Walisongo, Java-Muslim saints:
These first missionaries of Islam have been upgraded to the status of walis (the Arabic word "holy") and named Sunan (Javanese nickname as the "woman"). Through the centuries many stories about the lives of these men and their exploits have said.Much of what we know comes from the collection of facts, quasi-Javanese manuscript, known as the Babad Tanah Jawi ( "History of the Earth Java).
There is no attempt to separate from the fiction and not have to lay What can I or archaeological evidence. But , Legends and myths indicate that much is still useful for historians or the fact that you're looking for, especially if they still have influence on the minds and hearts of believers.
Conversion stories that survive are interesting because of a lack of signs of formal conversion of Islam - recitation of the profession of faith (shahada) and male circumcision. Islam is not a major turning point in civilization Java, has been in other parts of the archipelago. With rich cultural heritage, until the arrival of Islam many centuries Javanese population was not easily impressed by acts of pomp and ceremony.
Today, many Javanese describe Islam as Santri or Abang. Excessive simplification, perhaps, but nonetheless useful description of dichotomy in the practice of religion in the vast island. Santris strictly adhere to Islam and Muslims documentation, while Abang have little time for the rites of Islam and documentation shows that even the spirit world, their pre-Islamic ancestors. Some experts describe it as syncretistic, Mutual of mysticism always dry formalism of Islamic doctrine.In the course of history, there have always been movements within Islam to "reform" or "update" from the original spirit of Islam.
These movements, especially popular in the Islamic world during the 19 century AD, came to describe as "reformist" or "modern", rather than what could be Westerner to understand these concepts.It is regrettable that most of the international community of Muslims in Indonesia - Bali bombings, and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir to subscribe to the burden of such violent Islamic modernity. "This is a response to the subjugation of Muslim countries and peoples of infidels (as in Palestine), blasphemous or purity of sullying Islam decadent Western life, back home, these violent men find something worth the lives of innocent people.Sometimes these movements for the provisional arrest of success and spiritual power - as the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia - and sometimes not, - Java Darul Islam rebellion in the decade from 1940 to 1960 in mind.
But religion, although purists argue otherwise is always in motion, both in their beliefs and put into practice.Looking at the historical context in which Islam was the first time in Java and was endorsed by the people could make clear the future direction of religion on the island. But even if not, still great history and values of telling.Maulana Ibrahim MalikIn this role, we met in the first instance, nine walis - mysterious Maulana Ibrahim Malik, also known as Syekh Magribi. His tomb is located outside the city in the north-eastern Gresik Java. Port city of Gresik was Chinese data, based Chinese traders in the 14 century and quickly became an important center of regional trade.
Its origin is unknown, Gujarat, Turkey and Persia is the most popular in the quiz.Maulana Ibrahim Malik is generally regarded as the first Java-Islamic missionary and father Walisongo. He also attributed the first Pesa division or religious school in Java. But it is his commitment to Sufism, perhaps his most important legacy.Sufi prevent strict formalism of Islam, instead of union with your personal God, through individual meditation, post, singing and dancing. Sufi, gathered in groups or order them Tariq (in Arabic, "the way"), from Sheikh or professor in the head.
Sheikh often can be traced with the founder of the Order and outside, sometimes the Prophet himself.However, in the course of history, Sufi orders have mixed relations with the main directions of Islam. The first Sufis and claimed mystical union with God, is often misunderstood as claimed equality with the divine, and then death.
For example, 9 Al-century mystic Hallaj was executed because he said, have claimed their own identity with God:If we do not recognize God, at least, to recognize his characters. Sign that I am, I creatively to the truth, because I am the truth… the truth forever.Other Sufis, this quest for mystical union with the Divine to extremes, the replacement of God with a universal concept of "truth" to eliminate Muslims, and thus, it never in the conventional sense.Sufism great contribution to the spread of Islam is its ability to absorb within existing religious traditions and cultures of non-Muslim countries. Sufi Islam was, as described great missionaries of religion on the remote ends of the Islamic world - from deserts in sub-Saharan Africa and the steppes of Central Asia for solar islands south-east Asia. De-emphasis of Islamic rites, such as daily prayers, charity and the post, but instead focus on the search for personal meaning and spirituality, religion went to non-believers in a much more attractive light.Stories tell us that if
Maulana Ibrahim Malik
Maulana Ibrahim Malik arrived in Gresik, Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit still prevail in East Java. However, the kingdom divided by civil wars and people were in deep sorrow. The scientist acknowledged that the aggressive preaching of Islam, will have little impact on society so rich in history and tradition.
