ASEAN Historical Monuments

  Countries in Southeast Asia has become a point of reference to historians of the west and east. This is because the ASEAN nations has many historical treasures. The historic monuments are a part of them. From Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the Borobudur temple in Indonesia, we have it all.  Archaeological studies shows that some of these buildings were built before people of the West constructed theirs.

     Borobudur is one of the eminent Buddhist monuments in the world. Build to pay homage to the grandeur of Buddha, this piece of  art was found by a king of the Sailendra dynasty. Originated from Sanskrit words vihara Buddha uhr, the name Borobudur means  the Buddhist monastry on the hill. Just 42 km from Yogyakarta city, this religious institute is situated in  Muntilan,Magelang. This prodigious temple was built between AD 750 and 842, 400  years before work had begun on the great European cathedrals. It took a tremendous army of workers to shift and engrave the 60,000 m3 of stone. The art of Borobudur is a subordinate to Indian influences, namely Gupta and post-Gupta styles. The walls of Borobudur are sculptured in bas-reliefs, stretched over 6 km. It has been acknowledged as the largest and most complete composite of Buddhist reliefs in the world, excellent in artistic value, each scene an individual masterpiece. The Karmawibangga reliefs on the hidden foot are devoted to the law of  karma. At the beginning of 11th century, divine monuments in Central Java including Borobudur became completely neglected and given over to decay. The sanctuary was exposed to volcanic eruption  and other ravages of nature. The monument was restored in 1970 with UNESCO's help.

      Angkor Wat lies 5.5 km north of the modern town of Siam Reap. The initial design and construction took place during the tenure of  King Suryavarman 2.Devoted to Vishnu, it  played   the  role  of the king's state temple and capital city. Some sources say that it may have known as Vrah Vishnulok, after the presiding deity. The king's death in 1150 interrupted  the work on the temple, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished. After Angkor was demolished by Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer, Jayavarman 7 created a new capital and state temple a few km to the north. Antonio da Magdalena, a Portugese monk who was one of the first Western visitors to the temple said that its construction greatness cannot be described in words making it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decorations and all the refinements which the human mind can conceptualize.

       History is very important in human life. It provides  us  with  the  guidance  and lessons for us to improve the errors of the past and this will enable us to create even greater success. History also allows us to recall the past glory of which, if there is any  awareness, persistence and determination among the leaders  and  people,  such  majesty  could be repeated, perhaps even  better. By studying  history,  we can  apply the values ​​of patriotism among students. The spirit of love for the country is vital and  must be nurtured in the minds of people since childhood. Some disciplines are trying to ridicule this branch of science because for them there is no point in studying history .  Actually,  this perception must change, and we should be looking way forward. Surely  people who never learn from history are those who will not have the inspiration  and  enthusiasm  to create and fight.

       Dr. Carl Sagan said: "You have to know the past to understand the present. Without knowledge of history, particularly concerning the formation of our country which began with Malaya and later Malaysia, will be born a citizen without self-esteem. They would not appreciate what has been held on this day, and will  become citizens who are not grateful, tend forget the origins, customs and culture.

Thank you.