At the crack of dawn, a green Tuk Tuk carrying Lea, Bubba and I traverse along the dark road leading to Angkor Wat. The plan is to go during sunrise to see Angkor Wat in its golden glory. The entrance fee per head per day is USD 20 and your photo is printed on the day ticket.
Angkor Wat is an elaborate temple reef located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This highly structured temple complex built for the king Suryavarman II as his state temple is the best-preserved temple at the site. Between the 8th and the 13th centuries, the Khmer civilization centered on Angkor, where a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kings created magnificent temples and monuments in stone. Angkor Wat remained as a major religious center since its foundation in the early 12th century, that first grasped Hindu dedicated to Vishnu then became a Buddhist refuge.
Vishnu in the Hindu Trinity is the ultimate Protector who preserves the universal order and fights to restore harmony. He is represented as a four-armed man that transforms to various forms known as avatars. There are supposedly 10 Incarnations, each taken on during one of Vishnu’s descent to earth.
It is the first stop in a labyrinth of intricate carvings and high classical style of Khmer architecture.
Lions and seven-headed serpents (nagas) flank the steps down from the causeway. Like Kings and Queens, we pace towards the W entrance gopura. The causeway is large enough to have taken vehicles and elephants. It is a long footpath going to the entrance of the grounds of Angkor Wat. The walk feels short as we enjoy the fresh unruffled air and serene atmosphere. As our feet reach the entry point, my eyes widen with delight seeing the “City Temple” in front of me. The Angkor Wat is absolutely breathtaking.
Patience is a virtue as everyone wait for the orange glow to appear. My tripod that collected dust for 3 years came to the trip with me. It is the first time I am going to use it. Propped steadily on the sandy ground, the tripod makes itself useful. To my forlorn, gray morning clouds prevent the view of the sun’s beaming smile. All the same, it is fantastic to be within the capital city of civilizations that lived in centuries past.
The scale of Angkor Wat enabled the Khmer to fully express their religious symbolism, where the moat represents the mythical oceans surrounding the earth while the concentric galleries embodies the mountain ranges. Mountain ranges in older civilization stand as the home of the gods.
The experience of climbing towards the tower that looks like mountain peaks can translate to an actual ascent to a real mountain, which is the desire to be closer to the “home of gods.”
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