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| The Height of the Khmer Empire 1200 AD |
Having left Southeast Asia over seven months ago, I spend a
lot of time thinking about the differences between there and the rest of the western
world. The presence of spirituality is so prevalent there, now a primarily Buddhist
area. The countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have an ancient
understanding of the importance of religion and honoring one's history. The
Khmer, the people that spanned this area, have left their impression on modern
day culture and life in SE Asia. Their most impressive legacy, the temples of
Angkor in north eastern Cambodia, is a reminder of the ancient wisdom that
through spiritual and cultural evolution is the basis for life in this part of
the world today. If I close my eyes I can still see the ruins emerging from
the encasing jungle, the sunlight filtering through the trees casts light and
shadows onto ancient stone, some carved and shaped over ten centuries earlier.
The intricate carvings and labyrinths of passage ways, shrines, and galleries
spark feelings of mystery and divinity.
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| Panoramic photo By Cozette Hansen : View from the top of Bakong temple |
I'm lost in thought wondering what it
must have been like to walk these steps at the height of the Angkorian civilization.
The temples that remain represent only a fraction of the buildings that once
existed here. Temples, to the Khmer, were not places of mass procession or
worship, rather they were the house of the gods, a dwelling to hold the divine,
and therefore they were built as exquisitely and elaborately as possible. These
temples were at the center of cities of trade and growth. The cities themselves,
built from primarily wood, no longer exist. But, what we are left with are the
stories and histories of the rise and fall of a civilization carved into the
walls of the temples. And, conveniently, the temples represent the most
important aspect of Khmer civilization, the driving force of existence,
religion.
During the 500 years of civilization the Angkorian kingdom
saw the rule of twenty-six different kings, most of which built or renovated
the temples that still stand in ruins to this day. The oldest and first temples
I visited were constructed in the 9th century. The Roluos Group, as their
known, marks the beginning of Angkor's history as we know it. Although
buildings and civilization did exist before these temples, these were the first
structures built from materials that withstood the erosion of time. The Roluos
Group temples were constructed under the rules of king Jayavaramon II and
Indravaraman I, the second and third recognized kings of Angkor. These first
temples were built when Jayavaramon II established the first capitol here, east
of modern day Seim Riep, around the year 835 AD.
The carvings on these walls, and on the walls of most of the
temples, stems directly from India as trade brought the influence of Hinduism
to the area. The Indians, with their Hindu Gods, were prosperous with a
booming civilization and good economic standing. Recognizing this, soon Hinduism
was adopted as the religion of the Khmers.
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| Carved Elephant, one of eight, at East Mebon |
I'm amazed at the precision and intricacy in the design and
building of the architecture. The temple East Mebon, built in the middle of
the tenth century, was an island surrounded by a now dried out lake. The detail
and skill in carving something like an elephant, one of eight sentinels
guarding the corners of the temple, is baffling even with today's
technology. Could you hand carve a giant elephant, or eight?
The temple, Ta Keo, built in the 10th and 11th centuries is
a symbolic representation of the universe. This "temple mountain"
represents Mount Meru, which in the Hindu religion, stands at the center of the
universe and is surrounded by the primordial ocean. This temple, like all of
the others, was considered the residence of the gods and was respected as such.
When this temple was gifted to Yogisavara Pandita in 1010 AD he occupied only
the lower levels, considering himself unworthy to dwell on the upper terrace.
Above: "Temple Mountain", Ta Keo. Right: On the upper Terrace of Ta Keo, view of one of the shrines
As Angkor was coming to its peak, Suryavarman II took the
throne in 1113 AD and started the largest and most infamous construction to
date. Creating the symbol on the modern day Cambodian flag and the most renowned
temple of the Khmer empire, Angkor Wat. It was, and still is, a grand spectacle.
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| Angkor Wat, The World's largest religious monument. |
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| A Buddhist Monk stands observing Angkor Wat. |
The name Angkor Wat means just what it has become, "The city
which became a pagoda". With the temple placed in the center, a vast
capitol surrounded it to all four cardinal directions. The city itself was
fortified by a massive moat with bridges on the east and west sides. With
Angkor Wat, still the world's largest religious monument, and its surrounding
city, the Khmer were boldly marking their place. Imagine coming to trade from distant
lands and walking the causeway over the moat, through the gates, and into the
busy city. You would observe daily life and people all around you. Then,
if somehow you hadn't seen it from miles away, you would behold this massive temple, larger than any other
in the world, literally the center of life, overseeing all. What an
intimidating site this must have been, and a desirable one to scheming invaders.
This was the height of Angkor, the strong hold of southeast Asia and the Khmer
people. It would soon be overrun by revolting factions from the provinces, but
not before some other smaller scale temples were constructed. The temples of
Thommanon and Chao Say Tevoda were built in similar architectural style to that
of Angkor Wat, with intricate carvings and detail.
Chao Say Tevoda
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| Carvings at Thommanon |
In 1177 AD the city of Angkor was captured by a group who
mounted a surprise naval attack from the Great Lake, to the south. In 1181 AD a
prince returned to Angkor and drove out the rebels for which he became King
Jayavarman VII, "The Last Great King of Angkor". Unlike his Hindu
predecessors, he was a practicing Buddhist. Many of his temples have likenesses
of The Buddha, not found in the earlier constructions. During his thirty year
reign he oversaw a larger building program than any of those before him.
Perhaps trying to out do the others, he cast off Angkor Wat and decided to
build his own, larger capitol city, Angkor Thom.
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| Massive city gate, the entrance to Angkor Thom from the East |
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| Enigmatic visages of The Bayon |
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| Apsara Dancers preforming the dance of the universe |
Within the walls of Angkor Thom JayavarmanVII also constructed numerous smaller, less significant, temples, as well as a royal palace made from non withstanding materials. Outside of Angkor Thom he built some remarkable, jungle reclaimed temples.
Ta Prohm and Preah Khan temples are my other favorites. Built in the Bayon style of architecture, unlike the temple mountains that came before, you can get lost in their elaborate mazes of connecting hallways and passages. Courtyards, open to sunlight, have fostered the jungle allowing it to take back what was theirs. Huge vines and trees climb and split through the stone walls, rising toward the sky. It's not hard to imagine yourself as an Indiana Jones character while exploring a sanctuary like this. It's no surprise that the blockbuster film "Tomb Raider" was filmed here. The complexity and sheer number of carvings in these later constructions is some of the best I’ve seen.
Indravarman II, who succeeded Jayavarman VII in 1220 AD, was the last to oversee any new constructions at Angkor, although Jayavarman VIII, who took throne after Indravarman II in 1243 AD destroyed much of the Buddhist imagery and improved some of the withstanding Hindu structures.
Banteay Kdei can be seen as one of the final constructions
of the late Angkor.
The downfall of Angkor is debated. Vast cities are represented only by the structures that were built out of materials that could withstand the destruction of time. Some think that in trying to support the construction and growth of these cities, the area's resources were consumed and the civilization was forced to disperse. Others speculate that Angkor simply wasn't in a prime location for trade; Phnom Phen, on the Mekong river, would have been a better capitol. Regardless, it's a pleasure to take a walk through Ancient Angkor and imagine what life was like in the 10th or 11th centuries. And, how appropriate, that the backbone of Khmer civilization, the driving force of everyday life, the presence of God, is still preserved for us to contemplate with wonder and awe.
References:
Freeman, M, Jacques, C 2000, Ancient Angkor, illustrated revised, Weatherhill
Coe, DM 2003, Angkor and the Khmer Civilization, illustrated, Thames & Hudson
