A day at the temples

I made it!


The climax of our trip to Siem Reap was sure to be the Angkorian temples. The most famous and well preserved of them all is the Angkor Wat and by all accounts, the crowning glory of Cambodia's rich historical heritage. Quite rightly too as the sheer magnitude of the place as physical documentation of the once opulent splendour of the Angkor civilisation should deserve no lesser attention than those already laid at its feet.

Walkway across the moat towards the gates of Angkor Wat

We spent an entire day exploring the different temples in the area but none left such an indellible mark on me and my fellow travelers as the Angkor Wat.



Top: my first glimpse of the Angkor Wat, Bottom left: one of the naga statues that guard the main entrance, Bottom right: main corridor



Side view of the impressive gallery

Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century and while many temple complexes have been built after it, none have survived in as pristine a condition. Most have succumbed to the will of the jungles while others have been all but destroyed in the hands of time and man.

Angkor Wat is still an active temple so you will most likely find worshippers in the middle of prayer along the corridors or find trays of flowers and fruits laid in offering at various statues within the complex. Hindu mythology and beliefs were the guiding hand for the construction and rich decoration of the temple, however, the later conversion to buddhism has brought about a marriage of the two styles that persist to this day.

Nowadays, worshippers are mainly buddhists who have transformed what may have been statues of the multi-armed Lord Vishnu into representations of Buddha.

Made up of multiple tiers of towers and galleries, the most recognisable feature is the four conical towers surrounding the fifth main central tower. We were told that access to the central tower was blocked for many years after the accidental death of a Korean tourist who took a fatal tumble down the steep incline towards the central tower block. Thankfully, the ban was listed quite recently after many visitors' disappointment started to rattle the pocket change of Cambodia's tourism industry.

View through a window

Standing at the bottom of the central tower, I felt a strong sense of small-ness. Looking up at the detailed work on the surface of the tower and indeed the many preceding galleries, I finally understood what our tourguide kept insisting: that it's like magic. Impossible is the thought that so many centuries ago human beings were capable of such sophisticated building, that advancement in culture and learning had enabled us to dream the impossible, and yet here it was. Proof positive of what determination can bring. 

 

View of the central tower



Bas relief of aksara dancers found
throughout Angkor Wat

As mentioned in my previous post, aksara dancers are an important and thus omnipresent feature of Khmer art. The mystical nymphs that arose from the harmonious existence between heaven and hell are also famous for another reason. It was extremely amusing to observe the reactions from male visitors wising up to the fact that the upper part of a female's body was not customarily covered during ancient times.

Which made me wonder: is nudity a mark of a society's level of evolution in civility - as we are conditioned to think - or is it a way of society's acceptance of the human form and thus a more enlightened and sophisticated way of thinking?

Whatever the philosophies that lay behind it, should you find yourself wandering the halls of Angkor Wat, you may find that certain body parts of the aksaras are shinier than the rest from heavy fondling. What a distateful thought! Still, one can surely appreciate that they are amazing works of art whose astounding detailing and craftsmanship have survived centuries with remarkable preservation.





Near 45degree angle steps to climb up
the central tower



As a final note, I strongly feel that if you have a spare long weekend coming up, do take the time to visist Cambodia and especially Siem Reap. It is a wonder to behold and an enriching experience all around, all for very affordable prices and located just around the corner (if you live in Southeast Asia of course!). My recommendation if you are traveling in a small group (we were four in ours) and you are not pressed for time, is to engage a personal tourguide. The narrations, the ability to ask questions however silly, the download on the historical contexts of each "new" relic you come across, will enhance your visit by a long way. For our visit, we simple clicked through the services offered through AirAsia's online travel "pyo", AirAsiaGo. For more insights on our trip, visit Imran Kifli's blog here, here and here for his perspective on Angkor Wat.

Until next time!


(couple spotted along the banks of the moat
surrounding Angkor Wat)