Mountain of a Thousand Statues

There are more than 500 Buddhist statues in every room of Borobudur.

72 of the Buddha statues sit in perforated, bell-shaped stupas located on the upper platform of the temple, which is dominated by a majestic dome, representing perfection and enlightenment.

There are a few stories about tortoises in the Jataka Tales, one of which is about a Tortoise who loved his river home and died after a drought.

He cried to the teacher Bhaggava, after learning his lesson, "Go where there's life; nor stay at home for death to master thee."

This particular relief tells the story of Manohara, a half-bird and half-woman, also known as a Kinnari. The Jataka Tales and legend says that a magical component allowed her to fly and transform into a bird.

Manohara is considered a heroine in these legendary tales.

Depicting ancient tales and stories of daily life, the bas-reliefs and statues of the temples allow visitors to extend their imagination to the 8th and 9th centuries.