Borobudur, the largest in the world Buddhist temple and one of Indonesia’s most popular attractions, is set to become expensive as it will soon be subject to a price hike to preserve “the rich history and culture” of the religious monument.
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“We plan to limit the quota of tourists who want to climb Borobudur Temple at 1200 people per day, with a fee of $100 for foreign tourists and 750,000 rupees ($51) for domestic tourists. Especially for students, we only charge Rs 5,000,” Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, wrote on Instagram.
Currently, tourists enter Borobudur pay a tax of $25 per person, CNN reported.
“We have taken this step solely in order to preserve the rich history and culture of the archipelago,” he added.
In addition, all tourists will now also have to hire a local guide when visiting Borobudur. “We did this in order to create new jobs while fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility to care for and preserve one of historical sites of this archipelago continues to grow in people’s hearts.
One of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, Borobudur Temple is believed to have been built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD, during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty. It is located in the Kedu Valley in Indonesia.
Currently, tourists entering Borobudur pay a fee of per person (Source: indonesia.travel)
According Unesco World Heritage Conventionally, the vertical division of the Borobudur temple into base, body and superstructure dovetails perfectly with the conception of the universe in Buddhist cosmology.
“It is believed that the universe is divided into three superimposed spheres, Kamadhatu, rupadhatuand arupadhatu, representing respectively the sphere of desires where we are bound to our desires, the sphere of forms where we give up our desires but are still bound to name and form, and the sphere of formlessness where there is neither nor name or form. At Borobudur Temple, the Kamadhatu is represented by the base, the rupadhatu by the five square terraces, and the arupadhatu by the three circular platforms as well as the large stupa. The whole structure shows a unique blend of the very central ideas of the ancestor worshiplinked to the idea of a terraced mountain, combined with the Buddhist concept of reaching Nirvana,” he said.
It was used as a Buddhist temple from its construction until some time between the 10th and 15th centuries – when it was abandoned. After its rediscovery in the 19th century and its restoration in the 20th century, Borobudur is again considered a Buddhist temple Archeological site.
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