Kediri (historical kingdom)

Kediri or Kadiri was a Hindu Javanese Kingdom based in East Java from 1042 to around 1222. Despite the lack of archaeological remains, the age of Kediri saw much development in classical [1] literature. . Mpu Sedah's Kakawin Bharatayuddha, Mpu Panuluh's Gatotkacasraya, and Mpu Dharmaja's Smaradhana blossomed in this era. The Kingdom of Kediri is the successor of Airlangga's Kahuripan kingdom, and thought as the continuation of Isyana Dynasty in Java. In 1045,Airlangga divided his kingdom of Kahuripan into two, Janggala and Kediri, and abdicated in favour of his sons to live as an ascetic. He died four years later. The first king of Kediri to leave historical records was ri Jayawara Digjaya staprabhu (reigned 11041115). In his inscription dated 1104, like Airlangga, he claimed himself to be the incarnation or Avatar of Vishnu. The second king was Kamevara. His formal stylized name was ri Maharaja Rake Sirikan ri Kamevara Sakalabhuwanatustikarana Sarwaniwaryyawiryya Parakrama Digjayottunggadewa. The Lanchana (royal seal) of his reign was a skull with a crescent moon called chandrakapala, the symbol of Shiva. During his reign, Mpu Dharmaja wrote Smaradhana, in which the king was adored as the incarnation of Kamajaya, the god of love, and his capital city Dahana was admired throughout the known world. Kamevara's wife, ri Kirana, was celebrated as the incarnation of Kamaratih, goddess of love and passion. The tales of this story, known asPanji cycle, spread throughout Southeast Asia as far as Siam. Jayabhaya (reigned 11301160) succeeded Kamewara. His formal stylized name was ri Maharaja ri Dharmmewara Madhusudanawataranindita Suhrtsingha Parakrama Digjayottunggadewa. The Lanchana (royal seal) of his reign was Narasingha. The name Jayabhaya was immortalized in Sedah's Kakawin Bharatayuddha, a Javanese version of the Mahabharata, written in 1157. This Kakawin was perfected by his brother, Mpu Panuluh. Mpu Panuluh wrote Hariwangsa and Gatotkacasraya. Jayabhaya's reign was considered the golden age of Old Javanese literature. The Prelambang Joyoboyo, a prophetic book ascribed to Jayabhaya, is well known among Javanese. It predicted that the archipelago would be ruled by a white race for a long time, then a yellow race for a short time, then be glorious again. The Jayabhaya prophecies mention Ratu Adil, the Just Prince, a recurring popular figure in Javanese folklore. During the reign, Ternate was a vassal state of Kediri. Jayabhaya's successor was Sarwwewara (reigned 11601170), followed by Aryyewara (reigned 11701180), who used Ganeshaas his royal Lanchana. The next monarch was Gandra; his formal stylized name was ri maharaja ri Kroncarryadipa Handabhuwanapalaka Parakramanindita Digjayottunggadewanama ri Gandra. An inscription (dated 1181) from his reign documents the beginning of the adoption of animal names for important officials, such as Kbo Salawah, Menjangan Puguh, Lembu Agra, Gajah Kuning, and Macan Putih. Among these highly-ranked officials mentioned in the inscription, there is a title Senapati Sarwwajala, or laksmana, a title reserved for navy generals, which means that Kediri had a navy during his reign. From 1190 to 1200, King rngga ruled Kediri, with the official name ri maharaja ri Sarwwewara Triwikramawataranindita rngga lancana Digwijayottunggadewa. He used a cangkha (winged shell) on a crescent moon as his royal seal.

The last king of Kediri was Kertajaya (12001222). His royal seal was Garudamukha, the same as Airlangga's. In 1222 he was forced to surrender his throne to Ken Arok and so lost the sovereignty of his kingdom to the new kingdom of Singhasari. This was the result of his defeat at the battle of Ganter. This event marked the end of Kediri era, and the beginning of the Singhasari era. According Jiyu and Petak inscriptions, during the end of Majapahit era in 15th century, there was a brief resurrection of Daha (Kediri) as the center of political power, which was led by Girindrawardhana in 1478 after he managed to defeat Kertabhumi. But it short lived since descendant of Kertabhumi who became ruler of Demakcrushed Daha in 1527.

Prambanan Temples
Situated in central Java Prambanan Temples is the largest Hindu temple compound in Indonesia. Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty built the Prambanan Temples in 850 CE. The temple got damaged soon after it construction. The Prambanan Temples compound was reconstructed in 1918. Reconstruction of the main building was completed around 1953. It may be mentioned here that Prambanan Temples has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the largest Hindu temples in South East Asia. Description of Prambanan Temples A tall and pointed architecture is a typical sign of Prambanan Temples.Prambanan Temples has got a 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples. Prambanan Temples has got the biggest temple complex in Java. There are altogether 224 temples in the complex. The three main temples are Brahma Temple in the north, Vishnu Temple in the south and the Shiva Temple within the Complex.Prambanan Temples in Indonesia is regarded as one of the imperial temples in the South East Asia. Prambanan Temples appears to be very beautiful shortly after dawn or before sunrise. A beautiful park has been designed especially for children and the rest of your family to play in and have loads of fun while enjoying the magnetic beauty of Prambanan Temple. There is also an archeological museum in the Prambanan Temples compound where you can learn about the ancient history ofPrambanan Temples and all the surrounding temples and Wanabaya's discoveries. Built in the 9th century, the Prambanan Temples is a unique example of Hindu architectural traditions. It resembles the Hindu temples in many aspects. The sculptural reliefs adorn the walls of the Prambanan Temples depicting the story of Ramayana. Drawing almost a million tourists every year, visit to the Prambanan Temples is a must when on a tour to Indonesia.