Nobleness and justice, Islam, which must be displayed by other means.A good example, Maulana Ibrahim Malik said calmly to the people and without arrogance. He gave alms to the poor, showed proper respect for the elderly and extended a hand of friendship to young people. So, step by step, people in Gresik should be noted that the teachings of Islam.
Stories clear that the majority of Ibrahim Malik will be people from low levels of society Majapahit Hinduised. The members of priestly caste Brahman is uninterested in this new religion.After his headstone, Maulana Ibrahim Malik died in 1419 AD. However, the nascent Muslim community were created that continue to grow and prosper, thanks largely to another Wali that the continuation of their work Islamization - Sunan Ampel.
More info : http://9walis.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wali Songo
The nine walis were Sufi teachers who spread Islam and did all variety of powerful and unusual acts across Java. The histories of these men are not always clear. In fact, if you try to count all of them, you will end up with more than nine. Some sources say that there was more than one group of nine. The most probable explanation is that there was a loose council of nine religious leaders, and that as older members retired or passed away, new members were brought into this council.
Symbolically, for later rulers on Java, the wali songo provided a link between the rulers of Majapahit or earlier kingdoms, and the rulers of Mataram, and eventually the Sultans of Yogya and Surakarta. They were both links in the dynastic family trees and cultural links, as they adapted the old arts and traditions to the new Islamic reality.
In spite of the confusion, and some of the legends told about them, these were real men, and some of them such as Gunungjati or Kalijogo were important figures who helped create the Java--and the Indonesia--that we know today.
Here is an incomplete (or maybe too complete!) list of the Wali Songo. Most of them did their work in the late 1400s to mid-1500s C.E.:
Sunan Gunungjati worked at Demak and Banten, and was the founder of Cirebon. Many stories say that he was originally from Pasai in Aceh, others say that he was from Pajajaran in West Java. He married the sister of Sultan Trenggono of Demak, and led military expeditions for Demak against Banten (which was still Hindu at that time). As "Fatahillah" he defeated the Portuguese when they tried to take Sunda Kelapa (now Jakarta) in 1527.
Some stories have Sunan Gunungjati active around the 1470s and 1480s, under the name "Hidayatullah", other stories have him active around the 1520s, and associate him with the name "Fatahillah". In the 1480s he would have been the grandson of the king of Pajajaran; in the late 1520s he would have fought the Portuguese near what is today Jakarta. The problem is that some stories say that he passed away in 1568, by which time he would have been as old as 120 years! Some scholars think that there may have been more than one Gunungjati.
Sunan Kudus, (or Ja'far Shadiq), founder of Kudus, who is said to have originated the wayang golek, and who founded the masjid at Kudus using (it is said) the doors from the palace of Majapahit. Took the place of his father, Sunan Ngudung. He passed away in 1550.
Sunan Kudus has also been called by the name Ja'far Shadiq, or Ja'far as-Sadiq, which was also the name of a famous religious figure in Iran, the 6th of the 12th Imams in Shi'ah Islam. Interestingly, in the city of Kudus today, there is an event called Buka Luwur, when the citizens change the curtains around the tomb of Sunan Kudus, among other things. This event is held on the 10th of Muharram of the Islamic calendar --the same day that Shi'ah Muslims remember the martyrdom of Husayn, a major date in the calendar for them. Perhaps these are reminders of the time when travelers from Iran and India made frequent trips to the north coast of Java, and had a lasting influence on the culture there.
Sunan Giri, (or Raden Paku), studied at Melaka, founded Islamic schools at Gresik, foretold the rise of Mataram, and spread Islam to Lombok, Sulawesi, and Maluku. He was a proponent of orthodox Islam, and disapproved of innovation (much like "modernist" Islamic scholars of the 1800s and 1900s). A traditional story says that he was the son of a Hindu princess of Balambangan and Maulana Ishaq of Melaka, who had gone to Balambangan as a missionary. The princess was forced to abandon him in a crisis and set him adrift on the ocean in a small boat, from which he was rescued by sailors. He was later a student of Sunan Ampel, and married the daughter of Sunan Ampel.
Sunan Giri II (or Sunan Delem)
Pangeran Sarif worked under Sunan Giri, and worked to convert the people of Madura.
