Do you want to have the Mendut temple and its 3-meter Buddha all to yourself? Live a unique spiritual experience in this Buddhist monastery in Indonesia.
What if I told you that you can meditate in absolute solitude inside Candi Mendut by candlelight, surrounded by flowers and offerings, and visit an authentic Buddhist monastery where the chants are eternal for less than 5€?
In Indonesia, magic is possible 😉.
Technical details of the visit to Mendut
- Distance by motorcycle: 2.6 km (5.2 km i/v).
- Motorcycle ride time: 5 min (10 min i/v).
- Total duration of the visit: 1-2 hours (approximately).
- Home: Lotus 2 Homestay.
- Final: Lotus 2 Homestay.
- Price: 50.000 rupees/person (4€ at the current exchange rate)
- Date of realization (photographs): September, 2012.
Night visit to Mendut
An unusual 3-meter Buddha
As night was falling, a couple of local guides (Niu was one of them) took us by motorcycle to the Mendut Temple.
At that time it was already closed to the public, but the security guy had an agreement with these guys and opened the temple for us alone.
After admiring it from the outside, the best part came:
We climbed the stairs and there was the 3-meter Buddha who does not sit in lotus position, like all the ones I had seen so far, but with his feet resting on the ground, surrounded by offerings, flowers and lighted candles.
We sat meditating for a few minutes in front of him. However, my lack of experience meant that I ended up opening my eyes to absorb as much as possible of the magical atmosphere in the room where we were.
Meditation with Buddhist monks
Next, the guides took us to the Mendut Buddhist monastery, very close to the Temple.
And there, always following Niu's instructions, we sat down to meditate in a room where a monk was reading his mantra aloud.
Our guide told us that mantra never stopped being recited. At some point, another monk would join him and his chant. When their voices were one, the first monk would retire to rest. And so it went on, day after day, an endless mantra.
We then took a walk around the monastery, admiring its statues and lotus flowers displaying their charms (I learned there that they only open at night).
An unexpected traditional celebration
At the end of the visit, Niu recommended that we stop halfway between the temple and our hotel.
A sacred celebration was being prepared in the middle of the street, completely open to everyone, and he told us that it was worthwhile for us to stay and see it.
So, as it had not yet started, we took the opportunity to have a Mie and Nasi Goreng (noodles and rice with fried vegetables) at the Pawon Joglo Kopi Ndeso restaurant right in front of the event (very good, like all the Indonesian food we tasted during our trip).
By the time we finished, the party had already started:
- Several people were singing a timeless song reminiscent of a mantra but much more musical and accompanied by instruments.
- Dancers with a horse model between their legs danced to the sound of the chants moving like real horses.
While watching the scene we ran into a friend of Jack's (the owner of our accommodation, Lotus 2 Homestay) and he told us that both the dancers and the singers had gone into a trance-like state.
- That's why some dancers cried without stopping dancing.
- That's why there was no end to the song.
- That's why we would have to leave before it was over.
So, with all the pain of abandoning that show (and because the next day we had to get up early to see the sunrise from Borobudur), we walked back to the hotel in good company 🙂
Why do activities with Lotus 2 Homestay?
When we visited the temple of Borobudur on our route through Indonesia, we made the right choice of accommodation: Lotus 2 Homestay.
We chose it because of the reviews and its proximity to the temple (500 m).
But little did we know that they would earn a place of honor in our memories of that trip.
How did they achieve this?
Being authentic. They gave us the opportunity to see the real Java, learn about their customs and mingle with their people.
Jack and his guys (Niu was the one who spent the most time with us during those 2 days) made us feel welcome and gave us the opportunity to live real experiences off the beaten tourist track:
- Search for a temple hidden among rice plantations.
- See how sunrise over Borobudur from a nearby hill.
- Having the best Nasi Goreng (fried rice with vegetables) of my life in the most unexpected place.
- And as you just read, visit the Mendut monastery at sunset.
In addition, Jack arranged our transportation to the airport and gave us the opportunity to see the Prambanan temple (thank goodness, because I would not have forgiven myself for leaving without seeing it).
And more excursions that we didn't have time to do ... 🙁
RecommendationEven if you don't stay at Lotus 2 Homestay, stop by if you want to get off the beaten track and discover another side of Indonesia.
You won't regret it 🙂 🙂
Useful Links
- Lodging in Lotus 2 Homestay.
- Flights to Indonesia: Trabber, eDreams and Momondo.
- 5% discount when you purchase your travel insurance at IATI from here.
On the road in Indonesia? Then this is of interest to you:
- 3 weeks tour in Indonesia: Java and Borneo.
- Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia.
- Experience a sunrise from the temple of Borobudur.
- Selogriyo: a Hindu temple among rice plantations.
- 4 days klotok trip in Borneo: encounter with orangutans in the wild.
- How to organize your visit to Bromo and Ijen: 4 options.
- Route 3 days and 2 nights by Bromo and Ijen.
- Pulau Derawan: how to arrive and stay 7 days on the island.
Map
Tell me, have you experienced anything similar to this off the beaten tourist track in Indonesia?