Archive for 31 December 2011
Cambodia, part 9c – Angkor: Bayon
This is the third post describing our visit to the Angkor area. The first post provides a map and a list of references that I’m using to supplement my descriptions.
After entering the ancient city of Angkor Thom through the south gate, we proceeded north 1.5 km to Bayon, the temple that sits at the very center of the city. Here is the approach to the temple from the east, a direction associated with life…
Bayon
In my mind (and probably in the minds of most visitors), the outstanding feature of this temple is the 216 smiling faces of King Jayavarman VII looking down at you from 54 towers. (Alternatively, the faces may be of a figure who represents the compassion of Buddha. Quite likely, it’s both: a blurring of lines that is meant to reinforce the god-like status of the king.)
Faces
(And more faces.)
The other feature of the temple that sticks in my mind is the bas-reliefs. Mr. Guest Complacent pointed these out to us. Apparently, the total length of these reliefs is over 1.2 km, with over 11000 figures depicted. On the outer wall, the carvings depict scenes from every day life. This wall would have been accessible to the general populace.
Battles
Battles and business transactions
Aquatic life
Crocodile and prey
Monkeys
Birds
Libations?
The inner wall would have been in a more restricted portion of the temple. The carvings depict scenes from Hindu mythology. I don’t have pictures of those reliefs.
We passed a spot where restoration work was under way…
Restoration: preparing the ground
Restoration: building the walls
Even though it was still in the early part of the morning, the temperature and humidity were already getting high. At some point as we trekked up and down temple steps, Youngest Daughter lamented,
I wish there was a slide!
Finally, a few other random photos from our exploration of Bayon:
From Bayon, we split up. Some of us walked past Baphuon, and others went to visit a large contemporary statue of the Buddha. We met up again at the Terrace of the Elephants.
Coming up: The conclusion of our visit to Angkor Thom
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Cambodia, part 9b – Angkor: The South Gate of Angkor Thom
This is my second post describing our visit to Angkor. I had planned to write one really long post, but quickly decided (for my own sake) that I’d break it up into pieces. The first post contains maps and references.
On Monday, November 21st, we tried to get to the temples early in order to avoid some of the crowds. We bypassed Angkor Wat (since many people start there) and proceeded to the ‘Great City’, Angkor Thom.
Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer empire, constructed during the reign of Jayavarman VII around 1200 CE (although some portions were built earlier). The city is in the shape of a square and surrounded by a 100-meter wide moat. Each side is about 3 kilometers long and has one gate (or gopura) in the middle. (The east side has an extra gate for the king.) At the top of each gate are four sandstone heads – one facing each of the cardinal directions. These heads may represent the Buddha, the king, or both. The southern gate is the most popular with tourists because of the carvings on the causeway leading up to the gate. It is also oriented toward Siem Reap.
Visitors usually walk through the southern gate and meet their ride on the other side. We did the same.
The south gate of Angkor Thom. Notice the carving on either side of the causeway.
Most historians believe that the carvings along the causeway depict the “Churning of the Ocean of Milk“, a well-known Hindu story. The asuras (demons) are on the right side as you enter, and the devas (demigods) are on the left. They tug back and forth on Naga (the guardian of Buddha; note the mingling of Hinduism and Buddhism) which rotates the holy mountain, represented by Bayon, the temple at the center of Angkor Thom. This back and forth motion churns the Ocean of Milk to provide the Nectar of Immortality.
(At least, I think that’s sort of how it goes.)
For tourists like us, the churning of the Ocean of Milk provides opportunity for taking pictures…
Asuras (demons)
More asuras
Devas (demigods) and the moat
The girls with the asuras
Middle Daughter helps the asuras to churn the Ocean of Milk
Once we completed our picture taking, we continued through the gopura…
The south gate gopura
…to meet our ride on the other side. We chose the van over the elephants.
Elephants at the south gate
Up next: Bayon
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