Sunan Prapen
Sunan Kalijogo, (also Raden Sahid), was active at Demak, student of Sunan Bonang, advisor to Senopati, father to Sunan Muria. He revived the Garebeg procession, added Islamic stories to the wayang kulit repertory, and promoted the use of traditional rituals in a new Islamic context. The IAIN (Islamic Institute) in Yogyakarta today is named after him. At times Sunan Kalijogo has been called a proponent of innovation ("innovation" in orthodox Islam is generally considered not proper).
Stories of Kalijogo also follow confused chrnologies. Some have him participating in the construction of the Masjid at Demak in the 1470s; others have him active in the mid-1500s.
Sunan Bonang, son of Sunan Ampel, wrote a popular book on theology and good behavior for Muslims. As a young man he studied with Sunan Giri in Melaka. He helped build the great masjid at Demak. A story says that he converted the later Sunan Kalijogo to Islam. He is buried at Tuban.
Sunan Muria, (or Raden Umar Said), son of Kalijogo, after whom Mount Muria is named, and who used gamelan and theatre to help promote his missionary activity. He preferred to work with common people and in isolated villages.
Sunan Maulana Malik Ibrahim (also Syeikh Maghribi) was an Arab who arrived in Java in 1404 and worked at Gresik and Leran until his death in 1419. He founded the first Islamic school or pesantren on Java. Cousin of Sunan Ampel. His work was carried out before the time period normally associated with the wali songo, making him a kind of pioneer for missionary activity on Java
Sunan Ampel (also Raden Rakhmat) who did his work in Surabaya, and spread Islam in East Java. Sunan Ampel was the original leader of the walisongo. He was a nephew of the King of Majapahit, and a cousin to Raden Patah, first Sultan of Demak. He was actually born in Champa, an Islamic kingdom located where the southern part of Vietnam is today. Sunan Bonang and Sunan Drajad were both his sons. Sunan Giri lived with him alongside his sons as a young man.
Sunan Drajad was a son of Sunan Ampel. He built the masjid at Paciran (north of Surabaya) in 1502, and is known for promoting social and charitable works. He also promoted the use of the gamelan orchestra.
Sunan Sendang worked at Paciran until 1585.
Sunan Ngudung (or Pengulu Rahmatullah) who did his work in Matahun, and died in battle against the Hindu remnants of Majapahit in 1513. He was the father of Sunan Kudus.
Raden Hamzah (or Sunan Lamongan) who did his work in Lamongan.
Maulana Ibrahim Asmoro was the father of Sunan Ampel. He is buried at Palang near Tuban. He was married to a princess of Champa, in what is now Vietnam, and may have originally been from Central Asia.
Sunan Bayat who did his work around Tembayat, near Yogya. He was a student of Sunan Kalijogo.
Sunan Bejagung who did his work near Tuban.
Syekh Sitti Jenar (also Syekh Lemah Abang) who was sentenced to death for his strong religious convictions, which were considered by some to be heretical.
Raden Patah, founder of Demak, is sometimes included in the list. Raden Patah was the son of Kertanegara by a Chinese princess, and was brought up by Aria Damar, his half-brother, who had been sent to oversee Palembang with the title of Adipati, and was said to be a Muslim in secret. He consulted closely with Sunan Ampel before continuing on to found the city and power of Demak. Raden Patah is a "link" between the line of the old Javanese kings (such as Airlangga or Hayam Wuruk), the later Sultans of Mataram (such as Agung), and the present-day Sultan of Yogya and Susuhunan of Surakarta.
(Sunan Kuning came much later, was named Susuhunan of Mataram by rebels in 1742, is remembered in Semarang).
Source:http://www.gimonca.com/sejarah/walisongo.shtml
Symbolically, for later rulers on Java, the wali songo provided a link between the rulers of Majapahit or earlier kingdoms, and the rulers of Mataram, and eventually the Sultans of Yogya and Surakarta. They were both links in the dynastic family trees and cultural links, as they adapted the old arts and traditions to the new Islamic reality.
In spite of the confusion, and some of the legends told about them, these were real men, and some of them such as Gunungjati or Kalijogo were important figures who helped create the Java--and the Indonesia--that we know today.
