Chapter 3
Angkor Thom - The Southern gate of Angkor Thom - A bridge across the Ocean of Milk
The ancient city of Angkor Thom was the heart of the Khmer Empire. The location where the capital city was settled, was far from the sea, so this could prevent any invasion of this city from the sea. at the same time, the defensive walls provided a solid shield against the enemies that tried to hit the Khmer Empire from the land. The Empire provided many defensive lines across its territory, but here all was made to prevent the enemies hitting the most vital places. So, inside these unbreakable walls, the houses of the kings and the government palaces were built. According to my plans, I decided to start my visit with the main buildings inside the city of Angkor Thom. So, on the first day of my trip I hired, thanks also to the help of the hotel personnel, a tuk-tuk that took me to see these places.
While coming from Siem Reap, you'll first pass by the Angkor Wat, then next the Phnom Bakeng, and then also before another temple called Banksei Chamkrong. I had planned the visit to this temple on another day, so I went straight toward Angkor Thom. The ancient city is surrounded by a huge moat and massive defensive walls. In our day, both the moat and the walls are still impressive, in spite that, through the centuries, most of the moat has been filled with soil. Now the moat has water only in the rain season, and it's still a good place only for the water buffaloes. I went there at the end of October, when the rain season was just over, so I had the good luck to see the moat filled with water.
Coming from Siem Reap, you have to go through the Southern Gate of the walls. My reference from the past, Mr. Zhou Daguan (1295 A.D.), described this place with these words "The walls of the city are about twenty li (about 10 Kilometres) in circumference. There are five gateways, each of them with two gates, one in front of the other. There are two gateways facing east, and one gateway facing in each of the other directions. Around the outside of the city walls there is a very large moat. This is spanned by big bridges carrying large roads into the city. On either side of every bridge there are fifty-four stone deities. They look like stone generals, huge and fierce-looking. The five gateways are all alike. The parapets of the bridges are all made of stone and carved into the shape of snakes, each snake with nine heads. The fifty-four deities are all pulling at the snake with their hands, and look as if they are preventing it from escaping. Above the gateways in the city wall there are five stone Buddha heads. Four of them face toward the four cardinal points, and one of them is placed in the middle. It is decorated with gold. On either side of the gates the stone is carved into the shape of elephants". His description matches perfectly what people see while coming here. His words seem like suspended in the time, and, whispering them while stepping on the bridge, among the statues of the Deities, sounds like a timeless charm.
But for me it was also interesting to know what those statues meant. Why the Khmers repeat this scene on every bridge of Angkor Thom and evoke it in other temples? What did this mean to this ancient people? So, I looked inside my books, and I discovered that it's the representation of an Hindu legend called "The churning of the ocean of milk". In short legend says that once the Gods, after a curse, lost all their powers. This brought the Demons to win over them and to rule the world. So, Indra, the King of the Gods, told the Gods to ask his brother Lord Vishnu for help, (an higher rank God). Vishnu agreed to help them, and told them a plan to gain new power. The Gods had to treat the Demons in a diplomatic way, as the Gods couldn't afford a battle. So, they asked the Demons, to work alongside the Gods to obtain the Nectar of Eternal Life, and after attaining it, they would have shared it. The nectar could be only obtained churning the ocean of milk, but none of the two armies could do it alone. On the same time, Visnu assured the Gods, that, when the Nectar would come out, he'd manage that it'd be only for the Gods. So, the Gods aligned on a continent while the Demons on the other. In the middle was placed the Mountain Mandarachar and it would be the dasher for the churning process. Then Vasuki, the king of the Nagas (deities shaped like many-headed serpents) was asked to help, that became the churning rope. So, the Gods and the Demons started to pull alternatively under the guidance of Lord Vishnu. From the churning of the ocean of milk came out many treasures, like, for example, the Moon. In the churning process, also appeared the Asparas (a very common figure in the temples, as it's both in Hindu and Buddhist religions), that could be compared to the Western, Muses and Nymphs. In the end came out the Nectar of Eternal life, and after a struggle among the deities, the Gods seized it and drank it, gaining new power and winning over the demons.
