Day 2: 05-03-2012
After a tiring (at least for Karling) yet exciting day, I woke up this morning anticipating more adventure. Never in my life have I seen such ancient architecture out of my wildest imagination. Science fiction films feed us images of extraterrestrial world of the distant future but none of the TV programmes I've seen portray an abandon world like the ancient Angkorian civilization.
The map above shows the red line being the grand circuit, covering Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom which we explored yesterday. The green line covers the small circuit, consisting of various temples, will be our itinerary for today. Starting from Preah Khan, we will travel clockwise and explore as many places as we can before exhaustion takes over.
Preah Khan
Preah Khan, meaning "Sacred sword", is a 5sq km huge monastery complex. It originally served as a Buddhist monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks. For a short period it was also the residence of King Jayavarman VII during the reconstruction of his permanent home in Angkor Thom. In harmony with the architecturally similar Ta Prohm that was dedicated to Jayavarman VII's mother, Preah Khan was dedicated to his father.
The temple gate was that of Bayon style architecture, meaning it was build around the same time as Angkor Thom, by the same ruler. Within the walls were post restoration temple buildings still in their mesmerizing state, decorated by original and replaced statues of mystic beings. The big enclosure had me to create a mind map in order to see things systematically, not wanting to miss out on any important sight.
Preah Khan’s history is shrouded in mystery, but it was long an important religious site, and some of the structures here date back to the 9th century. Both Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, and Jayavarman VII lived here at various times during their lives, suggesting that Preah Khan was something of a second city in the Angkorian empire.
Originally dedicated to Hindu deities, it was reconsecrated to Mahayana Buddhist worship during a monumental reconstruction undertaken by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Like most of Jayavarman VII's monuments, the Buddha images were vandalized in the later Hindu resurgence.
I wished I could bring Nana and Peter here. But they might still be too young to appreciate this tourist destination, furthermore Peter was still stout and little. The holiday was a spontaneous decision just to please the woman in the house, to patch things up between the 2 of us, which later I realized was merely wishful thinking. Still, what I wont give to witness and experience a destination underrated and rarely visited by others.
Come to think of it, how long more will these architecture stand. These temples which are 800 years to a millennium old stood the test of time but not without the decadence of mother nature. Apart from the solid and sturdy Angkor Wat, other eccentric religious monastery are collapsing and loosing its former majesty. Bas-reliefs (=carvings) were either deformed and disfigured from erosion and gravity pull of aging process. Building blocks from roof to stone floor dismantled and displaced causing restoration work a tedious process.
And not to mention countless statues and bas reliefs were vandalized for 2 reasons. Artwork of Buddhas were destroyed during the resurgence of Hinduism under different rulers in the Angkorian period. Come the 20th century during the Khmer Rouge reign and civil unrest, looting became rampant which resulted in statues-per-se or their decapitated heads making their way all over the world through black market.
2 unique features I found with Preah Khan was its statues and carvings of Garuda ( Hawk-like flying mystical creature). Spotted at only several choice areas in this vast temple, the Garudas were probably "employed" as guardians to this sanctuary. Come to think of it, I couldn't find out how Preah Khan aka. sacred sword acquired its name.
The other curious feature not found anywhere else in the region was a Greecian-styled double storey building with multiple round columns. Almost like an exile from Athens, Greece, its had no walls neither stairs leading to its upper storey. The function of this eccentric building remained unknown.
Neak Pean
Neak Pean is a large square man-made pond (70 meters, 230 feet each side) bordered by steps and surrounded by four smaller ponds. At the center of the large square pond lied a small circular island (Mebon in Khmer) with stepped base of seven laterite tier, which served as a miniature temple.
Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness.The name is derived from the sculptures of snakes (Nāga) running around the base of the temple structure (Neak=naga). The pools were originally designed for medical purposes,in which submerging oneself in the pools could balance the body's element. Hence the 4 connected pools represented Water, Earth, Fire and Wind.
