Efforts to Extend Lifespan of Borobudur Temple

After passing thousands of seasons, receiving millions of visitors, being hit by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and terrorist bomb attacks, special treatment is needed to extend the lifespan of the Borobudur temple.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Tourists watch the activities of Borobudur Conservation Center officers who open the plastic used to cover the hallway that has been sprayed with a mixture of essential oils and water at Borobudur Temple, Magelang Regency, Central Java, Thursday (15/4/2021). A mixture of essential oils serves to remove moss on the temple rocks.

With an age spanning tens of centuries, the structure of the Borobudur Temple is getting old and fragile. After passing thousands of seasons, receiving millions of visitors, being hit by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and terrorist bomb attacks, special treatment is needed to extend the lifespan of the temple.

Basiyo (57) showed a pair of "mushroom" sandals at his home in the Borobudur Village, Magelang Regency, Central Java, on Friday (12/11/2021). The sandals with a round toe clip in the front and a foot protector in the middle are the latest innovation made as part of the conservation effort to save Borobudur Temple.

"I suggested making sandals from sponge material so that they are not hard, but are light and inexpensive," said Basiyo, who is also the owner of the BW Craft art studio in the Borobudur district.

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As a conservation solution, the design of the sandals has received special attention. In 2018, the Borobudur Conservation Center (BKB) teamed up with Basiyo, known for his expertise in making sandals and various crafts, to design special sandals for Borobudur visitors. The initiative to make a special sandal for the Borobudur temple was made as part of efforts to reduce the damages on the temple steps caused by the friction of visitors' footwear.

BKB had also conducted a laboratory test to ensure that the sponge material was suitable for the production of the protective sandals. In 2020, tests were conducted on the use of heart-type and stone-type sponges as the material for the protective sandals. The heart-type sponge material was considered to be more effective.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

The owner of the BW Craft Borobudur handicraft business, Basiyo, arranges his sandals, Friday (12/11/2021), at his home located in Borobudur Village, Borobudur District, Magelang Regency, Central Java. The sandals made by Basiyo are special sandals that are planned to be worn by visitors who want to go up to Borobudur Temple.

Weathering threat

The coordinator of the BKB Maintenance Working Group, Bramantara, said that the initial research on the impact of tourist visits to the temple’s stone structure began in 2006 and lasted until 2008. From the research, it was found that the friction of visitors' footwear and the materials used in the footwear accelerated the wear of the temple’s stone.

Efforts to reduce stone damage were carried out in two ways, namely by covering the temple steps and by designing special footwear for visitors. The covering of the temple steps was conducted first.

At that time, two types of covers were used, wooden boards with a wooden frame and wooden boards with an iron frame. The underside of the iron-framed wooden boards was covered with rubber.

"In determining the most suitable rubber material, we consulted with the Center for Rubber, Leather and Plastics in Yogyakarta," said Bramantara.

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The BKB also compared the installation of stair bearings at the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia and other temples in South Korea. The covers of Borobudur’s steps were installed in the period 2014-2016, but after two years were removed because of protests from visitors and a number of experts who said they disturbed the visual aesthetics of the Borobudur Temple.

In 2020, BKB tried other alternatives by making special sandals for visitors. Besides not disturbing the aesthetics of the temple, the use of special sandals could bring a positive impact to the local economy because it involved local small businesses in the production of the sandals.

The threat of wear and damage to Borobudur’s stones cannot be ignored. Based on the survey of the BKB in 2010, 70 percent of the stone for the steps of the temple has experienced wear and tear.

BALAI KONSERVASI BOROBUDUR

Trial of wearing sandals by participants in sandal-making training and the Borobudur Conservation Center, early October 2021.

The rate of wear on the temple steps used to go up increases by 0.175 centimeters per year, while on the stairs used to go down increases by 0.2 centimeters per year. Wear on the floor reaches 0.042 centimeters per year.

The survey was conducted when the number of visitors reached around 2 million people per year, lower than the total visits in 2019, which exceeded 4 million tourists. The friction of visitors' feet is the dominant factor that triggers rock wear, especially the steps. So, like it or not, the number of visitors at one time must be reduced. The tourist density at the Borobudur Temple must be lowered.

One method of tourist reduction is through the empowerment of tourism potential in the surrounding villages. Starting this year, the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry will provide training in 20 villages in Borobudur District to create new tourist attractions.

PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko tourism park operators have also designed four special themed tour packages in the villages around Borobudur. The four themes cover maritime, flora, fauna and health. Based on the stories in the temple reliefs, tourists are invited to absorb the meaning of the reliefs by visiting museums and by directly witnessing residents' activities and the local nature.

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Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo hoped that efforts to lure visitors to the area around the temple could improve the regional economy and tourists would have a longer vacation in Borobudur.

"This is a big part of the arrangement of Borobudur. The magnet of Borobudur is not only the temple, but also all the surrounding areas such as folk arts, crafts, culinary [experiences] and others," he said.

In line with this, conservation must be carried out so the lifespan of the Borobudur masterpiece can be extended. Thus, the next generation can still enjoy the heritage of the nation's ancestors.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.