Here is an incomplete (or maybe too complete!) list of the Wali Songo. Most of them did their work in the late 1400s to mid-1500s C.E.:
Sunan Gunungjati worked at Demak and Banten, and was the founder of Cirebon. Many stories say that he was originally from Pasai in Aceh, others say that he was from Pajajaran in West Java. He married the sister of Sultan Trenggono of Demak, and led military expeditions for Demak against Banten (which was still Hindu at that time). As "Fatahillah" he defeated the Portuguese when they tried to take Sunda Kelapa (now Jakarta) in 1527.
Some stories have Sunan Gunungjati active around the 1470s and 1480s, under the name "Hidayatullah", other stories have him active around the 1520s, and associate him with the name "Fatahillah". In the 1480s he would have been the grandson of the king of Pajajaran; in the late 1520s he would have fought the Portuguese near what is today Jakarta. The problem is that some stories say that he passed away in 1568, by which time he would have been as old as 120 years! Some scholars think that there may have been more than one Gunungjati.
Sunan Kudus, (or Ja'far Shadiq), founder of Kudus, who is said to have originated the wayang golek, and who founded the masjid at Kudus using (it is said) the doors from the palace of Majapahit. Took the place of his father, Sunan Ngudung. He passed away in 1550.
Sunan Kudus has also been called by the name Ja'far Shadiq, or Ja'far as-Sadiq, which was also the name of a famous religious figure in Iran, the 6th of the 12th Imams in Shi'ah Islam. Interestingly, in the city of Kudus today, there is an event called Buka Luwur, when the citizens change the curtains around the tomb of Sunan Kudus, among other things. This event is held on the 10th of Muharram of the Islamic calendar --the same day that Shi'ah Muslims remember the martyrdom of Husayn, a major date in the calendar for them. Perhaps these are reminders of the time when travelers from Iran and India made frequent trips to the north coast of Java, and had a lasting influence on the culture there.
Sunan Giri, (or Raden Paku), studied at Melaka, founded Islamic schools at Gresik, foretold the rise of Mataram, and spread Islam to Lombok, Sulawesi, and Maluku. He was a proponent of orthodox Islam, and disapproved of innovation (much like "modernist" Islamic scholars of the 1800s and 1900s). A traditional story says that he was the son of a Hindu princess of Balambangan and Maulana Ishaq of Melaka, who had gone to Balambangan as a missionary. The princess was forced to abandon him in a crisis and set him adrift on the ocean in a small boat, from which he was rescued by sailors. He was later a student of Sunan Ampel, and married the daughter of Sunan Ampel.
Sunan Giri II (or Sunan Delem)
Pangeran Sarif worked under Sunan Giri, and worked to convert the people of Madura.
Sunan Prapen
Sunan Kalijogo, (also Raden Sahid), was active at Demak, student of Sunan Bonang, advisor to Senopati, father to Sunan Muria. He revived the Garebeg procession, added Islamic stories to the wayang kulit repertory, and promoted the use of traditional rituals in a new Islamic context. The IAIN (Islamic Institute) in Yogyakarta today is named after him. At times Sunan Kalijogo has been called a proponent of innovation ("innovation" in orthodox Islam is generally considered not proper).
Stories of Kalijogo also follow confused chrnologies. Some have him participating in the construction of the Masjid at Demak in the 1470s; others have him active in the mid-1500s.
Sunan Bonang, son of Sunan Ampel, wrote a popular book on theology and good behavior for Muslims. As a young man he studied with Sunan Giri in Melaka. He helped build the great masjid at Demak. A story says that he converted the later Sunan Kalijogo to Islam. He is buried at Tuban.
Sunan Muria, (or Raden Umar Said), son of Kalijogo, after whom Mount Muria is named, and who used gamelan and theatre to help promote his missionary activity. He preferred to work with common people and in isolated villages.
Sunan Maulana Malik Ibrahim (also Syeikh Maghribi) was an Arab who arrived in Java in 1404 and worked at Gresik and Leran until his death in 1419. He founded the first Islamic school or pesantren on Java. Cousin of Sunan Ampel. His work was carried out before the time period normally associated with the wali songo, making him a kind of pioneer for missionary activity on Java
Sunan Ampel (also Raden Rakhmat) who did his work in Surabaya, and spread Islam in East Java. Sunan Ampel was the original leader of the walisongo. He was a nephew of the King of Majapahit, and a cousin to Raden Patah, first Sultan of Demak. He was actually born in Champa, an Islamic kingdom located where the southern part of Vietnam is today. Sunan Bonang and Sunan Drajad were both his sons. Sunan Giri lived with him alongside his sons as a young man.