A unique feature of this place is the 4 conduits channeling water from the center pool to the 4 smaller pool are made as stone faces of bulls, elephant, lion and horse, respectively. Each housed by a small pavilion, only assessible during dry season.
Ta Som
Ta Som is a small, classic Bayon-style monastic complex like a miniature version of Ta Prohm (see next blog). It consisted of a relatively flat enclosure, face tower gopuras and cruciform interior sanctuaries. Many of the carvings were in good condition and displayed fine execution for late 12th century works. A huge strangler fig tree grew from the top of the eastern gopura, destroying the gate but exhibiting a photo classic sight.
East Mebon
As we traveled south from Ta Som, we entered the area of East Baray, a wide dried up reservoir lake. Referring to the map above, a similar size Baray aka reservoir lake was situated just west of Angkor Thom, hence West Baray. Surprisingly unlike East Baray, West Baray was still filled with water. At the center of each Baray lied an artificial island where a temple stood erected, called Mebon.
The East Mebon was a 10th century temple built during the reign of King Rajendravarman. Once only accessible to boats, it stood on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir.
This 3 tiers (level) temple was erected using the full array of durable Khmer construction materials: sandstone, brick, laterite and stucco. At the corners of the 1st tier stood stone elephants heavy and unmovable like rocks. Stone lions (Singa) guarded each side of the stairs ascending to the next tier. The highest platform housed 5 magnificent gopuras (towers), perked up as a dedication to the Hindu god Shiva.
Srah Srang
Srah Srang is another reservoir measuring 700m x 350m located south of east mebon. They say it offered an alternative picturesque sunrise scenery to Angkor Wat.
A multi-tiered landing platform on the west edge of the baray was adorned with Naga balustrades and guardian lions. The very sparse remains of an island temple can be seen poking from the middle of the lake during the dry season when the water is low.
Banteay Kdei
Notice that almost all the temples are not located directly in front of trunk roads. One has to take the sandy path cutting through the forest, or even causeway that bridged over moat, to eventually reach the temple complex. Along the path to Banteay Kdei were shacks selling paintings and much-desired coconuts.
The paintings were oil-painted or carbon copied Angkor Wat bas-relief using rice papers. As we paid a visit to Siem Reap night market that night we found more paintings for sales, many sharing similar themes of temples, elephants and Buddha faces. Further more in this travelogue series you would find Siem Reap are rich in arts and culture.
Banteay Kdei aka "Citadel of Monks' cells" was a Buddhist temple built in the mid 12th century during the reign of Jayavarman VII. Erected in the Bayon architectural style, Banteay Kdei was similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller.
Faulty construction methods and poor quality of sandstone caused its current dilapidated state therefore requiring restoration work. It shared the same fate as other Jayavarman VII's temples where buddha images were rampantly vandalized in the13th century during Hinduism resurgence. Still, Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries until the 1960s.
Since its feature and layout were similar to Preah Khan, as testimony to being built under the same ruler, we breezed through and could almost feel sorry for its state of despair despite the restoration work. Next, the other highlight of my travel, crossing off another item on my bucket list, a visit to...Ta Prohm.
Elephant ride tour outside Bayon
After a tiring (at least for Karling) yet exciting day, I woke up this morning anticipating more adventure. Never in my life have I seen such ancient architecture out of my wildest imagination. Science fiction films feed us images of extraterrestrial world of the distant future but none of the TV programmes I've seen portray an abandon world like the ancient Angkorian civilization.
The map above shows the red line being the grand circuit, covering Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom which we explored yesterday. The green line covers the small circuit, consisting of various temples, will be our itinerary for today. Starting from Preah Khan, we will travel clockwise and explore as many places as we can before exhaustion takes over.
Preah Khan
The white baby having a different ride of his own.
The forest path lined with statues.
Preah Khan, meaning "Sacred sword", is a 5sq km huge monastery complex. It originally served as a Buddhist monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks. For a short period it was also the residence of King Jayavarman VII during the reconstruction of his permanent home in Angkor Thom. In harmony with the architecturally similar Ta Prohm that was dedicated to Jayavarman VII's mother, Preah Khan was dedicated to his father.
