So, now we’ve been introduced, what do we call this place? Yogyakarta is the official spelling; the Sultan uses Ngayojakarto; Dutch colonialists used Djogdjakarta; Jogjakarta is widespread; and then it’s commonly shortened to Yogya or Jogja. The Javanese spelling Jogja is employed in the logo of the city, but we’re going with the slightly more formal Indonesian usage, Yogya. No, it doesn’t sound like yoga—it’s “Jog-jah”.

Back before the name Yogyakarta was spelled at all, the area was home to Hindu, Buddhist and animist dynasties during the eighth to 10th centuries AD. The legacies of those dynasties can be seen by visiting the incredible Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument, and the Hindu Prambanan temple complex. Gradually, the religious makeup of the region changed with the expansion of Islam across the island. The Mataram Islamic dynasty centred at Kota Gede became the dominant force here from the late 16th century to early ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 1,500 words.)