Neak Pean is one of the temples that make one dream of the olden days of luxury and beauty. It was worth while to the overpowering temples of Siva that men and armies repaired; but it was at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfumes.

Prasat Neak Pean is located in the east of Prah Khan, 300 meters (984 feet) from the road.

A enter and leave from the north entrance. It was built in second half of the 12^th century by king Jayavarman VII, dedicated to Buddhist, with following to Prasat Bayon art style.

BACKGROUND

Although. Neak Pean is small and a collection of five ponds, it is worth a visit for its unique features. It is believed to have been consecrated to Buddha coning to the glory of Nivana.

The central pond is a replica of Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas, situated at the top of the universe. The lake gives birth to the four great rivers of the earth. These rivers are represented at Neak Pean by sculpted gargoyles corresponding to the four cardinal points Lake Anavatapta was fed by hot springs and venerated in India for the curative powers of its waters. The orientation of the ponds at Neak Pean ensured that the water was always fresh because the pods received only reflected light.

LAYOUT
Neak Pean is a large square man-made pond (70 meters, 230 feet each side) bordered by steps and surrounded by four smaller ponds. A small circular island with a stepped base of seven laterite tiers is in the center of the large square pond. Small elephants sculpted in the round originally stood on the four comers. The central tower was dedicated to Avalokitesvara.

CENTRAL ISLAND
The bodies of two serpents encircle the base of the island and their entwine on… Neak Pean-the last word being pronounced , and the whole name signifies curved Nagas. Neak Pean is one of the temples that makes one dream of the olden days of luxury and beauty. It was worth while to live then and to be a woman among a race which has waver adored its women.

It is to the overpowering temple of Civa that men and armies repaired, but it was at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfumes…Fancy it as it was in the old days. To begin with there was the artificial lake, a wide extent of water in the shallows of which floated the flowering lotus.

In its exact center, the surveyors of Angkor were expert stood the exquisite miniature temple of one small chamber, the sanctuary, a temple as finely ornate and as well-proportioned as an alabaster vase.

With art delicious this wonder was made to appear like a vision in the land of faerie. It floated upon a full-opened flower of the lotus, the petal tips curling back to touch the water. On the corolla of the flower curved around the temple’s base, were two Nagas whose tails were twisted together at the back and who raised their fan of heads on either side of the steps in front which mounted to the sanctuary. Thus they guarded the gem and gave gracious welcome to whosoever directed her light barque to draw close to this lovely heaven. On this circular pedestal of poetic imagination rested a square temple with four carved doors, one open occupying all the fasade except for the square columns which flank it.

Above rose the tower with pointed over-door groups of carvings, symbolic, graceful, inspiring Each closed door bore the figure of the humane god Vishnu standing at full height,but lest he impress too strongly his grandeur in this dainty spot, the space about him is filled with minor carving which vary on each door.

Within this lovely casket was a seated stone figure. The door was ever open, suppliants might at any time lay before Buddha their offerings and their prayers.

The chamber was too small to admit them and they stood without in a bending group, swaying toward the Naga-heads for support or salaaming gracious salutations to the god of peaceful meditation. The golden boat floating beside the approach again… Rowers moved the shallop so slowly that the Naga-prow seemed to progress of its own volition. And so, the gods appeased, the spirits rose, and life went happily in the lovely twilight hour…one must know its former state to love it. Neak Pean stands hidden, but it stands in greater perfection than if it had not had not had the enveloping.

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BAKSEI CHAMKRONG TEMPLE - Trip Today 168

BAKSEI CHAMKRONG TEMPLE - Trip Today 168

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PRE RUP TEMPLE

Three towers on the Eastern entrance

Name

Pre Rup

Date

961

King

Rajendravarman II

Location

South of the East baray
About 6 kilometers East of Angkor Thom

Nearby

East Mebon

The Pre Rup was the state temple of King Rajendravarman II. It is a mountain temple build in the year 961, located just South of the large East baray and the East Mebon, another mountain temple build by Rajendravarman II just 9 years earlier.

