Banteay Kdei is a Buddhist temple built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, and it is in the Bayon architectural style, similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller.
And Banteay Kdei is also the start of our Temples Marathon of the day...
Neak Pean is built on a man-made island, also during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Some historians believe that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. So Neak Pean was originally designed for medical purposes, as it is one of the many hospitals that Jayavarman VII built.
This temple's design is based on the ancient Hindu belief of balance. Four connected pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. The ancients believed that if you bath in these pools you will be able to achieve balance in the elements and so will be cured of disease. But now if you jump in, I think you double confirm will get very sick.
Before we arrive at Neak Pean, we were expecting this:
Courtesy of Miguel Vicente Martínez Juan
But because we went during dry season, what we saw was this:
Ta Som is also built by King Jayavarman VII, and like Ta Phrom, is also conquered by many giant trees.
The East Mebon is a 10th Century temple built during the reign of King Rajendravarman. It was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and honors the parents of the king.
The sculpture at the East Mebon is varied and exceptional, including two-meter-high free-standing stone elephants at corners of the first and second tiers. And after all these years, one or two of these elephants are still looking good lor!
East Mebon stands on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir. At the top of a tower, we have to imagine this East Mebon used to be surrounded by water, and people have to visit the temple by boat. Imagine how grand and majestic then!
And the Temple Marathon continues...
No comments:
Post a Comment