TRAVEL THE INDIAN PANORAMA

FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2022 37

The temples of Angkor Wat
Murli Menon the 15th century who accidentally
started my journey from Ahmedabad stumbled into these pristine remnants of

I and I flew to Bangkok via New Delhi

and Bangkok to Phnom Penh. From
Phnom Penh airport, I took a taxi to
an ancient civilization. Dumbfounded,
astounded, stupefied and awestruck, I
stopped around these blocks of these
Phnom Penh Bus Station and boarded the stone assembled painstakingly as a
bus to Battambang. From Battambang, I tribute to the elements. The most amazing
took the bus to Seam Reap. After a three- fact about Angkor is that these temples
hour bus ride through the lush green have not only survived the ravages of
Cambodian countryside dotted with time, fire, water, earth, plunderers,
palm-fringed rice fields, the bus stopped international smugglers, idle thieves and
at Ramdulatea village for lunch. As soon civil war but continue to exist as it did
as we get down from the bus, hawkers when it was built! This itself is proof of
selling everything from roasted peanuts divine intervention!
to souvenirs descend on us in hordes. I More than the artistic beauty of the
bought steamed sweet vegan coconut rice sculptures and the wilderness around the
pancakes and wrote my travel blog with temples, Angkor is a miracle in stone. As
my laptop while waiting for my fellow you climb the steep step pyramids to get a
passengers to finish their three-course bird's-eye view of the dense forests or
lunch. when you watch the sunset after climbing
Along the way, we passed The Tonle Sap to the Banta Samrey temple on top of the
Lake near Angkor Wat, which is a hill, you get a feeling that these temples
sanctuary for innumerable large water were constructed so that every visitor
birds. They migrate from northern China could experience the sights and sounds of
in the months of December and January. nature. The energy aura of Bayon is
Many of these birds can be seen perched incredibly powerful. As you enter the tiny
on the treetops that surround the temples. caves bathed by the setting sun, inside the
A few can be seen flying above the Siem evergreen forests, a cool breeze blows
Reap river, which snakes its way through across one's face and immediately puts
the forests that surround Angkor. So, one at ease. The sounds of the evergreen
there is a possibility of sighting several forest and the peaceful environs of Bayon
threatened and endangered species of make it an ideal place for meditation.
large water-birds throughout your trip Meditating at Bayon before sunrise is a
from Battambang to Angkor Wat. powerful experience. You can feel one's
As I explored the temple complex at body, mind and soul being recharged with
Bayon, I was perplexed by the mysterious fresh energy! Every cell of one's body
smile on the face of Vishnu (God in vibrates with a primordial power, which
Hinduism). The answers to the riddle of pervades this ancient site.
the construction of Angkor Wat has left Every step inside the ancient complex
scientists searching for answers. of Bayon is not short of a miraculous
Scientists are dumbstruck on the experience. The sound of the rainforest
technology used by the kings of Angkor pervades the temple. The chirping of
to haul thousands of stones weighing birds and shrill cries of macaques rent
hundreds of tons and transport them over the air and in the centre of the
hundreds of kilometres across several architecture inside the temple complexes. temples, which were abandoned to the wilderness, stands a black pagoda (cult
cities stretching from Thailand to The downside is that one has to walk the elements. Even a cursory visit to all the place) with giant sculpted faces! However,
Vietnam. How were these stones sculpted first kilometre to get the cheapest price. major temple complexes of Angkor could the effect of the first morning light on
to depict scenes from the Mahabharata However, one also can get free rides to take you almost three to four days. You Bayon is an incredibly touching moment.
(the longest and oldest epic poem), Seam Reap from the locals who do not can spend a considerable amount of time The most unbelievable part of the visit to
Ramayana (epic poem written in seem to mind giving a short lift to at the major temples if you stay at Angkor Bayon is that the faces look different at
Sanskrit) and thousands of birds, plants, foreigners on their two-wheelers! I woke for at least seven days. different times of the day. Each face is
animals, deities (gods and goddesses), up in the wee hours of the morning to The more you spend time at Bayon, the worth a million pictures, and each picture
devatas and apsaras (supernatural find the streets full of life. A procession of more you wish to stay on because you speaks more than a million words. The
women in mythology)? How have these tourists was on the way to see the would not only like to photograph each language of stone defeats the language of
ancient monuments survived to this day sandstone replica of "Mount Meru" one of these enigmatic faces but would man!
with minor damage, though these bathed in molten gold. I got on the moped also like to catch it in different moods But despite the effect of the elements
monuments were left to the elements for a of a local villager, going to sell wooden during the three twilights of the day. The over a thousand years, only a few cracks
thousand years? The silent faces of Bayon carvings to the early birds, to reach most spectacular views are at mid-day show through some faces. A majority of
mock the achievements of modern Angkor. and dusk. the faces stand together as if assembled
science. There is no better proof of the Bayon is just one of the 60 temples that It is a pleasure to watch the crimson the previous day! The sandstone,
power of ancient wisdom than a visit to exist in the 50 km. radius around Seam rays of the sun reflected by the black dolomite and rock needed for the
the hundred temple complexes strewn Reap town. Some temples are located 50 stones as the sun sets. The other construction of these temples were
across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and km. away from Siem Reap. There are 50 important feature of Bayon is that it is in quarried 30 km away on the banks of the
Vietnam. more such treasure troves to discover the middle of thick forests and the Seam Reap River and transported to
I reached Siem Reap and a motorbike during my fifteen-day stay at Seam Reap. sounds of the crickets reverberate Bayon, sculpted and assembled there.
taxi took me from the bus station to a The most exciting part of going to Angkor throughout the day as the crickets get However, the immensity of this
family run guest house named Lay Lay Wat is to experience the architectural fooled by the semi-darkness that envelops enormous accomplishment became
guest house located 6 km away from beauty of the temples combined with the these forests. In many places, the sun's apparent to me, as I tired of walking
Angkor. I went to bed early to prepare for beauty of nature. Several temples are rays cannot penetrate the forest floor through the labyrinth of towers, each
the early morning two-hour trek to viewed best before sunrise or sunset. This because of the thick forest cover! After a adorned with four identical faces. The
Angkor to see the sunrise at 6:00 a.m. gives you an opportunity to enjoy the tough day exploring the temples on foot, emotions on the faces are clearly visible.
Motor taxi fares are negotiable and my changing phases of the sun and also study it is soothing to laze on the hammocks While the face of Shiva (his third eye is
bargaining skills stood me in good stead the changing colours of the temples between the trunk of two gigantic trees, clearly seen) is grim, Vishnu is seen
with these hard-core bargainers. Locals under various shades of light. while listening to the shrill cries of the smiling, whereas the two faces of
are quoted fares in Riels whereas Some temples of Angkor have been crickets. I closed my eyes and meditated Brahma are neutral. The emotions on the
foreigners are quoted in multiples of U. S. purposely left exactly as the explorers on the binaural beats of the crickets faces symbolise creation, maintenance
dollars (as there are no cents or riel coins found them. This is a good thing, as you under the giant trees which surround and destruction!
in Cambodia). can see the giant silver cotton trees these giant temples. After watching the sunrise over
Also, the fare quoted is for the return growing throughout the temple and Walking around these giant sculptures Angkor Wat, it is time to move on to the
journey with a considerable amount of giving it a wild look. This also ensures almost instils a sense of timelessness, giant faces of Bayon, which were
waiting time at the temples. Also, I got you have to trek on foot through thick since I could easily have been a villager of abandoned centuries ago after the
more time to explore the sculptures and forests to enjoy the beauty of these the 10th century or a French explorer of Siamese sacked Angkor.