The head of the Naga, featured in Churning of the Sea of Milk.
The moat which was still filled with water. The Devata who had been "face-offed".
Entrance to Preah Khan.
The temple gate was that of Bayon style architecture, meaning it was build around the same time as Angkor Thom, by the same ruler. Within the walls were post restoration temple buildings still in their mesmerizing state, decorated by original and replaced statues of mystic beings. The big enclosure had me to create a mind map in order to see things systematically, not wanting to miss out on any important sight.
The cast of Hindu mystical beings: good & evil.
It almost seem like the floor was wrecked by earthquake.
Lintels showing intricate carving of celestial war.
Preah Khan’s history is shrouded in mystery, but it was long an important religious site, and some of the structures here date back to the 9th century. Both Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, and Jayavarman VII lived here at various times during their lives, suggesting that Preah Khan was something of a second city in the Angkorian empire.
Originally dedicated to Hindu deities, it was reconsecrated to Mahayana Buddhist worship during a monumental reconstruction undertaken by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Like most of Jayavarman VII's monuments, the Buddha images were vandalized in the later Hindu resurgence.
Decapitated statue of Buddha
Further bas-relief of Apsaras.
The ceiling held by rocks. A tour guide contacting a private tour.
I wished I could bring Nana and Peter here. But they might still be too young to appreciate this tourist destination, furthermore Peter was still stout and little. The holiday was a spontaneous decision just to please the woman in the house, to patch things up between the 2 of us, which later I realized was merely wishful thinking. Still, what I wont give to witness and experience a destination underrated and rarely visited by others.
An artist making a copy of the Bayon face.
Temple walls adorned with apsaras and carvings.
They looked like meditating hermits.
Come to think of it, how long more will these architecture stand. These temples which are 800 years to a millennium old stood the test of time but not without the decadence of mother nature. Apart from the solid and sturdy Angkor Wat, other eccentric religious monastery are collapsing and loosing its former majesty. Bas-reliefs (=carvings) were either deformed and disfigured from erosion and gravity pull of aging process. Building blocks from roof to stone floor dismantled and displaced causing restoration work a tedious process.
An object of worship in the inner chamber.
Apsaras dancing on lintels.
The garuda subduing the nagas, with 2 of them between its armpit and the other under its groin.
And not to mention countless statues and bas reliefs were vandalized for 2 reasons. Artwork of Buddhas were destroyed during the resurgence of Hinduism under different rulers in the Angkorian period. Come the 20th century during the Khmer Rouge reign and civil unrest, looting became rampant which resulted in statues-per-se or their decapitated heads making their way all over the world through black market.
An altar offering for the gods of Athens?
Some people are way more stubborn than they appear.
2 unique features I found with Preah Khan was its statues and carvings of Garuda ( Hawk-like flying mystical creature). Spotted at only several choice areas in this vast temple, the Garudas were probably "employed" as guardians to this sanctuary. Come to think of it, I couldn't find out how Preah Khan aka. sacred sword acquired its name.
The other curious feature not found anywhere else in the region was a Greecian-styled double storey building with multiple round columns. Almost like an exile from Athens, Greece, its had no walls neither stairs leading to its upper storey. The function of this eccentric building remained unknown.
Exiting Preah Khan.
Common sight of a temple library, not equipped with computers.
Neak Pean
Neak Pean is a large square man-made pond (70 meters, 230 feet each side) bordered by steps and surrounded by four smaller ponds. At the center of the large square pond lied a small circular island (Mebon in Khmer) with stepped base of seven laterite tier, which served as a miniature temple.
It must have been quite muddy during wet season.
The center pool, with a temple right in the middle.
Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness.The name is derived from the sculptures of snakes (Nāga) running around the base of the temple structure (Neak=naga). The pools were originally designed for medical purposes,in which submerging oneself in the pools could balance the body's element. Hence the 4 connected pools represented Water, Earth, Fire and Wind.
