Solok Sipin Temple: The Neglected Heritage

"History is memory, what would a man without memory"

- Ahmad Mansour Syuryanegara

Humans today have a lot of developing dementia.  Not because of the inability of humankind to remember, but it was human ignorance which is often made them forget.

Starting from helping a friend to complete the task history courses, I then realized how my little knowledge of the city of Jambi, the hometown of my own. In fact, the city of Jambi leaving a trail of historic relics is very much through-legacy.

When my friend and I are looking for information about historic places in the city of Jambi, we found very interesting findings, Solok Sipin temple. Initially I was surprised because I had never heard that there are other temples in Jambi Province in addition to the temple in the complex enshrinement Muaro Jambi which became the Hindu-Buddhist temple complex widest in Indonesia. I also realized that when people talk about the historical places in Jambi, Muara Jambi temple will always be called, but not to the Solok Sipin Temple. Few people know about the existence of this temple. This makes me question the reason for the ignorance of people about one of the historical sites. Having decided to make the temple Solok Sipin as a historical task, we went by motorcycle toward the temple and helped by Google Maps as our guide. The temple is located in Kampung Baru, District Jambi City, Jambi. This temple is only about 200 meters from the edge of the Batang Hari river.

Having lost approximately less than 1 hour for entrance to the hall is wrong, in the end, we found this temple. I was a little surprised to see an area called Solok Sipin Temple.

Although previously, we had received information that Solok Sipin Temple is in the middle of the residential area and has a state of the ground surface is uneven, but we had no idea if the area of ​​the temple is simply an area of ​​a house. On board information, there is information that this temple area measuring 10 km2¬. The temple area was surrounded by a wrought-iron fence on the left and right actually used by people for drying clothes.

To enter into the temple area, we had to meet with the temple guards, who live next to the temple, then sign the guest book. When I asked about the history of this Solok Sipin temple, temple guards took one bundle a collection of articles and papers were stored in her home. The writings collected it contains all the information about this temple.  Not satisfied with only looking at these writings, we went directly into the temple area.

Temple Guard's House

We went into the temple area through the fence that has been somewhat dented. In the temple area, my friend and I determine the path that we will go through to record a vlog (video blog) as his task. The situation at the site is very irritating. Even thought in my mind, deserve, whether this area is called a temple?  It seems clear that the site was not maintained and that more surprising was the presence of squat toilets in the middle of the site complete with the discharge pipework. Former cement floor of the house is still left in the temple. It seems that over these sites ever built by people around the house

After we completed recording the vlog, we took a few photos around the site. Then came my desire to create an article to be posted on my blog. We also talked with an uncle who was baking crackers in front of his house. It is not us who asked, but the uncle was the one who asked us about the age of the temple. We explained that, from what we've read from a collection of articles in the guard house of the temple, the temple of Solok Sipin alleged to have existed since around the 7th century AD. From our conversation with him, I know that in 1993, he was moved into the area, the temple area was covered with scrub. Of course, this makes me confused as how in 1993 the temple site is still visible as shrubs, while the writing on the bulletin board mentioned that in 1954 the temple was once visited by a team from the Department of Antiquities. Is it after the temple was found, government not doing excavation and caring? Why the temple area is not immediately protected and included in the list of cultural heritage?

Before going home, I realized one thing, that Nearby these sites, many residents using the bricks from the temple. I saw red brick a bit thin rectangular shaped used as a substitute for the house foundation and rock tombs.

Along the road to the house, a lot of questions that come to my mind. Why do we, including myself, did not know about the existence of these temples? What has been taken by the government to the extent that the legacy of ancient objects is abandoned and lost the attention of all of us, especially those Jambi? Why only temple Muaro better known than the Solok Sipin Temple, Whereas the location of Solok Sipin temple is in the middle of town? If the temple was repaired and cared for as was done in the Muaro Jambi Temple, I believe that the temple could be one of the temples are widely known in Indonesia.

But whether it will be that easy taking care of the temple that has been forgotten? At the moment we will say goodbye, the uncles had had time to throw a statement that made me rethink, “dak tau lah ni bakal kek mano kedepannyo, apo kami bakal digusur atau kek mano? Padahal ini ni kan salah pemerintah, karno dulu dak merhatiin tempat ini sampe-sampe ado orang yang ngebangun rumah disitu” ("I do not know what will happen, whether we would be demolished or how. But the government is also wrong, because they do not pay attention to this place so that there are people who build houses on it").

Perhaps this is one dilemma for the Jambi provincial government.  They must have to cogitate about the people who live in the temple area. In my opinion, the government may review and rethink seriously about the tourism potential of this neglected site. If indeed there is still potential for the discovery of the new historical remains from the site, it's okay to do some digging and expansion of the temple area, then move the residents to a new place that has been provided by the government. But if it is not much that can be done to the area, will be better to maintain the area better for worthy to be one of the destinations to the Jambi people and tourists. In addition to the efforts of the government, perhaps we should also ask about the presence of Jambi historian. Their presence is needed to revive history, not just busy with other regions history, but also its own country, Jambi

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Thank You for Reading!!