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Prambanan - A Thousand Beauties |
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Written by Varshaa Negi
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The most awe-inspiring cultural production presented by NUANSA (NUS and Indonesia) production team, in collaboration with ExxonMobil Campus Concerts and in conjunction with "Visit Indonesia 2008", came to life on 5th February 2008 at the University Cultural Centre.
Prambanan - A Thousand Beauties meandered through the heritage of Central Java, tracing the legend that immortalized this regal Hindu temple.
The Prambanan compound consists of eight main shrines, surrounded by more than 250 small temples. Like the Angkor Wat, Taj Mahal and Great Wall of China, it too graces the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.
Located 15 km east of Yogyakarta, this majestic temple has suffered innumerable damages due to the 2006 Java earthquake. However, its place in Indonesian pride remains unblemished.
The production started with a scene depicting the victory of Bandung Bondowoso over Roro Jonggrang's father, culminating in Bandung's inhumane slaying of the vanquished warrior. The battle, as well later scenes, were beautifully intertwined through the accompanying soft melodic sounds, courtesy of the Angklung Orchestra.
 Angklung is a traditional West Java-nese musical instrument from bamboo that was recently featured in the International Student Nite (ISN 2008) to a hugely-appreciative crowd. The orchestra was aided by a wonderful band as well.
The story line then progressed to the celebration of Bandung's victory, which was graced by the regal Peacock dance, originated from the West Java region in the 1800s. It was a spectacle in itself, inspired by the bird's beauty and elegance.
King Bandung's ceremony was attended by the men and women that he now reigned over and who moved rhythmically to the band music. Roro Jonggrang also came, albeit begrudgingly, to pay her respects to the new king. The King was awestruck by her beauty and expressed his desire to wed her. Unsurprisingly, she was adamantly set against marrying her father's killer, but eventually relented after much coercion on the condition that he would build a thousand temples by sun rise.
Bandung was in a fix. He was deliberating what to do when an unidentifiable voice in the night suggested to the bewildered king that he should seek help from the inexhaustible night creatures.
As Bandung followed suit, the creatures of the night appeared to the tunes of the Kecak Dance. This dance narrated the story of the Ramayana, one of the most prominent Indian legends.
When Roro Jonggrang discovered this, she was terrified and rushed to her friends to seek help. They helped her to beat the spices, thereby misleading the cock to prematurely crow the arrival of the new morning. The creatures of the night grew scared and when the crimson of the dawn lit, there were only 999 temples built.
Roro Jonggrang would have gotten away from the cruel king but one of her friends and confidantes was captured. The consequences were both dire and gruesome. In honour of Roro Jonggrang, the 1000th temple was hence named after her and was built to be the most beautiful and powerful, much like the lady whom it was built in honor of.
Special accolades should go to the extremely melodious acapella that made the production complete.
Prambanan was an illuminating blend of the musical prowess of the band, capella and angklung orchestra, as well as the graceful dances of the peacock and kecak. Bandung and Roro Jonggrang deserve special mention for their spell bounding emotion and dialogue delivery.
At the end of the day, one is left lingering amidst the legend the Prambanan and an earnest urge to visit Indonesia - indeed the land of a thousand beauties. HOOKED
Images courtesy of Google Images
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NUANSA
Written by Guest on 2008-02-26 21:19:10
Hi I am sorry. It should be NUANSA and not NANSA. Thanks. |
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