu temples could help Indonesia accelerate revitalization. However, this cooperation must still go through technical studies.

"With the expertise also from them towards Hindu temples, I think this will help us to accelerate the revitalization process. We want it to be fast," he said.

The teams from both countries are said to have met at an early stage. Further discussions will be held in the near future.

In addition to Prambanan, the Ministry of Culture has also revitalized a number of other temples. Fadli said that Plaosan Temple had been worked on a lot. Sewu Temple and Mendut Temple were also included in the government's attention.

"We ourselves have carried out a number of revitalizations quite a lot at Plaosan Temple, soon at Sewu Temple, Mendut Temple, and others," said Fadli.

For the government, Prambanan is not just a tourist attraction. The largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia is also an important part of cultural diplomacy with India.