A unique feature of this place is the 4 conduits channeling water from the center pool to the 4 smaller pool are made as stone faces of bulls, elephant, lion and horse, respectively. Each housed by a small pavilion, only assessible during dry season.
The small pool attached to the center one. Inside the pavilion is a stone conduit of an animal face.
Ta Som
Hello again Mr smiley face, you seem to be everywhere.
Ta Som is a small, classic Bayon-style monastic complex like a miniature version of Ta Prohm (see next blog). It consisted of a relatively flat enclosure, face tower gopuras and cruciform interior sanctuaries. Many of the carvings were in good condition and displayed fine execution for late 12th century works. A huge strangler fig tree grew from the top of the eastern gopura, destroying the gate but exhibiting a photo classic sight.
Local kids learning the Tarzan.
Getting acquainted with the temple guardians.
East Mebon
The island temple of East Mebon, on a dried up baray.
As we traveled south from Ta Som, we entered the area of East Baray, a wide dried up reservoir lake. Referring to the map above, a similar size Baray aka reservoir lake was situated just west of Angkor Thom, hence West Baray. Surprisingly unlike East Baray, West Baray was still filled with water. At the center of each Baray lied an artificial island where a temple stood erected, called Mebon.
The East Mebon was a 10th century temple built during the reign of King Rajendravarman. Once only accessible to boats, it stood on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir.
The elephant refused to budge.
It cant be that hot...
The 5 gopuras at the highest platform.
This 3 tiers (level) temple was erected using the full array of durable Khmer construction materials: sandstone, brick, laterite and stucco. At the corners of the 1st tier stood stone elephants heavy and unmovable like rocks. Stone lions (Singa) guarded each side of the stairs ascending to the next tier. The highest platform housed 5 magnificent gopuras (towers), perked up as a dedication to the Hindu god Shiva.
The temple still stood sturdy after all this time.
Stairs to the next level guarded by lions.
Srah Srang
The reservoir of Srah Srang
Srah Srang is another reservoir measuring 700m x 350m located south of east mebon. They say it offered an alternative picturesque sunrise scenery to Angkor Wat.
A multi-tiered landing platform on the west edge of the baray was adorned with Naga balustrades and guardian lions. The very sparse remains of an island temple can be seen poking from the middle of the lake during the dry season when the water is low.
The boating platform at the western part of the baray, watched by nagas.
Banteay Kdei
The walking wasn't getting any easier.
Notice that almost all the temples are not located directly in front of trunk roads. One has to take the sandy path cutting through the forest, or even causeway that bridged over moat, to eventually reach the temple complex. Along the path to Banteay Kdei were shacks selling paintings and much-desired coconuts.
The paintings were oil-painted or carbon copied Angkor Wat bas-relief using rice papers. As we paid a visit to Siem Reap night market that night we found more paintings for sales, many sharing similar themes of temples, elephants and Buddha faces. Further more in this travelogue series you would find Siem Reap are rich in arts and culture.
Painting for sale by local artist.
The war in the walls of Angkor Wat had been reanimated in paintings.
Banteay Kdei aka "Citadel of Monks' cells" was a Buddhist temple built in the mid 12th century during the reign of Jayavarman VII. Erected in the Bayon architectural style, Banteay Kdei was similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller.
Faulty construction methods and poor quality of sandstone caused its current dilapidated state therefore requiring restoration work. It shared the same fate as other Jayavarman VII's temples where buddha images were rampantly vandalized in the13th century during Hinduism resurgence. Still, Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries until the 1960s.
A mini Ta Prohm or Preah Khan
Built with inferior quality sandstone.
Restoration would be a challenge.
Since its feature and layout were similar to Preah Khan, as testimony to being built under the same ruler, we breezed through and could almost feel sorry for its state of despair despite the restoration work. Next, the other highlight of my travel, crossing off another item on my bucket list, a visit to...Ta Prohm.
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