CANDI CANGKUANG

Candi Cangkuang temple is a Hindu temple located in Kampung Pulo, Cangkuang area, District of Leles, Garut, West Java. [1] This temple is also the first time found in Tatar Sunda and is the only Hindu temple in Tatar Sunda. This temple is located adjacent to the grave of Embah Dalem Arief Muhammad, an ancient tomb of an Islamic religious leader believed to be the ancestor of Cangkuang village. The village of Cangkuang is surrounded by four large mountains in West Java, including Mount Haruman, Mount Kaledong, Mount Mandalawangi and Mount Guntur . The name of Cangkuang Temple is taken from the name of the village where the temple is located. The word 'Cangkuang' itself is the name of a kind of plant pandanus (pandanus furcatus), which is widely found around the grave, Embah Dalem Arief Muhammad, ancestor of Kampung Pulo. Cangkuang leaves can be utilized to make a hood, mat or wrapping. Cangkuang cultural reserve is located on a mainland in the middle of a small lake (in Sundanese language called it), so to reach the place through the main route, visitors must cross by using a raft. Originally Kampung Pulo is surrounded entirely by lakes, but now only the northern part is still a lake, the southern part has turned into rice fields. In addition to the temple, on the island there are also traditional Kampung Pulo settlements, which also become part of the cultural heritage area. [1] Cangkuang temple is located on a small island whose shape extends from west to east with an area of ​​16.5 ha. This small island is located in the middle of Cangkuang lake at coordinates 106 ° 54'36.79 "East Longitude and 7 ° 06'09" South Latitude. In Wikimapia [1]. In addition to the island that has a temple, in this lake there are also two other islands with a smaller size. The location of this Cangkuang lake topografinya found in a fertile valley approximately 600-m l.b.l. which is surrounded by mountains: Mount Haruman (1.218 m lbl) to the east - north, Sand Kadaleman (681 mlbl) in the south east, Gadung Sands (1841 m lbl) to the south, Mount Guntur (2849 m lbl) to the west- south of Mount Malang (1,329 m lbl) to the west, Mount Mandalawangi in the north-west, and Mount Kaledong (1,249 m lbl) to the north. This temple was first discovered in 1966 by Harsoyo and Uka Tjandrasasmita research team based on reports Vorderman in the 1893 book Notulen Bataviaasch Genotschap about the existence of a broken statue and ancient tombs on the hill of Kampung Pulo, Leles. Tombs and statues of the Shiva are indeed found. At the beginning of the study seen the existence of a stone that is the ruins of a temple building. [1] The ancient tomb in question is the tomb of Arief Muhammad who is regarded as a local resident as their ancestors. In addition to finding the ruins of the temple, there are also pieces of knives and large stones are estimated to be a relic of the megalithic period. Subsequent research (1967 and 1968) succeeded in digging grave buildings. Although it is almost certain that this temple is a relic of Hinduism (about the 8th century AD, an age with temples on the site of Batujaya and Cibuaya?), It is surprising that there is an Islamic cemetery next to it. At the beginning of the study seen the existence of a stone which is the ruins of the temple building and beside it there is an ancient tomb following a statue of Shiva is located in the middle of the ruins of the building. With the discovery of andesitic rock-shaped rocks, a team of researchers led by Tjandrasamita felt confident that around the place there was originally a temple. Locals often use the blocks for tombstones. Based on these beliefs, researchers conducted excavations at the site. Near the grave of Arief Muhammad researchers found the foundation of temples berkuran 4.5 x 4.5 meters and other temple stones are scattered. With the findings of the History Team and Institute of Antiquities immediately conduct research in these areas. Until 1968 the study is still ongoing. The process of restoration of the Temple began in 1974-1975 and the implementation of the reconstruction was carried out in 1976 covering the framework of the body, the roof and the statue of Shiwa and equipped with a joglo museum with the intention to be used to store and inventory historic objects former cultural heritage from all Garut regency. In the execution of restoration in 1974 has been rediscovered the temple stone which is the parts of the foot of the temple. The main obstacle to the reconstruction of the temple is the temple rock found only about 40% of the original, so the original stone used to reconstruct the temple building is only about 40%. The rest is made from mortar, coral, sand and iron.