Chapter 1, Part 9 In the early ninth century AD under the rule of Samaratungga, the union between Medang and Srivijaya grew stronger, the kingdom was largely in peace, allowing artistry and craftsmanship to flourish. However unlike the expansionist Dharanindra, the new king ruled his […]
All posts tagged: travel
Borobudur: A Mahayana Buddhist Masterpiece
Chapter 1, Part 8 In the late eighth century AD, the construction of what would become the world’s biggest Buddhist shrine began during King Dharanindra’s reign. Despite its colossal size, historical accounts of its decades-long construction are scarce, allowing multiple theories to emerge and feeding […]
Dharanindra: King of Medang and Srivijaya
Chapter 1, Part 7 Panangkaran’s reign in the kingdom of Medang ended in the year 775, leaving a legacy of a new Buddhist kingdom as well as starting the era of Hindu-Buddhist temple construction within his realm. His successor, Dharanindra, emerged as an even more […]
Sailendra: From Shaivism to Mahayana Buddhism
Chapter 1, Part 6 In the late seventh century AD the Sailendras, a prominent patron of Shaivism (a sect in Hinduism), continued to grow as an important dynasty with a Sailendran queen, Shima, as the ruler of the kingdom of Kalingga in the northern coast […]
Dieng: Dawn of Javanese Hindu Temples
Chapter 1, Part 5 One cold Sunday, Badai, Bart, James and I were hiking in darkness, relying only on our head torches to follow the path and not get lost. We were told earlier by a man at the base camp not to stray into the […]
Mahabalipuram: Rise of the Pallavas
Chapter 1, Part 4 In the time when the Buddhist Mauryan Dynasty dominated much of South Asia, the southern part of India experienced a period of time when Tamil literature and art flourished, known as the Sangam period. At the time, the main powers of […]
Shwedagon: Buddhism in the Land of Gold
Chapter 1, Part 3 One morning in Yangon James and I walked from our hotel on 33rd Street to Shwedagon Pagoda, some three kilometers away. The sun was shining brightly, but to the east layers upon layers of clouds rolled on the horizon. I raised […]
Sigiriya: A Lethal Ambition
Chapter 1, Part 2 In ancient Sri Lanka, the kingdom of Anuradhapura continued to flourish, Buddhism developed further, and colossal dagabas were commissioned. However in the mid-fifth century AD Anuradhapura was attacked by the Pandyan Dynasty from southern India who would control the kingdom for […]
Anuradhapura: The Advent of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Chapter 1, Part 1 Some people say what comes to you in life depends on what you choose to do with your life. Today you may choose to stay at home and end up feeling inspired to write, or you may choose to go out […]
The Spice Odyssey, A Prologue
Asia. Home to 4.4 billion people, more than half of all human beings on this planet. It is where some of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen flourished. It is where gunpowder, papermaking, printing and the compass were invented; where Hinduism was created […]
Out of the Archipelago
After three months exploring Indonesia, from Sabang (Indonesia’s westernmost city) to the Banda Islands (where nutmeg originates) in the eastern part of the country, James and I traveled across Southeast and South Asia to continue retracing the ancient Spice Route. The journey took us to three […]
Three Months across Indonesia
If you have been following my blog for a while, you must have noticed that on July 1 this year I embarked on an extended trip – longer than any I had ever done – across South and Southeast Asia to follow the ancient Spice Route. […]
What an Amazing World! 