BATIK ( PAINTING TRADITIONAL FROM JAVA )

Batik (pronunciation: [ba.te], but often, in English, is [bæ.tik] or [bətik]) is a wax-resist dyeing technique used on textile. Due to modern advances in the textile industry the term has also been used for fabrics which incorporates the traditional batik patterns although not necessarily produced using the batik techniques. Silk batik is especially popular.
Javanese traditional batik, especially from Jogjakarta, has special meanings which is rooted to the Javanese idea of the universe. Traditional colours include indigo, dark brown ,white and violet, which represents the four major Hindu Gods, and certain patterns can only be worn by royals. Other regions of Indonesia have their own unique patterns. Patterns similar to Indonesian batik are also found in several countries of West Africa, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda and Mali, and in Asia, such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma, which displays the influence of the Indonesian batik internationally.
Culture
Batik has been both an art and a craft for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there.
Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.
Procedure
Melted wax (Javanese: malam) is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. It is common for people to use a mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax. The beeswax will hold to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of batik. Wherever the wax has seeped through the fabric, the dye will not penetrate. Sometimes several colours are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.
Thin wax lines are made with a canting (also spelled tjanting or tjunting; [tʃantɪŋ]), a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup with a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps. Other methods of applying the wax onto the fabric include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax on with a brush, and applying the hot wax to pre-carved wooden or metal wire block (called a cap or tjap; [tʃap]) and stamping the fabric.
a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character. This traditional method of batik making is called Batik Tulis (lit: 'Written Batik').
The invention of the copper block or cap developed by the Javanese in the 20th century revolutionized batik production. By block printing the wax onto the fabric, it became possible to make high quality designs and intricate patterns much faster than one could possibly do by hand-painting. This method of using copper block to applied melted wax pattern is called Batik Cap (pronounced like "chop").
Indonesian batik used for clothing normally has an intricate pattern. Traditionally, wider curves were reserved for batik produced for nobles. The traditional cloth has natural colors (tones of indigo and brown) while contemporary pieces have more variety of color.
Javanese batik typically includes symbols. Some decorative pieces may be mystically-influenced, and this type is very rarely used for clothing. Some may carry illustrations of animals or other intricate designs.

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The Worldwide Gudeg Jogja

Gudeg is one of some special foods from Jogja. It is just like Sate (roasted beef in stick) from Madura and Pempek from Palembang, Gudeg Jogja has been well known in Indonesia, even in other countries. In Jogja, Gudeg has been widespread in almost every area, from the Gudeg center on Wijilan Street to other places.
A lot of cafes or small restaurants serve Gudeg with various tastes, surely the prices follows, especially at Wijilan Street. Besides tasting the Gudeg, we can find many kinds of special traditional handicraft.
Vendors of Gudeg usually attract the customers’ attention by making an attractive packaging named kendhil (a clay-made package). It does not only make the serving become more attractive but also makes the taste become more delicious. We can find the Gudeg Kendhil in almost every place which serves gudeg.
Gudeg is made from unripe jackfruit boiled with special spices and coconut milk (santan). The top and the bottom parts of the pan used to boil the spices and the coconut milk (santan) is covered with unripe Jati leaves. To get a perfect and delicious taste and color of the Gudeg, those ingredients are boiled all night. The Jati leaves are used to get an attractive color. The areh or sauce is made from coconut milk (santan), spices, and turmeric as the artificial color. It is poured on the ready-to-serve Gudeg. The Gudeg itself has a sweet taste.
Gudeg is usually served with warm rice, egg, chicken, ceker, tofu, tempe, chip, fried onion, etc. We can also serve a glass of tea, ice tea, orange juice, fresh water, etc for the beverages. It is not complete if we come to Jogja without tasting Gudeg.

