The National Museum of Indonesia (MNI) presents a number of cultural heritage objects from the Singhasari (Singosari) period, four-armed Brahma and Ganesha stands including statues, including the smiling Nandi statue in the repatriation exhibition.
“Singosari statues are the best because they just know the details, seized by the Netherlands. Now those nine can go home. Nandi is cool again because he smiles, perfect, ” said Acting Head of the Indonesian Heritage Agency (IHA) Ahmad Mahendra in a press conference in Jakarta, Friday.
Nandi is the vehicle of Lord Shiva as well as the guardian of Shiva’s residence. In Sanskrit, Nandi means happiness or contentment.
The Nandi statue presented this time has a more complete ornament than the one exhibited in the breezeway of Building B of the National Museum of Indonesia, which has two complete horns, while the one in the breezeway is broken.
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Not only Nandi, MNI also presents a statue of four-armed Brahma, which is usually identical to Shiva. Brahma, the four-headed god.
According to Thomas Stamford Raffles ‘account in his” History of Java ” (1817), Brahma was a statue with richly carved heads. Three heads are clearly visible, with swans and lotuses below them, as well as both hands in a meditative position holding lotuses.
“Everyone has a story. Then there is the statue of Brahma with his four hands. Usually if the four hands are Shiva, but this is still Brahma, ” said Mahendra.
The same exhibition also presents a standing Ganesha statue. The statue found in Simojayan Village, Semeru slope has a characteristic, namely the body of children with elephant heads.
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The repatriation exhibition is part of the exhibition held by MNI entitled “MNI Buka Kembali” in addition to the post-fire exhibition and the MNI new face exhibition and will be officially opened to the public on October 15, 2024 until December 31, 2024.
Mahendra said the statues of Brahma and Nandi were part of a total of 288 objects of Indonesian cultural heritage from the Netherlands that were repatriated, to complete the repatriation in 2023.
The person in charge of the National Museum of Indonesia Ni Luh Putu Chandra Dewi stated that the return of these cultural heritage objects and their presentation at the repatriation exhibition will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the history and important values of cultural heritage.