For the Khmers was also very important the figure of the Naga snake, so they felt like this legend meant much for them. So, in many temples you find the Nagas guarding them (always with less than nine heads, as there is only one, the king of Nagas to have nine heads and it can't be used so easily for every temple). Moreover many temples and citadels are crossed from one side to the other from an ideal line, usually like the opposite gates, just to remember the episode of the "Churning of the ocean of milk". So, in spite of that Angkor Thom has these ideal lines crossing it, also every gate is shaped to remember the same episode. As you can see in the first picture of this group, it looks like the gate is the mountain in the middle of the two parties. While in the second picture you can see some Demons pulling the Naga. In the short description made by Mr. Zhou Daguan, the gate is described like having the sculptures of elephants on its pillars. When you come close to the gate, you see the outline of three elephants heads. In fact, on the pillars of the Angkor Thom gates was sculptured the sacred elephant Airavata, that Indra is used to ride. While walking in this place, you are surprised how such a small place can give you so many feelings. I mean, the size is still huge, but it's still very small compared to the temples. The Angkor Thom welcomes you in this extraordinary way, and be sure that it's just little compared to the wonders that you can see later.
While coming from Siem Reap, you'll first pass by the Angkor Wat, then next the Phnom Bakeng, and then also before another temple called Banksei Chamkrong. I had planned the visit to this temple on another day, so I went straight toward Angkor Thom. The ancient city is surrounded by a huge moat and massive defensive walls. In our day, both the moat and the walls are still impressive, in spite that, through the centuries, most of the moat has been filled with soil. Now the moat has water only in the rain season, and it's still a good place only for the water buffaloes. I went there at the end of October, when the rain season was just over, so I had the good luck to see the moat filled with water.
Coming from Siem Reap, you have to go through the Southern Gate of the walls. My reference from the past, Mr. Zhou Daguan (1295 A.D.), described this place with these words "The walls of the city are about twenty li (about 10 Kilometres) in circumference. There are five gateways, each of them with two gates, one in front of the other. There are two gateways facing east, and one gateway facing in each of the other directions. Around the outside of the city walls there is a very large moat. This is spanned by big bridges carrying large roads into the city. On either side of every bridge there are fifty-four stone deities. They look like stone generals, huge and fierce-looking. The five gateways are all alike. The parapets of the bridges are all made of stone and carved into the shape of snakes, each snake with nine heads. The fifty-four deities are all pulling at the snake with their hands, and look as if they are preventing it from escaping. Above the gateways in the city wall there are five stone Buddha heads. Four of them face toward the four cardinal points, and one of them is placed in the middle. It is decorated with gold. On either side of the gates the stone is carved into the shape of elephants". His description matches perfectly what people see while coming here. His words seem like suspended in the time, and, whispering them while stepping on the bridge, among the statues of the Deities, sounds like a timeless charm.
But for me it was also interesting to know what those statues meant. Why the Khmers repeat this scene on every bridge of Angkor Thom and evoke it in other temples? What did this mean to this ancient people? So, I looked inside my books, and I discovered that it's the representation of an Hindu legend called "The churning of the ocean of milk". In short legend says that once the Gods, after a curse, lost all their powers. This brought the Demons to win over them and to rule the world. So, Indra, the King of the Gods, told the Gods to ask his brother Lord Vishnu for help, (an higher rank God). Vishnu agreed to help them, and told them a plan to gain new power. The Gods had to treat the Demons in a diplomatic way, as the Gods couldn't afford a battle. So, they asked the Demons, to work alongside the Gods to obtain the Nectar of Eternal Life, and after attaining it, they would have shared it. The nectar could be only obtained churning the ocean of milk, but none of the two armies could do it alone. On the same time, Visnu assured the Gods, that, when the Nectar would come out, he'd manage that it'd be only for the Gods. So, the Gods aligned on a continent while the Demons on the other. In the middle was placed the Mountain Mandarachar and it would be the dasher for the churning process. Then Vasuki, the king of the Nagas (deities shaped like many-headed serpents) was asked to help, that became the churning rope. So, the Gods and the Demons started to pull alternatively under the guidance of Lord Vishnu. From the churning of the ocean of milk came out many treasures, like, for example, the Moon. In the churning process, also appeared the Asparas (a very common figure in the temples, as it's both in Hindu and Buddhist religions), that could be compared to the Western, Muses and Nymphs. In the end came out the Nectar of Eternal life, and after a struggle among the deities, the Gods seized it and drank it, gaining new power and winning over the demons.
