Settled in your hotel / guesthouse /luxury apartment you will doubtless begin the ‘grand tour’ in store for you by trying to read up about what you are going to see. From the large selection of books available in the city – at strangely cheap prices – you will try to piece together the puzzle that is Angkor. Perhaps it is futile to try and understand completely what the Khmers built between the 9th and the 15th century AD but such is the grandeur of the remains, so beautiful the carvings and so enigmatic the faces that peer at one from the Bayon that few can resist the temptation to try.
Cambodia lay at the crossroads of trade of two mighty empires – China and India. It was the trade between these states that brought the beliefs that inspired the ‘god kings’ of a thousand years ago to start their un-parralled building programmes. As with much of South East Asia animistic beliefs are fundamental and the veneer of the great religions of Hinduism and Buddhism run deeper or shallower depending on the region. Clear evidence of this can be seen not only in Cambodia but other countries of the region such as Thailand with its spirit houses to accommodate the dispossessed spirits that formerly inhabited the land acquired for building. But if the strong beliefs in Animism did not disappear then they were supplemented enormously by Hinduism and Buddhism. Much of the exquisite work of the Khmers centres on the various Deities of Hinduism – and what a pantheon it presents. In my guide book I counted 21 gods, five goddesses and fifteen minor divinities and mythical beings.
Clearly it is not going to be easy to identify all these beings but to know one or two of the principle characters provides a fascinating insight.
Vishnu might well be considered the most important god given that in one of his Avatars ( ‘descents or ‘reincarnations’) he was the ‘Buddha’ himself. Previous to this he has been a fish a tortoise, and a dwarf (amongst others) and in the future, marking the end of the current cycle of time, will incarnate as Kalki – a human figure with a horse’s head. Vishnu is not idle in these periods of being in the physical world, it is to oppose evil that he comes down to the corporeal on his mount, Garuda, the mythical king of the birds. Some of the most powerful sculpture figures around the deeds of this god. Not least the bas-relief in Angkor telling the story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk – an endeavour by both gods and demons, presided over by Vishnu, to find immortality. The serpent in this scene is reminiscent of that other feature so prominent in Khmer art – the Naga. This serpent god of the underworld is evident everywhere. Especially stunning for me are the depictions of it that act as the sides of bridges that span the moats leading to the temples.
Khmer temples often feature a central tall tower surrounded by four smaller towers. This design is no coincidence either. In Hindu mythology Mount Meru was the centre of the universe and had five peaks. A feature adopted from Indian temple structure is the Gopura or gateway leading into the temple complexes. These are the most elaborate and impressive structures, intricately carved and often approached by bridges with Naga ridden by gods and demons. Yet it is not all ‘shock and awe’ . Once inside the buildings the ‘Ápsaras’ abound. These ‘heavenly nymphs’ are plainly female and prettily proportioned. Carved into the walls, they appear at unexpected points and give an overwhelming feeling of levity which counteracts the gravity of the Nagas and the Demons who exist outside the confines of the temple wall. Approaching, entering and walking into the sacred shrines is almost like entering into another world: the Gopura are the portals to a spiritual sanctuary.
You can still find quiet spots…..
Or they were. The spiritual sanctuary is not quite the abode of peace and reflection it might be. Tourism has really taken off in Angkor and there are a lot of people visiting now. If you want to sit quietly and reflect on the beauty of the Angkor you will probably be out of luck Tour parties Japanese sit smoking and Chinese groups vocally express their appreciation to the exclusion of most other sounds. You will probably be in the way of someone’s photo at all times and come away with minor spinal injuries from trying to crane round people to see the bas-reliefs. Is it a circus? Yes and no, but mainly no. Angkor and its associated temples cover a huge area, Angkor alone covers 500 acres and this is just one site of the 40 or so recommended. If you follow the
tours or are very limited for time you may find yourself disappointed but there is absolutely no need to be. The ruins are in deep jungle, the area vast, the trees offer good shade, and the authority controlling the location is doing a very good job to make the area accessible and pleasant for the independent traveller and tour group alike.
To my mind the best way of seeing Angkor is on a bicycle. The TukTuk ( a kind of motorised armchair ) drivers are pleasant and helpful but the pleasure of cycling along the shaded roads, stopping at un-noted monuments, tarrying by crumbling walls and riding along lonely paths is greater, for me than, the convenience of having a chauffeur. My own favourite memory from the three days I spent in the temple compounds comes from riding round the wall of Angkor Thom from the West Gate ( Gopura ) to the East Gopura. No one else was on the delightfully shady path, the West Gopura had virtually no traffic – just the odd schoolchild going home by bicycle – and half way around, at the coer of the square, I came across ruins from what must have been a guardhouse. I sat here for half an hour, watched the brilliant butterflies, listened to the birds and looked at the apsaras carved in stone: they had enjoyed the same scene for a thousand years or so, their only movement a gradual subsidence and a little weathering.
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Traditional dancers visit with local people;
How nature contends with ancient stonework |
But you don’t even have to stray from the main attractions to find solitude. Ta Prohm, a temple left largely to the ravages of the jungle and popular for this very reason, is inundated with people taking photos of each other under the huge roots of the encroaching flora. Join in, then leave and walk round the side. You will be lucky to see a single tourist – they all go straight through to the next temple. Even better visit Preah Khan, another temple that has been left to contend with nature, and explore the piles of laterite embraced by the great roots, in the clutch of death; for ultimately the jungle conquers all. Instead of climbing Phnom Bakheng at sunset climb a little earlier and view Angkor from its summit. By all means visit the Bayon and marvel at the faces that seem to follow your movement at every turn but spend time quietly walking round the Leper Terrace and the other attractions near at hand - after you have negotiated a price for lunch at one of the many vendors that have set up shop near the monument and bought postcards you don’t need from one of the very sassy young girls who sell them: ‘Ten for one dollar, sir’. Modern salesmen could learn a lot from these budding entrepreneurs – I have three handbooks I will never use and twenty postcards I will never send – they seemed to read my mind as to the possible uses I could put them to and it seemed a ‘good idea’ at the time.
Try to imagine how many people walked here before
Every one should make there own tour of Angkor, the vastness of the area, the deep jungle, and the endless attractions make it a paradise for the tourist who is interested in ancient civilisations and architecture. The Khmers are helpful and humorous, prices are negotiable and , approached with a smile, the exchange is very pleasant. For me the best moments were those alone. But even when you think you are alone you are never sure. On the road from to Ta Prohm I happened to look up while cycling along through the thick jungle, on my left was a wall and then a gate. Shimmering green leaves protected the top from the searing sun and then through the foliage, in profile, the unmistakable face: half smiling, half serious – contemplative – contemplating what? The folly of mankind, the sights of a thousand years, those eyes that have looked on for a millennium now looked at me. The face of a god-king? The Buddha? No one seems entirely sure but enigmatic, silent, thoughtful, the same face that adorns the Bayon seems omnipresent in the quiet jungle paths, in the silent encroaching jungle, watching over all, waiting for the end of time.
View over the huge ‘baray’ before
the main temple in Angkor
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