Sunan Drajad was a son of Sunan Ampel. He built the masjid at Paciran (north of Surabaya) in 1502, and is known for promoting social and charitable works. He also promoted the use of the gamelan orchestra.
Sunan Sendang worked at Paciran until 1585.
Sunan Ngudung (or Pengulu Rahmatullah) who did his work in Matahun, and died in battle against the Hindu remnants of Majapahit in 1513. He was the father of Sunan Kudus.
Raden Hamzah (or Sunan Lamongan) who did his work in Lamongan.
Maulana Ibrahim Asmoro was the father of Sunan Ampel. He is buried at Palang near Tuban. He was married to a princess of Champa, in what is now Vietnam, and may have originally been from Central Asia.
Sunan Bayat who did his work around Tembayat, near Yogya. He was a student of Sunan Kalijogo.
Sunan Bejagung who did his work near Tuban.
Syekh Sitti Jenar (also Syekh Lemah Abang) who was sentenced to death for his strong religious convictions, which were considered by some to be heretical.
Raden Patah, founder of Demak, is sometimes included in the list. Raden Patah was the son of Kertanegara by a Chinese princess, and was brought up by Aria Damar, his half-brother, who had been sent to oversee Palembang with the title of Adipati, and was said to be a Muslim in secret. He consulted closely with Sunan Ampel before continuing on to found the city and power of Demak. Raden Patah is a "link" between the line of the old Javanese kings (such as Airlangga or Hayam Wuruk), the later Sultans of Mataram (such as Agung), and the present-day Sultan of Yogya and Susuhunan of Surakarta.
(Sunan Kuning came much later, was named Susuhunan of Mataram by rebels in 1742, is remembered in Semarang).
Source:http://www.gimonca.com/sejarah/walisongo.shtml
Saturday, March 14, 2009
City of Malang
Country: Indonesia
Region: East Java
Latitude: -7.977777
87° 58' 40" S7 degrees, 58 minutes, 40 seconds South
Longitude: 112.6280556
112° 37' 41" E112 degrees, 37 minutes, 41 seconds East
History
Hundreds, even thousands of years ago before Malang became the second biggest city in East Java, Malang used to be the centre of government of the Kanjuruhan and Singhasari Kingdom. In the following era, Malang regency became an important place when the government of Mataram Kingdom took hold of the area, making it the largest regency in East Java and since then the development of Malang regency has increased well.
The history of Malang Regency could be revealed through the Dinoyo inscription 760 AD as the primary official document to support the birth of Malang before a new inscription was discovered in 1986, which is so far not yet revealed.
According to the inscription, it was concluded that the 8th century was the beginning of the existence of Malang Regency's government due to the birth of King Gajayana's ruling of his kingdom in Malang. From the Dinoyo inscriptions, it is noted that the inscription used the "Candra Sengkala" or "Cronogram" Calendar, and stated that the birth date of Malang Regency was on Jum'at Legi (sweet Friday) 28 November 760 AD. (L. Damaes: "Studed' Epigraphy d'Indonesia IV. 1952").
The city was incorporated into Mataram in 1614, then transferred to Dutch colonial rule. Malang was transformed under the Dutch; its cool climate which results from its elevation, along with its proximity to the major port of Surabaya, made it a popular destination for Dutch and other Europeans.
In 1879, Malang was connected to Java's railroad network, further increasing development and leading to increased industrialization.
Along with growth came urbanization. The government could not satisfy the population’s needs for affordable housing, which lead to the building of shanty towns along the rivers and rail tracks. Up until today, the shanty towns still exist; although some have been transformed into “better” housing
source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malang
Region: East Java
Latitude: -7.977777
87° 58' 40" S7 degrees, 58 minutes, 40 seconds South
Longitude: 112.6280556
112° 37' 41" E112 degrees, 37 minutes, 41 seconds East
History
Hundreds, even thousands of years ago before Malang became the second biggest city in East Java, Malang used to be the centre of government of the Kanjuruhan and Singhasari Kingdom. In the following era, Malang regency became an important place when the government of Mataram Kingdom took hold of the area, making it the largest regency in East Java and since then the development of Malang regency has increased well.
The history of Malang Regency could be revealed through the Dinoyo inscription 760 AD as the primary official document to support the birth of Malang before a new inscription was discovered in 1986, which is so far not yet revealed.