For the Khmers was also very important the figure of the Naga snake, so they felt like this legend meant much for them. So, in many temples you find the Nagas guarding them (always with less than nine heads, as there is only one, the king of Nagas to have nine heads and it can't be used so easily for every temple). Moreover many temples and citadels are crossed from one side to the other from an ideal line, usually like the opposite gates, just to remember the episode of the "Churning of the ocean of milk". So, in spite of that Angkor Thom has these ideal lines crossing it, also every gate is shaped to remember the same episode. As you can see in the first picture of this group, it looks like the gate is the mountain in the middle of the two parties. While in the second picture you can see some Demons pulling the Naga. In the short description made by Mr. Zhou Daguan, the gate is described like having the sculptures of elephants on its pillars. When you come close to the gate, you see the outline of three elephants heads. In fact, on the pillars of the Angkor Thom gates was sculptured the sacred elephant Airavata, that Indra is used to ride. While walking in this place, you are surprised how such a small place can give you so many feelings. I mean, the size is still huge, but it's still very small compared to the temples. The Angkor Thom welcomes you in this extraordinary way, and be sure that it's just little compared to the wonders that you can see later.
Angkor Thom - Bayon Temple - The towers of the compassionate king watching over his people
When you enter the walls of the Angkor Thom, you don't feel like being inside the ancient city. In fact, we're used to seeing buildings only from behind the defensive walls of the ancient cities, but here, the walls look like they are defending a forest. The street is flat and goes straight facing north. It's pleasant to go with a tuk-tuk or bike in the hot air, under the shadow provided by the very tall trees. On your way, sometimes you'll meet some spots equipped for picnics, and surely some people standing there, maybe also in company of some wild monkey. Then, all of a sudden, you see something appearing before you. What you meet on your way, looks like a rocky hill. This rocky hill has a strange shape and looks like sharp rocks are going out of it everywhere. Only when you get close to it, you discover that it's not an hill, but a very complex temple. You can see it from a distance in the second picture of this group. The majestic Bayon Temple is just before you. Again, a first look will fool you. It looks much smaller than it is. Only when you're inside of it, you can understand how big and complex it is. This temple was built by a king called Jayavarman VII. His story is quite heroic and in our days he is still somewhat worshipped like the real ancestor, the father and protector of Kampuchea.
He was a descendant of the ruling king, but he, when he was still young, already a commander of an army, decided that the court life didn't suit him, and decided to leave it. Although the royal family was settled in the city Yasodharapura, he went to live into a Buddhist monastery, in a region controlled by the Chams (the modern central Viet-Nam). But then in the 1178 A.D. the Chams, with the help of Balinese troops initiated a surprise massive attack in order to conquer the Khmers. They came from the sea, then sailed upstream first the Mae Khong river, then the Tonle Sap river, then again, the Tonle Sap lake, until they reached the shores near Yasodarapura. Here, they sailed upstream the Siem Reap river and broke into the city. The invasion was a real disaster. The city was occupied and sacked, the people were killed and also the king and is family were sentenced to death. So, from his far land Jayavarman heard the cry of the people. He gathered new troops faithful to the Khmer Empire, and he came back thirsty for vengeance. His arrival was signalled by an unprecedented clash with the invaders. The epic battle took place in the city, but the Chams couldn't stand the fury of Jayavarman. The city was set aflame by the same Jayavarman, so, the Chams fled on the lake, but he followed them with ships and continued his battle on the lake until the very last Cham ship was sunk. Now Kampuchea was again free. Now he was the new leader of a broken country. So, he decided to start new works in the country to prevent future invasions. He had a different ideas compared to those of his predecessors. In fact, even though his predecessors were of Hindu religion, he was Buddhist. He didn't believe anymore that the Gods would shield his people from invasions, as much as he didn't believe that the Gods could grow the rice fields instead of men. The Buddha could bless them, but people had to do their part.