In the early 20^th century the Pre Rup had been completely overgrown and covered with soil. The temple was excavated during the 1930’s by French conservators George Trouvé and Henri Marchal.

Stepped pyramid representing Mount Meru

Its architectural style is very similar to that of the earlier East Mebon, the major difference being the stepped pyramid of the Pre Rup that is missing in the East Mebon temple. The laterite and brick structure represents the five mountain peaks of the sacred mountain Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Hindu mythology.

An inscription in the temple mentions that the five prangs were dedicated to Shiva (central tower and one of the surrounding towers), Vishnu, Parvati (the consort of Shiva) and Lakshmi (the consort of Vishnu).

The temple used to be surrounded by moats. There are two enclosures, each with agopura entrance gate at the center of each side. Between the outer and inner enclosure were long halls of which not much remains today. They were a predecessor of the galleries seen in later temples.

6 large towers to the East

Most striking feature of the Pre Rup temple are the three large towers on either side of the Eastern entrance, the main entrance of the temple. The first tower to the right of the entrance is missing, although the base is there. The tower was either never build or demolished and the stones used elsewhere later. The towers were probably build later during the reign of the next King, King Jayavarman V.

The central tower contains a sanctuary room. The lintels contain Indra riding the elephant Airavata, Vishnu on Garuda (a large mythological bird, the mount of Vishnu) and other depictions.

Inner enclosure

Just past the Eastern gate of the inner enclosure are two large libraries, one on each side of the entrance that probably contained Hindu statues. Between the two libraries is a three meter long structure, that likely served as a pediment for a statue, possibly of Nandi, the sacred bull and mount of Shiva. In the North East corner of the inner enclosure is a small laterite building that has been restored.

Sculpted door

Pyramid temple

Three stepped pyramid

The inner enclosure contains a three tiered pyramid. On the pyramid’s second level are 12 small sanctuaries grouped around the structure that each used to contain a linga, a representation of Shiva. At the center of each side of the pyramid is a stairway leading to the platform with the five towers. The stairway is guarded on both sides by lion statues.

5 Prangs on the upper platform

The upper platform contains five prangs, the largest one in the center, the outer four smaller ones on the platform’s corners. Each have an entrance door to the East and false doors to the other directions. Originally the towers were fully plastered, some of which still remains. A few devata statues decorate its outer walls.

The lintels contain several depictions, but are in a bad state of repair. The central prang contains a sanctuary room where the most important linga was enshrined. It now contains two Buddha images that were installed there later.

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EAST MEBON Mountain temple in the center of the East baray

Sanctuaries on East Mebon platform

Name

East Mebon

Date

952

King

Rajendravarman II

Location

In the center of the East baray, East of Angkor Thom

Nearby

Prasat Pre Rup

The East Mebon is a mountain temple dedicated to Shiva build by King Rajendravarman II halfway the 10^th century. It was constructed on a man made 120 meters wide island in the East Baray, a huge water reservoir measuring 2 by 7 kilometers, and was only reachable by boat.

The baray, which is now dry, was named Yasodharatataka at the time, and was located East of Angkor Thom. The East Mebon was not Rajendravarman II’s state temple, that was Pre Rup that was to be build 9 years later, just outside the baray and directly South of the East Mebon.

The temple was restored in the 1930’s by Henri Marchal and Maurice Glaize, two French conservators of Angkor. Its main attraction is its intricate lintels, that are very well preserved and are among the best in Angkor.

Mountain temple dedicated to Shiva

An inscribed stele found at the site states that the sacred linga Sri Rajendreshvara was consecrated in the year 952 and was placed in the central sanctuary. The outer four surrounding sanctuaries were dedicated to Shiva, Parvati (the wife of Shiva), and the Hindu Gods Vishnu and Brahma.

