JAKARTA: The government intends to conduct further research to determine whether it is appropriate to build a chattra at the top of Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, following recent opposition from archaeologists who doubt that the original temple had the umbrella-like structure

The decision is part of a seven-step plan to support installing chattra and was made at a meeting on Sept 11 led by Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who also chairs the advisory council of the Borobudur Tourism Authority (BOB).

The plan includes feasibility and cultural heritage impact assessments, as well as involves communication with all related stakeholders and consultation with international bodies, such as Unesco and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos

“We are targeting these measures to finish within a year to ensure the chattra is installed properly and in line with applicable regulations to meet the aspiration of Buddhists,” Sunanto, spokesman of the Religious Affairs Ministry, said in a statement on Sept 11.

He added that construction on the chattra would not proceed without the permission of the Education, Culture, Research and Technology and the BOB advisory council.

The government initially planned to install the chattra at the top of Borobudur, a Unesco World Heritage Site and the world’s largest Buddhist temple in the world.

However, the plan was postponed due to strong opposition from archaeologists, who called for additional studies to determine if the temple originally featured the umbrella-like structure.