He started new plans for the city. He founded the new city Angkor Thom and decided to build the massive walls around it to protect it from future invasions. He built many temples, like the Bayon, and many others. He decided also to build a new water reserve for the rice fields, and also streets, hospitals and shelters for the travellers. He soon became king (the scholars added the number VII to recognise him for the predecessors, otherwise, it'd be just king Jayavarman), and with his lead, Kampuchea reached it’s greatest wellbeing. Some scholars also pinpoint the reign of Jayavarman as the beginning of the end of Khmer Empire. In fact, king Jayavarman VII, introduced into the higher ranks the Buddhist religion. Some kings tried to reintroduce Hinduism soon after (even destroying some parts of Buddhist temples), but were unsuccessful. Furthermore, the following kings cared more for their own businesses than for the people. They were living inside their own world within the walls of the city, while the water reserves were filling with soil, the streets were breaking and there weren't funds for the army. Now the people, according to the Buddhist religion, didn't believe anymore that the kings were Gods, so they also lost respect for them. In addition, the always less water in the water reserves didn't permit them to have as many rice harvest as in the past, and this meant also less food for the people.
After Jayavarman VII no more temples were built. The walls of the city weren't cared for, and shortly after, the new armies coming from Siam (the modern Thailand) defeated the crumbling empire many times. The end of the Angkor times is set in the 1431 A.D. after which, most of the temples were abandoned.
Anyway, these days, while entering Angkor Thom, one of the best places to see is the Bayon temple. At a first glance, this temple looks quite complicated to visit, but it's not. The temple is made up mainly of two enclosures. The first one is a courtyard that surrounds the temple, which is also surrounded by an high wall. In this courtyard, you can also find two buildings that once were libraries. While the second enclosure is the real temple, that is in stages. When you enter, you find that the part of the temple that looks on the courtyard is decorated with bas-relief, while many statues of Nagas and Singha Lions are guarding it. As soon as you step in there, you are overwhelmed by the wonder looking at those Nagas, and you can't stop thinking how it would have been beautiful when it was a lively place. You can see this place in the third picture of this group.
My reference from the past, Mr. Zhou Daguan pictures this place calling it "the golden tower", probably because most of it was covered with golden tiles. He describes the Bayon Temple with these words "In the centre of the capital is a gold tower, flanked by twenty or so stone towers and a hundred or so stone chambers. To the east of it is a golden bridge flanked by two gold lions, one on the left and one on the right. Eight gold Buddha are laid out in a row at the lowest level of stone chambers". When you pass the first enclosure, you feel like you're in the same spot described by Mr. Zhou Daguan. So, you first look on one side, then on the other, still thinking from which part to start, and in the end, you look up and you're amazed (you can see how it looks from the bottom in the fourth picture of this group). From there, you can see him. He is smiling. He is surrounding you. But the look on his face is reassuring. Now you know from where you want to start. Many gigantic Buddha faces are smiling at you, inviting you to come and see them close up. Some scholars also believe that it isn't Buddha sculptured, but he's the king Jayavarman VII himself. I'm still impressed by the beauty of the place, and I can't imagine what amazement could have been conveyed seeing this place as it's described by Mr. Zhou Daguan. If you look at it carefully, it looks like a cluster of towers, over each tower are sculptured from two to four huge faces of Buddha-Jayavarman VII. The meaning of these faces on the sides of the towers, each looking at a different cardinal points, are meant like the compassionate Buddha or the king Jayavarman VII are constantly looking in every direction to find where their people are suffering and to help them. If you count them, you can see that now there are 37 towers, while once, when more of them were erect, they were 49. It looks like a tower was built for each of the main cities of the Empire.
