Candi Sukuh

[A. G. Maisey]

We only have the one date Rick and that is in the form of a chronogram --- pictorial symbols for numbers --- the symbols that can be understood as: "gapura buta abara wong" this translates to the number 9531 which has to be read backwards to give the date of 1357 which is a Saka date, this is 1437CE.

The symbols are understood in terms of the Candra Sangkala, which provides the number relevant to the figure.

In English the symbols mean to "giant gate eat human" --- other translations are possible, but they all have the same sense.

So we can take the date of establishment at about 1437.

It seems that the place was known as a holy place before the temple was built, as there is a standing stone there that predates the temple.

Raffles visited when he was in Jogja and he found it to be in a mess.

I visited for the first time in either the late 1960's or early 1970's and it was in a bit of a mess then too, over the years it has been gradually tidied up. I don't know if the position that all the minor carvings are in now is where they were found or if they have been moved around.

The physical entry to Sukuh is in fact a big gate, so a person going into the Sukuh area is "eaten" by the gate, but the symbols carved in relief on the gateway say what is happening. Its a double meaning:- the physical entry equates to the date of establishment.