The Standing Ganesha of Karangkates: An Iconographic and Historical Study
The Ganesha statue of Karangkates, located in Malang Regency, East Java, represents one of the most significant examples of Hindu sculpture in Indonesia. Functioning both as an object of religious veneration and as an artistic monument, the statue embodies the enduring cultural and spiritual legacy of Hinduism in Java. Ganesha, widely revered in Hindu tradition as the god of knowledge, prosperity, and the remover of obstacles (vighnanāśaka), is here depicted in an unusual standing posture—making it the only known statue of its kind in Indonesia. This rare iconography is strongly associated with the Bhairawa sect, a tantric school that emphasized esoteric practices oriented towards liberation from worldly attachments.^1
Carved from igneous andesite stone, the statue measures approximately 2.75 meters in height, including its elaborate crown (jatamuka) adorned with skulls and a crescent moon (ardhacandrakapala). The figure stands in samabhangga posture upon a base decorated with nine skull motifs, further affirming its tantric associations. In his four hands, Ganesha carries the broken tusk (ekadanta), a battle axe (parasu), prayer beads (aksamala), a lotus (padma), and a modaka—attributes rich in symbolic meaning within Hindu theology.^2
Art historian Suwardono has suggested that the Karangkates statue can be dated to the Singasari period (1222–1292), based on stylistic and iconographic analysis.^3 He notes its close similarities with Ganesha statues from the Singasari temple complex, particularly one formerly housed in Leiden (Netherlands) and now repatriated to Indonesia. Comparative analysis with other East Javanese Ganesha sculptures, including the monumental seated Ganesha from Dieng in Central Java, further supports this attribution.^4
The sacred setting of the statue also enhances its cultural significance. Visitors approach along a narrow walled pathway, which opens into a clearing dominated by an ancient banyan tree, beneath which the statue stands beside a pavilion. This spatial arrangement creates an aura of sanctity and mysticism, reinforcing the role of the Karangkates Ganesha as both protector and guardian.
Beyond its artistic and historical value, the Karangkates Ganesha continues to function as a living monument. It serves as the center of Hindu ritual practices while symbolizing Indonesia’s pluralistic cultural heritage. Its imposing presence evokes awe and reverence among the devout, while simultaneously instilling unease in those with ill intent—an effect that reflects the deity’s Sanskrit epithet vighnanāśaka, the remover of obstacles.
-- Ramu. Rm.N
Notes
1. Cf. discussions of Bhairawa tantric symbolism in East Javanese sculpture: H. Kern, Verspreide Geschriften (The Hague, 1916).
2. For the iconography of Ganesha, see T. Gopinatha Rao, Elements of Hindu Iconography (Madras: Law Printing House, 1914), Vol. II, Part I.
3. Suwardono, “Patung Ganesha Karangkates: Ikonografi dan Konteks Sejarahnya,” Jurnal Arkeologi (Malang, 2008).
4. See J.L.A. Brandes, Oudheden van Java (Leiden: Brill, 1909), for comparative descriptions of Ganesha statues from Dieng and Singasari.