So, you start to walk toward the centre of the temple, planning to climb it and to see those faces from up close, but you need to stop again. In fact, you meet some columns on your way, and you can't resist the need to stop and look carefully at the beautiful Apsaras carved on them. These Apsaras are pictured in groups of 2 or 3 and are all dancing on lotus flowers. You can see a group of three Apsaras in the fifth picture of this group. They are so beautiful, that you'd like to caress them, but you can't, you don't want to ruin such a beautiful bas-relief, so you keep on looking at them. They look like they are dancing and their smiles are charming. Later you start again on your way up to the higher stages of the temple. You first have to walk through dark galleries, that open on your sides. Then you have to climb up some steep stairways, and then you reach the higher level of the temple. The centre of the temple is made of a mountain-looking structure with a chamber in the middle. It looks like Jayavarman VII, despite that he was Buddhist, also made some chambers for the Hindu deities, so this place could be shared by the people of both religions.
You can both cross through galleries of the central tower as much as you can walk around it. In some smaller houses around the central tower you can find some Buddhas and in some others you can see the places where were placed some Lingas. Again, in the beginning, the way around the central tower looks more complicate that it is in reality. It's even easy to make your way around. But there's no need to rush, as you find yourself surrounded by a very wonderful place, and it's full of things that are worth seeing. Beside the very beautiful big faces, you can also still see many wonderful bas-reliefs of Apsaras and Devatas. You can see the way around of the central tower with the towers and big faces in the sixth and seventh pictures of this group. When I was there, in spite the terrible heat from the sun and the stones of the temple, I was amazed and happy for having such a chance to see all those sculptures and bas-reliefs. The Devatas were so lovely, delicate giving to everybody such warm feelings. Everybody I'd met on my way was standing still, looking carefully at all those Devatas. In addition, the sculptors made them with such precise details that you can still see all their jewellery on them. They are all absolute masterpieces. You can see some of them in the eighth, ninth and tenth pictures. I spent about two hours in the temple, and then I decided to make my way out, promising to myself to come back in the next days.
So, I walked all the way back, down the steep stairways and through the carved galleries on the sides of the courtyard (you can see a gateway to the upper floors with carved galleries on its sides in the eleventh picture). Before leaving the Bayon temple, I still went to see the carving on the outer walls. These beautiful carvings are show both the battle that Jayavarman VII endured to free the Khmers, and also some scenes of everyday life. You can see a small piece of these bas-reliefs in the twelfth picture. Now it was time to head East and to go and see some other interesting places.
He was a descendant of the ruling king, but he, when he was still young, already a commander of an army, decided that the court life didn't suit him, and decided to leave it. Although the royal family was settled in the city Yasodharapura, he went to live into a Buddhist monastery, in a region controlled by the Chams (the modern central Viet-Nam). But then in the 1178 A.D. the Chams, with the help of Balinese troops initiated a surprise massive attack in order to conquer the Khmers. They came from the sea, then sailed upstream first the Mae Khong river, then the Tonle Sap river, then again, the Tonle Sap lake, until they reached the shores near Yasodarapura. Here, they sailed upstream the Siem Reap river and broke into the city. The invasion was a real disaster. The city was occupied and sacked, the people were killed and also the king and is family were sentenced to death. So, from his far land Jayavarman heard the cry of the people. He gathered new troops faithful to the Khmer Empire, and he came back thirsty for vengeance. His arrival was signalled by an unprecedented clash with the invaders. The epic battle took place in the city, but the Chams couldn't stand the fury of Jayavarman. The city was set aflame by the same Jayavarman, so, the Chams fled on the lake, but he followed them with ships and continued his battle on the lake until the very last Cham ship was sunk. Now Kampuchea was again free. Now he was the new leader of a broken country. So, he decided to start new works in the country to prevent future invasions. He had a different ideas compared to those of his predecessors. In fact, even though his predecessors were of Hindu religion, he was Buddhist. He didn't believe anymore that the Gods would shield his people from invasions, as much as he didn't believe that the Gods could grow the rice fields instead of men. The Buddha could bless them, but people had to do their part.
