Origins

Funerary monument to King Vishnuvardhana (1275-1300) of Singasari, called (candi) Jajaghu in the Nagarakertagama. 

Description

Roof was made of ijuk, hence now destroyed. Stories of Kunjarakanda, Arjuna and Kresna with characters shown in wayang form. Wisnuwardhana shown as Amoghapasha with 8 arms and surrounded by statues of Bhrkuti, Symatara, Sudanakumara and Hayagriwa (all at the National Museum, Jakarta; small statues at the British Museum) Apparently Kertanegara sent a statue to Jambi for the Malays and their king to worship at Dharmasyraya. Dharmasyraya then became an ally of Singasari in the conquest of Criwijaya.

There is a small Bhariwa statue in the yard of candi Jago that could possibly be an image of Adityawarman when he was still Werdhamantri in the kingdom of Majapahit. Once he became Maharajadiraja in Suwarnadwipa, he made a large Bhairawa statue at Jambi. One Manjusri stateu at Candi Jago has an inscription mentioning that Adityawarman claimed descent from the Rajapatni family.  [Aneka Candi Kuno di Indonesia, Drs. R. Soetarno]

NW orientation - towards region of the dead. Originally large group of Tantric Buddhist icons inside surrounding Amoghapasha (8-armed form of Bodhisattva-Avalokiteshvara - Lokeshvara).

Tomb of wisnuwardhana (4th king of Singosari)  

Description of reliefs

The reliefs should be read counter clockwide. 

Buddhist

kunjarakarna             lower terrace

tantri                           lower terrace  

Hindu

parthayajina               middle terrace

arjunawiwaha             middle terrace 

kresnayana                 temple body

Description of statues

The central image of the Candi was Amoghapasha, the 8-armed form of the Boddhisatva Avalokiteshwara, surrounded by Tantric Buddhist icons. These have now been removed. 

 

Amogapasha

8 arms surrounded by 15 gods (?); a bronze replica was made by King Kertanegara

Aksobya

Buddhist - has power over the East

Ratnasambhawa

Buddhist - has power over the South [others not here: Amithaba - West, Anoghaside - North, Wairocana Zenith]

Locana

Dyani Buddha Wife

Pandurwawaseni

Dyani Buddha Wife

Statues of the four guards of Amogapasha

Sudhana kumara

8 arms surrounded by 15 gods (?); a bronze replica was made by King Kertanegara

Cumatara

Green tara

Bhrekuti

4-headed giant

Hayagriwa

[the names of the 4 guards also appear in Nagari script on their lintels]

Restoration

The main temple was restored between 1976 - 1980. The original site was larger as shown by remnants of gates elsewhere in the compound.

BACK