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The New Leader of Indonesia

INDONESIAN LEADER

Two days before the election that propelled him into the presidency of the world's fourth-most-populous nation, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono traveled to the campus of the Bogor Agricultural University for a very serious meeting. Leaving a group of aides waiting outside, the 55-year-old former four-star general strode into one of the institute's classrooms, a laptop tucked under one arm, to face six university professors. For the next three hours, he parried questions about his recently completed Ph.D. thesis: Agrarian and Rural Development as a Strategy to Eradicate Poverty and Unemployment. "We thought it was just going to be a few token questions," says Yudhoyono adviser Rachmat Witoelar. "He was, after all, probably going to be elected President in a few days. But they really grilled him."
The story illustrates much about the man Indonesians overwhelmingly chose to lead them: his undoubted intellectual heft Yudhoyono's personal library contains 13,000 volumes and a discipline that allowed him to finish and defend a doctoral thesis in the middle of a presidential campaign. Those were qualities Yudhoyono downplayed on the stump, where he touted a decisiveness honed through a 29-year military career. Unlike the incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Yudhoyono told voters, he wouldn't shy from tough decisions to tackle the country's social and economic woes.

Still, Yudhoyono's bookish side could translate into a wonk's caution when he assumes office. "Everything is calculated with S.B.Y.," says Salim Said, a military analyst who has known Yudhoyono for two decades. "He is too careful most of the time." Former colleagues agree that Yudhoyono is given to long, sometimes woolly deliberation before making decisions. He likes words like "comprehensive" and "integrated," says Marsillam Simanjuntak, a fellow Minister in the administration of former President Abdurrahman Wahid: "He is very methodical and orderly, and it's almost as if he feels sinful if he leaves some aspect neglected." Old friends from the military have similar recollections. "He won't rock the boat," concludes retired General Agus Wijoyo, who served with Yudhoyono in East Timor and at military headquarters in Jakarta. "Those who want faster reform will see him as too slow."
There's nothing wrong with caution when it comes to decisions that will affect 240 million people. But the political and economic realities facing the country's first directly elected President are big, and some require urgent action. Indonesia's military needs another big push to bring it under civilian control, and yet Yudhoyono's inner circle is crammed with generals and ex-military men. Marcus Mietzner, an Indonesian military researcher at Australia National University, argues that the core of Yudhoyono's problem is "indecision on policy issues." He points out that cleaning up the military was already needed when Yudhoyono held the powerful position of Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security under Wahid and Megawati. "There was no initiative on military reform from his office during his three years as Security Minister."
The new President will also need to engage with parliament, in which his party controls only 57 seats out of 550. "They could refuse to pass legislation in areas such as judicial reform and corruption," says Damien Kingsbury, a lecturer in Indonesian affairs at Deakin University in Melbourne. "And that would badly affect his economic platform."
Yudhoyono's supporters insist the President-elect can be firm when necessary, citing the government's swift arrest and prosecution of the Bali-bombing gang, which happened on Yudhoyono's watch as security czar. "He is persuasive, not authoritative," says Sudi Silalahi, a retired three-star general and one of Yudhoyono's key advisers. Silalahi points to the success Yudhoyono had in stopping religious fighting in areas such as Poso and Maluku through lengthy negotiations and peace agreements. "He can use both methods," concurs adviser Rachmat, who is widely tipped for a senior Cabinet position. "If the road is straight he will step on the accelerator hard. If it's winding then he'll go a little slower." Indonesians dumped Megawati to hand Yudhoyono the wheel but they're expecting him to get out of first gear pretty fast.

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EVENTS IN BOROBUDUR TEMPLE

Contemporary events

Tourists in Borobudur.Following the major 1973 renovation funded by UNESCO, Borobudur is once again used as a place of worship and pilgrimage. Once a year, during the full moon in May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia observe Vesak (Indonesian: Waisak) day commemorating the birth, death, and the time when Siddhārtha Gautama attained the highest wisdom to become the Buddha Shakyamuni. Vesak is an official national holiday in Indonesia and the ceremony is centered at the three Buddhist temples by walking from Mendut to Pawon and ending at Borobudur. The monument is the single most visited tourist attraction in Indonesia. In 1974, 260,000 tourists of whom 36,000 were foreigners visited the monument. The figure hiked into 2.5 million visitors annually (80% were domestic tourists) in the mid 1990s, before the country's economy crisis. Tourism development, however, has been criticized for not including the local community on which occasional local conflict has arisen. In 2003, residents and small businesses around Borobudur organized several meetings and poetry protests, objecting to a provincial government plan to build a three-story mall complex, dubbed the 'Java World'.

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COME TO BOROBUDUR in CENTRAL JAVA

Borobudur

is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.
The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.
Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.