According to the inscription, it was concluded that the 8th century was the beginning of the existence of Malang Regency's government due to the birth of King Gajayana's ruling of his kingdom in Malang. From the Dinoyo inscriptions, it is noted that the inscription used the "Candra Sengkala" or "Cronogram" Calendar, and stated that the birth date of Malang Regency was on Jum'at Legi (sweet Friday) 28 November 760 AD. (L. Damaes: "Studed' Epigraphy d'Indonesia IV. 1952").
The city was incorporated into Mataram in 1614, then transferred to Dutch colonial rule. Malang was transformed under the Dutch; its cool climate which results from its elevation, along with its proximity to the major port of Surabaya, made it a popular destination for Dutch and other Europeans.
In 1879, Malang was connected to Java's railroad network, further increasing development and leading to increased industrialization.
Along with growth came urbanization. The government could not satisfy the population’s needs for affordable housing, which lead to the building of shanty towns along the rivers and rail tracks. Up until today, the shanty towns still exist; although some have been transformed into “better” housing
source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malang
Friday, March 13, 2009
Ancient Temples of Java
by: Mark Leger
The great monuments of Java are either Hindu or Bhuddist, or more likely combinations of both. Most of the sites were built in Java's heroic age of temple constuction, which lasted from the 8th to the 10th centuries. For mysterious reasons, many of these sites were abandoned soon after they were built.
Most Javanese are Islamic. But they're generally not followers of the branches of Islam associated with the Near East. The Javanese have fused Islam with the island's traditional mysticism, much like the Sufis of northern India. It's certainly not fundamentalist. For instance, it's illegal to agitate for the establishment of an Islamic state, and believers are required to sign a document declaring that they won't.
Because of this native tolerance — at least for different spiritualities — many of the monuments of other religions were simply abandoned, rather than being defaced or destroyed. The greatest damage to the monuments have come in the last century, as expanding populations have moved into formerly deserted areas and pillaged ruins for building materials, or by art collectors, who have carted away sculptures for museums and private collections.
But the destruction has abated.
The Indonesian government, working with archeologists, has moved to protect and preserve these monuments.
source:http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/asia/indonesi/javatmpl.htm
Borobudur: The Seven Wonders of the World
The world's biggest Buddhist temple and the greatest ancient monument in the southern hemisphere stands peacefully in tranquility.
Borobudur
is one of the seven wonders of the world. The shrine has nine square terraces and a circular top one, is ½ meters high covering a hillock overlooking the Southern Central Javanese plains, known as the Garden of Java.
By turning left following the pilgrims' path to the summit which is 3 miles walk, is a symbolic journey through the three spheres of Mahayana Buddhism:
Kamadhatu - lower sphere of daily world
Rupadhatu - the world of form
Arupadathu - the higher sphere i.e. the world of formless : abstract state of heavenly perfection
The 1460 relief carving in stone slabs that cover the balustrade illustrating life of Buddha's teaching. The total statues of Buddha are 504.
On the upper, open terraces are more than 70 stupas, containing the sitting statues of Buddha. The form of Borobudur
resembles a gigantic stupa, believed to be a structure to assist meditation. On the top, underneath the great stupa, alone under the sky, surrounded by the green plains far below, the sensation is one total release and serenity ..
Nearby Borobudur they are two other smaller Buddhist temples in perfect condition
Source:http://www.joglosemar.co.id/ancienttemple.html
Rediscovery and Recent History
For centuries, Borobodur lay hidden under layers of volcanic ash. The facts behind the desertion of this magnificent monument still remain a mystery. Some scholars believe that famine caused by an eruption of nearby Mount Merapi forced the inhabitants of Central Java to leave their lands and monuments behind in search of a new place to live. When people once again inhabited this area, the glory of Borobudur had already been buried by ash from Mount Merapi. It was rediscovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who, during his visit in Semarang, received a report indicating the discovery of a hill full of many carved stones.
The hill was believed by the local inhabitants to be the site of an ancient monument called budur. Raffles then commissioned a team led by Cornelius to investigate the hill. It was in 1835 that the site was cleared. Some efforts have been made to restore and preserve the colossal monument since then.
Unfortunately, in 1896 the Dutch Colonial Government gave away eight containers of Borobudur
stones, 30 stones with relief, 5 Buddha statues, 2 lion statues, several kala stones, stairs and gates of Borobudur, as presents for the King of Siam who was visiting Indonesia
source:http://www.buddhism-guide.com/buddhism/borobudur.htm#Rediscovery_and_recent_history
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