Try Me : BLITAR The Land Where Kings Reside

Simping Temple

Besides known as the Simping Temple, some call this temple as Sumberjati Temple. Because this temple is administratively located in Dusun Krajan, Sumberjati village, Kademangan district, Blitar. From the Kademangan bridge you can follow the road leading to the Tambak Rejo beach until you find the gas station on the right side of the road. After the gas station there is a road to the left to the Simping temple. You can turn and continue the journey about 500 meters. The Simping temple is located on the left side of the road.

Formerly the kings of Singasari and Majapahit after death will be bathed and manifested as Gods whom they worship during their lifetime. In some understandings, the king was indeed regarded as the embodiment of the Gods in the world, so that after death the king was bathed in order to be a divine again.

Simping temple is one of the temple which is quite important although now its form is only just foundation. According to the book Negarakretagama, this temple is a place of burning Raden Wijaya, who died in 1309, which is the founder of Majapahit kingdom so that this temple is also identical with the tomb of Raden Wijaya. Although the location is not so vast, the temple environment is well maintained. Mr. Edi Sworo is the current caretaker. There is a Mojo tree with a circular seating that can be used to relax.

While the whole building has collapsed. This temple was built with andesite stone material, in contrast to the temples found in Trowulan, Mojokerto. The construction of the drawings made by the Antiquities Service describes this beautiful and sleek temple rising. In the temple bran as high as 75 cm, length 600 cm and width of 750 cm is sculptured relief various animals. Among them are lion, geese, peacock, eagle, wild pig and ape. On the west side there is a ladder (flight step) which used to be used as entrance to temple room. In the middle of this temple bush there is a cube-shaped stone with the size of 75 cmx 75 cm x 75 cm. At the top of this stone carved reliefs turtles and dragons that hooked each other around the rock. It is unclear what the use or function of this cube-shaped stone. Historians estimate this stone serves as a place of offerings for the villagers.

In the temple body that was reconstructed in the temple yard there are ornaments of tendrils and flowers. While on the mustaka temple there are line-seam and padma borders (lotus flower). From the existing volcano is estimated the shape of this temple. Above the main door is carved Kala's head that looks scary as a doorman Sculptures of this Kala's head, like most Kala head models East Javanese, not equipped with Makara. On the north side, east and south there is an overdraft each on which is also sculpted Kala statue. Sculpture (statue) head this time is now visible scattered in the temple yard.

In the courtyard of the northeastern temple there are three small Linga-Yoni. Unclear Lingga-Yoni was once placed where. It's just strange, at the bottom of Linga to plug into Yoni is not a cylindrical shape, but a rectangle. While at the top of the octagonal. Near this Linga-Toni there are some statues that are not clear whose statue because his head was not there so can not be recognized. In the southeast corner of the temple yard is a statue of a lion sitting on a padmasana. Unfortunately this lion statue is not there, just stay the body. While in the south of the batur temple there is a miniature temple. Allegedly here there is a statue of Harihara which is now stored in the museum of Jakarta.

Simping temple condition is not possible to be restored. Because too many parts of the temple is missing. Negarakretagama Book mentions the temple is where Raden Wijaya taboo. However, the book also mentions that Raden Wijaya is taboo in Brau Trowulan temple. The temple also has a relief type of pradasina, a relief that is read in a clockwise direction. Usually the relief of pradasina is not used in temple that serves as grave. Researcher at Yogyakarta Archeology Center Nurhadi Rangkuti writes that kakawin Nagarakretagama recorded Kartarajasa died in Saka year 1231 (1309 AD) and devoted at Simping with nature of Siwaitis and in Antapura with Budhistic character In Simping Temple there is actually a statue as high as 2 meters which is now stored in the National Museum of Jakarta. In Negarakretagama mentioned Hayam Wuruk visited several times, until in the year Saka 1285 (1363 AD) moved the temple of Kertarajasa tomb.

In addition to decorative ornaments there are also ornaments that are narrative, one of which is a relief Samodramanthana on the statue of the Simping temple. On the relief was depicted a tortoise turtle draped by a dragon. Kuma (tortoise) is a Vishnu avatar that is told to support the mountains wrapped by Dragon Basuki. They together with the Gods and Ashura do ocean stirrings to find Tirta Amerta. If the narrative reliefs are indeed statue sticks, unfortunately this arcas are not found.

Book of Negarakertagama in Pupuh LXXIII at the 3rd point mentions "The number of cemetery temple of the king as follows, starting with Kagenengan, called first because oldest, Tumapel, Kidal, Jajagu, Wedwawedan (in Tuban), Pikatan, Bakul, Java-Java, Antang Trawulan , Kalang Brat and Jago, then Balitar, Sila Petak, Ahrit, Waleri, Bebeg, Kukap, Lumbang and Puger ".
Furthermore in the pupil XXXVII presents a description of the temple of the tomb of Kagenengan thus "The beauty of the temple of the tomb, its shape is not tilted, the entrance is too wide again high, belted from outside, inside unfolded with the house lined the edge, planted with various flowers: Nagasari and so forth, tower lights, towering like the mountain Meru in the middle, very beautiful, in the temple there is the statue of Lord Shiva, as the symbol of the revered king there, is the ancestor of the king of Majapahit worshiped all over the world.

The author of the book Negarakertagama lived during the reign of King Hayam Wuruk (Rajasanagara), so the tombs of the king after the reign of King Hayam Wuruk is not mentioned in the book.

Seeing the state of abandoned Simping Temple, in addition to the collapse, also due to erotion of rocks, dust and dirt on the floor, walls, and reliefs of the temple. In fact, in recent years, Simping Temple also experienced another threat of rain volcanic ash from Mount Kelud. Things to note about the care of temple stone, starting from salting, the emergence of holes in the rocks, growth of moss, to cracking rocks.