He started new plans for the city. He founded the new city Angkor Thom and decided to build the massive walls around it to protect it from future invasions. He built many temples, like the Bayon, and many others. He decided also to build a new water reserve for the rice fields, and also streets, hospitals and shelters for the travellers. He soon became king (the scholars added the number VII to recognise him for the predecessors, otherwise, it'd be just king Jayavarman), and with his lead, Kampuchea reached it’s greatest wellbeing. Some scholars also pinpoint the reign of Jayavarman as the beginning of the end of Khmer Empire. In fact, king Jayavarman VII, introduced into the higher ranks the Buddhist religion. Some kings tried to reintroduce Hinduism soon after (even destroying some parts of Buddhist temples), but were unsuccessful. Furthermore, the following kings cared more for their own businesses than for the people. They were living inside their own world within the walls of the city, while the water reserves were filling with soil, the streets were breaking and there weren't funds for the army. Now the people, according to the Buddhist religion, didn't believe anymore that the kings were Gods, so they also lost respect for them. In addition, the always less water in the water reserves didn't permit them to have as many rice harvest as in the past, and this meant also less food for the people.
After Jayavarman VII no more temples were built. The walls of the city weren't cared for, and shortly after, the new armies coming from Siam (the modern Thailand) defeated the crumbling empire many times. The end of the Angkor times is set in the 1431 A.D. after which, most of the temples were abandoned.
Anyway, these days, while entering Angkor Thom, one of the best places to see is the Bayon temple. At a first glance, this temple looks quite complicated to visit, but it's not. The temple is made up mainly of two enclosures. The first one is a courtyard that surrounds the temple, which is also surrounded by an high wall. In this courtyard, you can also find two buildings that once were libraries. While the second enclosure is the real temple, that is in stages. When you enter, you find that the part of the temple that looks on the courtyard is decorated with bas-relief, while many statues of Nagas and Singha Lions are guarding it. As soon as you step in there, you are overwhelmed by the wonder looking at those Nagas, and you can't stop thinking how it would have been beautiful when it was a lively place. You can see this place in the third picture of this group.
My reference from the past, Mr. Zhou Daguan pictures this place calling it "the golden tower", probably because most of it was covered with golden tiles. He describes the Bayon Temple with these words "In the centre of the capital is a gold tower, flanked by twenty or so stone towers and a hundred or so stone chambers. To the east of it is a golden bridge flanked by two gold lions, one on the left and one on the right. Eight gold Buddha are laid out in a row at the lowest level of stone chambers". When you pass the first enclosure, you feel like you're in the same spot described by Mr. Zhou Daguan. So, you first look on one side, then on the other, still thinking from which part to start, and in the end, you look up and you're amazed (you can see how it looks from the bottom in the fourth picture of this group). From there, you can see him. He is smiling. He is surrounding you. But the look on his face is reassuring. Now you know from where you want to start. Many gigantic Buddha faces are smiling at you, inviting you to come and see them close up. Some scholars also believe that it isn't Buddha sculptured, but he's the king Jayavarman VII himself. I'm still impressed by the beauty of the place, and I can't imagine what amazement could have been conveyed seeing this place as it's described by Mr. Zhou Daguan. If you look at it carefully, it looks like a cluster of towers, over each tower are sculptured from two to four huge faces of Buddha-Jayavarman VII. The meaning of these faces on the sides of the towers, each looking at a different cardinal points, are meant like the compassionate Buddha or the king Jayavarman VII are constantly looking in every direction to find where their people are suffering and to help them. If you count them, you can see that now there are 37 towers, while once, when more of them were erect, they were 49. It looks like a tower was built for each of the main cities of the Empire.
