Mountain peaks arid in particular, volcanic sites have been venerated in Java since ancient limes, and continue to be so to this day. East of Solo (Surakarto) in Central Java, rises Mount Lawa. straddling the border between Central and East Java. On the western slope of Mount Lawu, stand the remains of one of the most striking and enigmatic temples in the whole of Indonesia. Constructed between the early and mid 15th C CE, its architectural style and decorative elements an; greatly different from the Indian percepts, seen at the it her well known sites such as Berobodur and Prambanan. This is Candi Sukuh, standing at an elevation of 910 m on Mount Lawn's western slope. The 15th C builders may have chosen this site due to its sacredness and popular for nature, spirits and fertility rites. (Another site, Candi Ceto is situated higher up on the slope of Mt Lawu. and was re-assembled in the 1970's; unfortunately not always correctly, and imitating Candi Sukuh.)

The Candi Sukuh complex consists of an entrance gateway and three progressively rising terraces. On the highest of terrace is a structure, that could well be mistaken for a Meso-American Mayan pyramid, surrounded by monoliths and life-size winged figures. The entrance is a pyramidal structure, into and through which rise a flight of steps leading to the first terrace level.

On the floor of the entrance gate, through which the visitor and worshipper would pass, is carved, an anatomically accurate depiction of the Yoni and Irugam. Flowers and offerings are still often scattered over this. Going by the local legend, the symbol was used by villagers to determine whether a wife had been faithful, or a future wife was a virgin. The woman in question, wrapped in a sarong, had to stride across the carving; if the sarong tore, her infidelity was deemed proven!

Naked and demonic figures are carved on the buttresses on either side of the entrance gateway. One, a giant holds and devours a man; another cats a serpent. These figures are chronograms, which are reliefs or inscriptions whose images or words symbolize numbers, and spell out a date. The former reads "'Gapura Buta Uban Wong" which means giant eating man and spells out the figures 1359 Shaka i.e. 1437 AD, thus dating the structure. The latter reads "Gapura Buta Anakut Buntut" which means giant biting snake's tad. It has been suggested that this behavior may refer to sexual rituals relating to Tantrie practices prevalent then; at that time. On the bide, above the buttress and just below the roof are nagas, clasped with piercing talons of a crowned or capped Garuda with outstretched wings and gazing straight ahead.

Descending from the 3rd terrace towards the south entrance to the site, one sees a large relief in 3 sections. On the left is a smith deity hammering out a Kris, various tools of his trade hang on the wall behind him. The same, or a similar deity (both wearing the typical curved bead gear worn by Bima in all his depictions) stands on the 3 foot panel, operating a typical Javanese piston- bellows to help the forge fire. The Central Panel is occupied by a corpulent elephant headed wearing a priest's headdress, standing <m his right leg, the left bent upwards behind him. He holds what appears to be a dog in his right hand; clutching its tail in his left and directing it to his mouth. All three figures are placed in a tile- roofed smithy. This may be considered to be a chronogram that reads "Gaja Diku Anahut Buntut" (Elephant priest eating tail (dog)) which would place it at 1378 Shaka which is 1456 AD.

The drive up to Mt. Lawn from the city of Solo ascends upwards through beautiful and scenic slopes covered by plantations of clove trees tipped by glistening russet coloured leaves to take one to this most enigmatic and fascinating of the many wonderful Hindu monuments still to be seen in Java.