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CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA, January 3, 2004: Resembling a temple in India, the Bima Temple in Java was built about 7th century ce, and the traditional rites performed at the temple are steeped in Javanese mysticism. Twenty-four statues called Kudus originally blessed the upper part of the Bima temple. After successive thefts, deities only remain on the western and southern sides of the temple. The most recent attempt to procure a Kudu statue occurred on October 31, 2003. It was recovered three days later when a psychic revealed that the Kudu was still in the general vicinity of the temple. Haryanto, chief of the management and maintenance board of Dieng archaeological site and museum says, “There were probably at least two thieves because the statue, made of andesite stone and measuring the size of an adult’s head, was too heavy for a single person to carry.” Haryanto further adds, “Kudu statues are targeted by thieves as foreign collectors are fond of them. The first theft occurred in 1981, followed by the second, the third and the fourth in 1984, 1991 and 1999 respectively.” Bima Temple is the only temple on Dieng plateau that has Kudu statues in the form of a woman’s face wearing a crown. The temple was built 2000 meters above sea level at a location believed to be a holy site or point of contact with the immortals.

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