Last month was my birthday month. Last month also happened to be the holiday month. Living in a "post-pandemic" world has allowed us to travel again, and we chose Siem Reap, Cambodia, as our next destination to visit! Read my blog post which shares a glimpse into the stunning highlights of Siem Reap!
Siem Reap, one of the major cities of Cambodia, is most popular for its outstanding ancient temples built 1000 years ago. The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt (around 4600 years old) have always stumped us for their unbelievable design and the question of how the Egyptians even managed to pull this wonder off keeps our heads scratching. Similarly, in the city of Angkor, the largest religious complex in the world—Angkor Wat (transl. Temple City)—will leave you in complete disbelief for its mind-blowing architecture and significance.
Cambodia's ancient beauties: Quick navigation
#1: Angkor Wat: The reason you probably travel to Siem Reap in the first place.
The world's largest religious complex is actually a realised microcosm of the Hindu universe.
Angor Wat was built in the early 12th century and was the most elevated and sublime of all the Khmer temples. Built during the reign of Suryavarman II who dedicated this awe-inspiring temple to Lord Vishnu. The instant we got down from our tuk-tuk at 05:20 AM, we were struck with the morning glow that slowly revealed the ancient wonder that is Angkor Wat.
Despite not being a functional temple anymore, it is still one of the most religiously significant ancient temples today. It is an intentionally scaled-down version of the Hindu universe. For instance, the extensive moat represents the mythical oceans that surround the Earth. Even the towers of the temple represent the peaks of Mount Meru.
Notice anything unusual about the arms of the statue on the left? If you look closely enough, a few of them have been restored because they succumbed to time.
We visited Angkor Wat twice on our trip; the first was the 'sunrise' viewing and the following day we took a guided tour of all the major temples in Siem Reap. For the former, we had to wake up at 04:30 and drive down to the ticket office (which, for some odd reason, is quite far away from the temple). We made it in the nick of time for daybreak and sat by the Reflection Pool to view the golden orb
that is the Sun. (You might be wondering: Why is Anuj describing his trip to Angkor Wat with such passion? To simply put it, I am here perplexed as to why this is not on the 7 Wonders list!)
When we revisited the temple with a guide, we were wowed by the wonderful interiors carved with intricate Hindu symbols. There were walls full of Hind mythology. My favourite depictions were the Battles of Kurukshetra and Lanka. Another is the procession of Suryavarman II. There was also an elaborate and detailed carving of the Churning of the Sea of Milk—where the gods and the asuras (demons) churned the Sea of Milk to produce numerous boons and banes.
Whether you are religious or not, a visit to Angkor Wat will stir a sense of Zen within you for sure. Personally, I could spend all day just staring at the sheer magnificence of it. I even got some great time-lapse videos of the towers as the lofty clouds drifted by!
#2: Bayon Temple: The multi-faceted temple. Literally.
This complex of face towers holds such a rich history and was initially known as 'Jayagiri'—which means Victory Mountain Temple.
Another historical attraction in the Angkor complex, Bayon Temple shows off 54 ancient towers with 4 faces on each. Most people say that these represent the 4 faces of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe according to Hindu mythology. Walking through the arches is simply fascinating. It really felt like some mystic presence was there.
The Bayon's architecture is rather confusing. Some argue that the faces on the towers are Buddhist deities while others claim they are Hindu deities. Some sources even say that the faces are King Jayavarman VII's. This temple is actually the last temple to be built in the Khmer Empire. While the other significant temples in the Angkor complex reflect the architectural styles of the Kings, this one doesn't. This is because, over the centuries, it had constantly been added to. Jayavarman VII's successors found it easier to remodel the Bayon than to demolish it.
I've read online itineraries that advise a 2-hour tour at this temple, but we did a quick 40-minute tour, learning about the main highlights only. If you have the time, go ahead and absorb the entire beauty of this ancient temple!
#3: Ta Prohm: Where adventures seem to lurk around the corner.
You might only care for one thing here: the iconic Lara Croft photo. There are more things to admire here, though.
I remember when the game, Temple Run, had a huge craze. This was nearly 10 years ago. The jungle-esque setting resonates with adventure and I found it unbelievable that Ta Prohm Temple was an inspiration for the game. But, this was not the only tourism booster. 20 years ago, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was released and depicted Angelina Jolie at this very site under a gigantic tree.
It will be very obvious that Ta Prohm is in ruins the moment you step in. There are restoration projects going on everywhere, funded by various nations. (Including India!) The complex will crumble to pieces if the giant trees are cut down because their roots literally hold the entire site in place. You will be in awe of the way nature works, but in even greater wonder when you realise that this is what happens when the world is untouched by humans: nature reclaims everything.
Cambodia was terribly hit by the pandemic because of zero tourism these past 2 years. Yet, every single Cambodian was incredibly kind and hospitable. This respect is very deep-rooted in their culture, which is clearly visible in the timeless temples of Angkor. I would not hesitate a moment to run back to these mystical temples. Do take the advantage of this post-COVID world and travel as much as you can, if you are in the position to. It will help whole communities recover from the pandemic. Cambodia is surely an ideal location for architectural, historical and off-beat lovers!
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