Thursday, March 19, 2009

Angkor Wat

In January, we flew to from Bankgok to Siem Reap
to explore Cambodia's amazing Angkor complex.


Greg and V at Bayan Temple, Angkor Thom.

This vast temple network was built by Khmer empire between 802 and 1327 AD. King Suryavarman II (12th Century) commissioned the main Angkor Wat complex as a dwelling for the gods. Indeed, "Angkor Wat is a built as a miniature replica of the universe and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world" with the inner chambers representing the gods' heavenly domain. No mortal was permitted to live on the site of these sacred stone temples, until years later when Buddhist monks were granted responsibility for maintaining the grounds.



The interior courtyard of Angkor Wat, adorned by celestial dancers.



Bayon's smiling stone temples canonize the august age of the Khmer.



As a fellow blogger put it, "The hypnotic and timeless allure of Angkor continues to be a tremendous source of national pride for Cambodians and the Khmer people. Angkor not only defines what it is meant to be Cambodian but also serves as the spiritual core of of what has historically been an oft maligned and beleaguered nation; a nation that has also proven, time and time a gain, to be nothing short of resiliant."




Bayon's bas-reliefs feature historical events and scenes of daily life.




The ruins of Ta Prohm have been overtaken by Silk-Cottonwood and Strangler Fig Trees

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