Like the earlier Phnom Bakheng, the temple was build to represent Mount Meru. The five towers on the square platform symbolize the five peaks of the mythological mountain. The East Mebon however does not have the tiers of the pyramid shaped Phnom Bakheng.

Floor plan of the East Mebon

At the center of each of the four sides just outside the outer enclosure are laterite landing platforms for boats. Contained by the outer enclosure wall is the first platform. On each of its corners is an elephant standing guard.

Inner enclosure

The inner enclosure that is about 75 meters wide contains the second platform, that also has a guarding elephant on each of its corners. In the corners of the inner enclosure are five laterite structures called libraries. At the entrance gates to the inner enclosure stand eight sanctuaries, in pairs of two. Each contained a linga in a different form. Its colonettes are sculpted in great detail. The lintels on the gates to the inner enclosure contain very intricate depictions of Vishnu, Indra on the three headed elephant Airavata, lions and elephants.

Elephant standing guard at the East Mebon temple

The central sanctuary

The third level of the East Mebon is the square upper platform with the large central sanctuary surrounded by four smaller sanctuary towers on the corners. The platform is surrounded by a three meter high sandstone wall.

The lintels on the five brick towers show depictions of Indra riding the three headed elephant Airavata, the God Skanda on a peacock, Shiva on his mount the bull Nandi, garudas, nagas, makaras and warrior figures.

The towers have a real door to the East, while there are three fake doors to the other directions. The central tower contains a sanctuary chamber that enshrined the temple’s most important linga.

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BAKSEI CHAMKRONG TEMPLE

Baksei Chamkrong is located in Siem Reap City, Cambodia, This temple is build by Harshavarman I in Early 10th Century (Between Angkor Thom South gate and Phnom Bakheng Nearby Prasat Bei,Phnom Bakheng).

The Baksei Chamkrong is a 10^th century temple found near the Angkor Thom South gate. The very steep pyramidal temple topped with a single prasat tower was built as a Hindu sanctuary dedicated to Shiva.

The name Baksei Chamkrong translates to “the bird that shelters under its wings”.

The temple was built by Harshavarman I in the early 10^th century. Soon after his reign, the capital of the Khmer Kingdom was moved to Koh Kher, North of Angkor. The temple was completed and dedicated in the year 948 by King Rajendravarman II, after the capital had been moved back to Angkor.

Stepped pyramid

East of the temple are the remains of a brick wall and a gopura that was guarded by lions. A few steps and a single guardian lion are all that remain today. The stepped pyramid consists of four laterite tiers of diminishing size. The lowest tier measures 27 meters long, the 4^th tier 15 meters. The square, symmetrical structure reaches a height of 13 meters. Four very steep staircases at the center of the pyramid lead to the upper platform with the prasat.

The Khmer used certain building techniques to make the temple look taller than it actually is. The stairway narrows towards the top, while the height of each tier is smaller than that of the one below it, thus creating a perception of increased size.

Platform with a single prasat

Atop the fourth tier is a small platform with a single prasat. The brick tower has one real door opening to the East, the other ends have false doors. Most of the decoration on the exterior of the prasat has disappeared, though the shape of sculpted devatas can still be seen. The sandstone lintel over the Eastern doorway contains a carving of Indra on the three headed elephant Airavata, and one of Ganesha.

The doorjamb of the Eastern entrance of the sanctuary tower contains an inscription that provides information about the history of the Baksei Chamkrong temple. The inscription contains praise of several Gods and of King Rajendravarman II, listing his accomplishments. It also tells of the dedication of a golden statue of Shiva in 948. In the back of the cella is a reclining Buddha image of a much later date.

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TA PROHM TEMPLE, CAMBODIA

 29.01.2016 Friday

 TEMPLE IN CAMBODIA

Ta Prohm is the modern name of a temple at Angkor, Ta Prohm Temple is located in Siem Reap City, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.

Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found. The photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor’s most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region.

The temple of Ta Prohm was also used as a location in the film Tomb Raider.

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