So, you start to walk toward the centre of the temple, planning to climb it and to see those faces from up close, but you need to stop again. In fact, you meet some columns on your way, and you can't resist the need to stop and look carefully at the beautiful Apsaras carved on them. These Apsaras are pictured in groups of 2 or 3 and are all dancing on lotus flowers. You can see a group of three Apsaras in the fifth picture of this group. They are so beautiful, that you'd like to caress them, but you can't, you don't want to ruin such a beautiful bas-relief, so you keep on looking at them. They look like they are dancing and their smiles are charming. Later you start again on your way up to the higher stages of the temple. You first have to walk through dark galleries, that open on your sides. Then you have to climb up some steep stairways, and then you reach the higher level of the temple. The centre of the temple is made of a mountain-looking structure with a chamber in the middle. It looks like Jayavarman VII, despite that he was Buddhist, also made some chambers for the Hindu deities, so this place could be shared by the people of both religions.
You can both cross through galleries of the central tower as much as you can walk around it. In some smaller houses around the central tower you can find some Buddhas and in some others you can see the places where were placed some Lingas. Again, in the beginning, the way around the central tower looks more complicate that it is in reality. It's even easy to make your way around. But there's no need to rush, as you find yourself surrounded by a very wonderful place, and it's full of things that are worth seeing. Beside the very beautiful big faces, you can also still see many wonderful bas-reliefs of Apsaras and Devatas. You can see the way around of the central tower with the towers and big faces in the sixth and seventh pictures of this group. When I was there, in spite the terrible heat from the sun and the stones of the temple, I was amazed and happy for having such a chance to see all those sculptures and bas-reliefs. The Devatas were so lovely, delicate giving to everybody such warm feelings. Everybody I'd met on my way was standing still, looking carefully at all those Devatas. In addition, the sculptors made them with such precise details that you can still see all their jewellery on them. They are all absolute masterpieces. You can see some of them in the eighth, ninth and tenth pictures. I spent about two hours in the temple, and then I decided to make my way out, promising to myself to come back in the next days.
So, I walked all the way back, down the steep stairways and through the carved galleries on the sides of the courtyard (you can see a gateway to the upper floors with carved galleries on its sides in the eleventh picture). Before leaving the Bayon temple, I still went to see the carving on the outer walls. These beautiful carvings are show both the battle that Jayavarman VII endured to free the Khmers, and also some scenes of everyday life. You can see a small piece of these bas-reliefs in the twelfth picture. Now it was time to head East and to go and see some other interesting places.
Angkor Thom - The Terrace of the Elephants
When you reach the Bayon temple, you also find a short street that, at a crossroad before the enterance of the temple, goes to North. If you follow this street, after few hundred meters, you reach a very broad open space. This place, that is about 300 metres long is called "The Terrace of the Elephants". The name comes both from the elephant bas-reliefs in all its length, and also for the three headed elephant Airavata that are sculptured on each side of the stairways that lead to the top of the walls. This open space separates two palaces called "Baphoun" and "Phimeanakas" from a line of smaller buildings called "Prasat Suor Prat" and "Kleangs". This place is the ideal place to visit after the Bayon Temple. In fact, after visiting a place with such a concentration of things that need to be seen, you can have some rest on this terrace. On the way that connects the Bayon Temple to the Terrace of the Elephants, you can also have some rest in some food shops or do some shopping as many small shops, held by local people, provide both foods, beverages, books, and souvenirs. A thing is worth saying about the books. Most of the books that can be found here are fakes of the originals. So, if somebody buys them, they must be aware that it could be bad-copy of the original. I mean, the text would be the same, but the pictures and maps (if you buy a guide-book) could be of very low quality. Anyway, you can still buy some top quality books.
After some rest in the shadows of the small restaurants, the Terrace looks even more beautiful. In fact, the Angkor archaeological site, is a place that needs to be visited slowly, without any rush. When you're entering the terrace, with the golden sun and emerald grass, you can decide if going to see the king's palaces on your right, the other terrace on the end of the Terrace of the Elephants, or the other small buildings on your left. It's advisable to see first the palaces on the right, then the terrace at the end of the Terrace of the Elephants and in the end, to spend some minutes to see the "Prasat Suor Prat" and the "Kleangs". It can also be pleasant to start to walk, slowly along the walls, and to see, in all their beauty, the elephants bas-reliefs that cover the terrace in all its length.
