Thus, instead of using the (planned) design, which might destroy or remove the temple, the design (of the library) was changed, thus the temple (finally) remained in the middle of the library.
World religious leaders participating in the Religion of Twenty (R20) forum visited the Kimpulan Temple, a Hindu temple located in the middle of an Islamic university’s complex, in Yogyakarta province on Saturday.
"The activity was implemented to provide both religious and cultural experiences to the R20 delegates," R20 spokesperson and deputy secretary general of the Indonesian Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama’s executive board (PBNU) Muhammad Najib Azca said here on Saturday.
The R20, which is a part of the sherpa track of the Indonesian G20 Presidency’s engagement group, aims to encourage discussions among world religious leaders on solutions to various global problems.
During the visit to the temple, the world religious leaders could directly observe how the Hindu temple, which is estimated to have been built in the 9th century, has been well-maintained although currently, it is located in a Muslim community, the R20 spokesperson said.
The preservation of the temple demonstrated the tolerance of Indonesian Muslims to R20 delegates, he added.
Kimpulan Temple was discovered accidentally on December 11, 2009, when an excavation was carried out to lay the foundation for a library at the Indonesian Islamic University (UII), according to the university’s website.
When the temple was found, it was not demolished, Azca informed. Instead, the university administrator adjusted the design of the library to preserve the temple.
"Thus, instead of using the (planned) design, which might destroy or remove the temple, the design (of the library) was changed, thus the temple (finally) remained in the middle of the library," he recalled.
Due to the adjustment, the temple has become a symbol of Indonesia’s social and cultural diversity and proved that the community appreciates differences, he added.
Meanwhile, UII Chancellor Fathul Wahid said that since its establishment, the UII campus has been open to social diversity.
The existence of Kimpulan Temple in the UII complex encourages all believers to protect and support each other, he added.
"Thus, social equality can be guaranteed, and everyone has the opportunity to grow and develop," he said.
The R20 meeting was held in Bali province on November 2 and 3, 2022, and was attended by 338 delegates.
The participants of the meeting were slated to visit a number of cultural tourism destinations in Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces from Friday (November 4) to Sunday (October 6).
In addition to the UII, the destinations included the Yogyakarta Palace, Prambanan Temple, Mendut Temple, Borobudur Temple, and the Pandanaran Islamic Boarding School.
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