HK Independent Traveller Blog

12 Feb 2014 This is the first day of our visit to Angkor Archaeological Park .   What did we start with?   Certainly the purchase of the ‘Angkor Pass’.    Options are: 1 day ($20), 3 days ($40) and 7 days ($60).   We went for 7-day.   Then we were arranged to take a photo.   Just very quick, we’ve got our passes with the photo.   Efficient!  It came with a strap to wear round the neck.  It must be shown at all times. Our first site visit point: Prasat Kravan .   It is a temple with five brick sanctuaries built in 10 th century devoted to Vishnu.   They are unusually arranged in one N-S row, facing E and all on the same platform. Today only the central and S have a superstructure, consists of receding tiers, each diminishing in height and proportion to enhance the impression of scale. The temple was restored in the 1960s based on what remained at that time. The outlook of the sanctuaries is not impre...

13 Feb 2014 The morning was dedicated to temples at Roluos .  We started the tour with Preah Ko - the sacred bull.  It was build in late 9th century by King Indravarman I .  It is dedicated to Siva and is a funerary temple built for the king's parents, maternal grandparents, King Jayavarman II and his wife. The complex of Preah Ko is surrounded by four walls but in ruined state.  At the central part are six brick towers in two rows, standing on a low platform.  The three in the front row are for maternal ancestors with male guardian flanking the doorways.  The three on the back are for maternal ancestors and flanked by female divinities. The back row of towers is curiously unevenly spaced with the right-hand one closer to the center tower than left-hand one. It has been suggested the two closer towers signify two ancestors love each other during their life.   Beautiful lintels are pr...

13 Feb 2014 Bakong is located in Roluos .  We went there from Preah Ko . It was built in late ninth century by king Indravarman I dedicated to Siva in the art style of Preah Ko.  Bakong was the center of the town of Hariharalaya, a name derived from the god Hari-Hara which was a synthesis of Shiva and Visnu .   The temple represents  Mount Meru . Bakong was built in a shape of stepped pyramid or temple mountain.   It has 5 levels leading to the Central Sanctuary of mythical beings (Nagas, Garudas, Raksasas and Yaksas).  It was treated as the state temple for Angkor for only a few years.  Yasovarman I moved the capital to Angkor and a new temple mountain Bakheng was built. But Bakong was not abandoned as additions from the 12th and 13th century were made.  The splendid design such as large stone statues of elephants at the corners of the three lower levels of the pyramid and lion statues guarding the stairways su...

13 Feb 2014 Lolei is a Buddist temple in the area of Roluos . It originally formed an island in the middle of Baray but now dry. It is very close to Preah Ko and Bakong .  Compared to the other two temples, Lolei is rather small and damaged.  At time of visit the main tower was under restoration.  One next to it was rather deteriorated.  The state suggests that it collapsed previously. Nevertheless, remains of some beautiful lintels and sculptures can be seen. Some notes on the Khmer architecture: Indra It is the sky-god reignd supreme in the religion of Vedas. But it only served as a decorative motif at the period of medieval Hinduism of Angkor. Indra is associated with the east.  As Angkorian temples typically open to the East, his image is included in lintels and pediments facing east.  Typically, he mounted on the three-headed elephant Airavata. kala Kala is a ferocious monster associated with the destructure side of Shiva. I...