The Angkor Wat is an architectural masterpiece in fine proportions and rich in detail, the pinnacle of classical Khmer construction.
Suryavarman II ruler of the Khmer empire lived behind the building of Angkor Wat. Interestingly, the temple mountain is oriented to the west. Other significant temples exist within the whole map plan, even the small ones are quite intriguing, but Angkor Wat stands admired by most for the grandeur and synchronization of the architecture.
Sanskrit writing etched considerably on the inside pillars. How useful for me if I knew how to read Sanskrit. Any symbols that related to numbers are sure fire to be on a Pinoy’s next lotto bet. Headless shrines still stand erect in several corners along the hallways. Bubba makes me unwillingly take a photo beside one. I cringe right after. Although I did the same stance with Terra Cotta soldiers, this particular photo feels sacrilegious.
Allegedly, a certain Sanskrit inscription compares the moats and reservoirs at Angkor with tributaries of the sacred Ganges River in India.
The interior of Angkor Wat presents an ambitious building, smaller stone buildings were constructed within the nested square walls and the whole imperial expansion project took more than thirty years to complete. Moat surround the outer area but it is clearly part of the interior as well.
A moat is a deep, broad trench, usually filled with water that surrounds a structure to provide it with preliminary line of defense. To my surprise, moats were also staged inside the temple. These excavations normally act as barrier outside fortification walls against attacks upon such structure.
We climb to another level that poses like the rooftop area. On the rooftop area, another climb leads one to the summit of the Angkor Wat. This section however has been closed due to some serious accidents last year. As seen, the towering stairs is very steep and far above the ground. One wrong move and one can plummet to his death.
Exhausting all areas inside Angkor Wat, we trace our way back to the front. The rain starts to fall trapping us inside the royal capital of the Khmer empire from 802-1431 AD. My cheerful state suddenly disappears with the blue sky. Of all mornings of summer, how can it rain on the day I tour the Angkor Wat? Horrified that it is only the first hour.
What started as a drizzle grew stronger as if the heavens heard my objection to the downpour.
Not letting the rain rain on my parade, I sit down by the steps to relish an opportunity. Realizing that this cloudburst gives me the chance to see Angkor Wat in a different perspective chirps me up. I start to enjoy the rain and allow the sound of the rain to quiet my animated spirit. It’s so soothing to watch the rain as it drops gently on everything on its sight. The smell of Angkor Wat changes at this point. The surroundings suddenly have a smooth, whimsical smell like how dark chocolate is, but dark chocolate flavored with spring flowers.
I take in the beauty of where I am and appreciate the fact that at that precise moment, I am inside the very symbol of Cambodia, so eminent that it even appears on its national flag.
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kainggit naman…it has been my dream to visit angkor wat ever since our asian architecture subject in UST.
your pictures of Angkor Wat drenched in the rain reminds me of a topic from discovery channel…about angkor wat being submerged in a certain period of time (well, not totally submereged)
Your pictures of Angkor are superb.
Hi! Been surfing the net since we’re planning to take a trip to angkor, vietnam and bangkok. thanks for this post. made me want to go to angkor more. i’ve been a bit disheartened reading about the difficulty in getting there in some of the accounts i’ve read. will read through your other account to get tips on how to cover the angkor, vietnam travel 🙂 hope you can give me some tips too. thanks a lot 🙂