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JAVANESE AND HISTORY ISLAND

Prambanan temple
Reputated as the biggest and most beautiful Hindhus Temple in Indonesia, and locally known as Roro Jonggrang. Excursion to Prambanan temple complex-the most beautiful Hindu temple then proceed to Solo visit to the Mangkunegaran's Palace, Triwindhu flea-market. Continued drive on to Sukuh temple located on slope of Mount Lawu and surrounded by beautiful sceneries. Also visit to Cetoh temple.
Yogyakarta is the most popular tourist destination on Java. Famous for its rich heritage, cultural performances such as gamelan music, classical dance, shadow puppet shows, can be enjoyed daily.
It is also a good base for day trips to 2 of the world's most impressive archeological sites - Borobudur & Prambanan Temple complexes. Yogyakarta also has excellent budget food & accommodation options and has been a travelers favorite for many years.
See
The main site of Prambanan contains four temples scattered about a large, landscaped park. The complex is open daily from 6 AM to 6 PM and entry costs a fixed US$10 (US$6 student), try to get there early to beat the heat. Guides can be hired at the ticket office, costs you Rp50.000
• Candi Lara Jonggrang, or simply Candi Prambanan, is the largest and most-visited of the temples just to the left of the entrance. While there were 232 temples originally built, most have long since crumbled and the main remaining attractions are the six temples of the central court, richly decorated with carved reliefs. Three of them, known as the Trisakti ("three sacred places"), are particularly important:
• Candi Siva, dedicated to Shiva the Destroyer, is the largest of the six, rising to a height of 45 meters. There are fine reliefs of the Ramayana in its forecourt and four chambers with statues. The largest chamber, to the east, contains a statue of Shiva himself, while the south has the sage Agastya, the west his son Ganesh (the elephant-headed) and the north his wife Durga. Durga is also known as Lara Jonggrang ("Slender Virgin"), a legendary beautiful princess turned to stone (see box).
• Candi Brahma, to the south, continues the story of the Ramayana and has a statue of Brahma the Creator inside.
• Candi Vishnu, to the north, tells the story of Vishnu's avatar Krishna and has a statue of Vishnu the Preserver inside.
• Opposite the three large temples are three smaller temples originally dedicated to the vehicles of the gods. Only the statue of Nandi, Shiva's bull, has survived.
• North of Lara Jonggrang is a poorly displayed museum laid out in a series of small houses connected by walkways. Explanations are minimal, but entry is free so you might as well take a look.
• Prambanan Audio Visual, inside the museum grounds, is the park's term for screenings of a bizarre movie entitled "Cosmic Harmony", which seems to spend as much time lambasting the "industrial world" in general (and Jakarta in particular) as explaining the Prambanan site. Still, it makes for a fairly entertaining half-hour break and Rp 2,000 is not too bad a price to pay for the air-con. The film is available in several languages.
• Candi Lumbung and Candi Bubrah, two Buddhist temples, are located several hundred meters further north. They lie in ruins and are fenced off.
• Candi Sewu, a large Buddhist temple complex meaning "one thousand temples", is one kilometer north of the entrance gate and contains a large central temple surrounded by a cluster of smaller ones. The sheer size of the recently renovated and intricately decorated central temple is impressive, but the statue niches are all empty. Entrance from the east side only.
There are also several temples and historical sites outside the park.
• Kraton Ratu Boko, 3 km south of Prambanan, is a ruined palace or temple of uncertain origin, located on a hilltop 200 meters above the Prambanan plain (which makes for good pictures if and only if you have a good zoom lens). Only some building foundations remain and it's difficult to make any sense of the site. Now incorporated into the Borobudur Park Authority, entry to Ratu Boko is a separately charged US$10, which seems very steep for what you get.

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One Again's Culture Java antique

Ramayana Ballet

Ramayana Ballet is the great a must see show in Jogjakarta. The ballet is conveying the Ramayana epic and is held at the open theater in Prambanan temple. With Prambanan temple as the background of the open theater stage, the show is becoming more dramatic.The Ramayana Ballet is conducted by hundreds of dancer. The dance and the uniform are portraying the Javanese tradition and culture. Not only dancers who are involved but also gamelan (Javanese traditional music instruments) musicians and sinden (Javanese singer with unique voicing).
Please coming in java island, visit "PRAMBANAN TEMPLE"Indonesia

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