After some rest in the shadows of the small restaurants, the Terrace looks even more beautiful. In fact, the Angkor archaeological site, is a place that needs to be visited slowly, without any rush. When you're entering the terrace, with the golden sun and emerald grass, you can decide if going to see the king's palaces on your right, the other terrace on the end of the Terrace of the Elephants, or the other small buildings on your left. It's advisable to see first the palaces on the right, then the terrace at the end of the Terrace of the Elephants and in the end, to spend some minutes to see the "Prasat Suor Prat" and the "Kleangs". It can also be pleasant to start to walk, slowly along the walls, and to see, in all their beauty, the elephants bas-reliefs that cover the terrace in all its length.
Angkor Thom - The Terrace of the Leper king
On the end of the Terrace of the Elephants there is one more, smaller terrace. In fact, here the Terrace of the Elephants ends with a stairway, and a new, smaller terrace starts. This new terrace is called "The Terrace of the Leper king". This place is a high terrace, on which it’s walls are carved with bas-reliefs showing the heaven. You can see it in the first picture of this group. The strange name of this terrace, was given after the finding, on the top of it, of a statue covered in moss. The moss made it look like a man affected by leprosy. To reinforce the leprosy idea, in addition appear some scripts from the past, one from Mr. Zhou Douguan, that described leprosy as a very common illness in ancient Kampuchea. It looks like the king Jayavarman VII was also affected by it. Anyway, recent studies said that the statue could have been the God Shiva or some other God. In fact, this was the place where the funeral pyres of the royals were lit. So, the statue should represent the God that would judge the soul of the dead. It is very interesting to walk before this wall, and to see all these carvings. They look rather like they repeat themselves over and over, but it should just show a multitude of deities waiting for the soul in the heavens. They are smiling, while welcoming into the heavens. On both sides of the terrace there are short stairways that lead to the top of it. And, after having climbed them, there you can find him, the Leper king statue. He's resting sitting on the Javanese position, with his right knee up. The statue is naked and somebody customarily dresses it with orange cloth. The statue look to the East, as a symbol of rebirth, like the sun that is reborn every morning. Anyway the statue that you find before yourself isn't the original one. The original one is in the museum in Phnom Penh, even if, this one is still very beautiful. You can see it in the second picture of this group.
But the mystery of the statue isn't the only one that can be found here. In fact, the archaeologists, while making the digs and clearings around the terrace, found a buried passage. This passage goes between the statue of the Leper king and the external wall. Now comes the mystery. Why was it buried? Some scholars say that probably, the king didn't like the work, and decided to bury it, and start a new one over it. Some other scholars, looking at the faces of the statues, seeing that many were looking almost sad or angry, and made a new theory. Maybe this is a representation of the underworld. As outside was heaven, deep underground would be the hell, quite similar to the outer heaven, but still a sad place. You can see the entrance to the "underworld" in the third picture of this group. Once you walk all your way through the "underworld passageway", you find yourself on the opposite side of the terrace, and it's worth visiting one more time the heavens with the reassuring smiley faces of the deities. This a small and mysterious place, that is worth being seen from close up over and over again.
But the mystery of the statue isn't the only one that can be found here. In fact, the archaeologists, while making the digs and clearings around the terrace, found a buried passage. This passage goes between the statue of the Leper king and the external wall. Now comes the mystery. Why was it buried? Some scholars say that probably, the king didn't like the work, and decided to bury it, and start a new one over it. Some other scholars, looking at the faces of the statues, seeing that many were looking almost sad or angry, and made a new theory. Maybe this is a representation of the underworld. As outside was heaven, deep underground would be the hell, quite similar to the outer heaven, but still a sad place. You can see the entrance to the "underworld" in the third picture of this group. Once you walk all your way through the "underworld passageway", you find yourself on the opposite side of the terrace, and it's worth visiting one more time the heavens with the reassuring smiley faces of the deities. This a small and mysterious place, that is worth being seen from close up over and over again.