Angkor Wat: Monumental work

India, France and Japan are involved in a massive project for restoration of the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia, reports D.B.N. Murthy

A visit to the Angkor Wat Temple complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia, in March this year was more interesting as well as encouraging than my first visit in July 2002. In 1992, UNESCO included this temple in the World Heritage list as a monument of universal value for human beings and one that is exposed to crisis too.

SLEEPING JEWELS IN THE FOREST: In 1908, archaeologists began clearing jungle growth which revealed the stunning Angkor Wat temples

Workers wearing uniforms were busy watering the garden, trimming branches, cleaning tanks and clearing debris in the vast temple complex. Elephants are used to carry visitors who would like to look around from a vantage point. Then there are ‘green vehicles’ running on batteries that are smokeless horse-drawn carriages to facilitate the movement of visitors. No vendor is allowed inside the temple complex and every visitor has to show the entry ticket at each temple entrance. The number of security personnel has increased since last time and tourist police on motorbikes can be seen patrolling the vast area. Fortunately, graffiti has not spoiled the monuments.

At present, France, India, and Japan are carrying out the restoration work of the Baphuon, the Bayon and the Ta Prohm temple complex, respectively. On the main Angkor Wat temple complex, the major work undertaken by the German government is over. However, minor conservation work is still going on by local workmen under the guidance of Cambodian experts. Scaffolding is still there at a few places for safety.

The Government of France is funding the conservation project as well as deputing their experts to work with local workmen. Incidentally, it was French naturalist Henri Mouhot who first described the Angkor Wat temples in his epic treatise La Tour du Monde, published in 1860. Thereafter a group of archaeologists, mostly French men, in 1908 came to the Angkor Wat region to clear the 500 years of jungle growth to reveal the stunning monuments of yore described as the "Sleeping jewels in the forest". The work was suspended in 1970 due to war in Cambodia. The Pol Pot regime destroyed the records of the French archaeologists who had painstakingly prepared meticulous drawings and had catalogued 300,000 sculpted stones scattered over an area of 10 hectares. It took two years for the French experts to figure out the layout of the structure and the position of stones through the help of computers.

The restoration of the Baphuon is a daunting task, which was restarted in 1995. It was a sand pyramid inadequately proportioned. This monument, with a pyramidal structure and three imposing levels topped by surrounding galleries, is regarded as one of the largest religious buildings of ancient Cambodia. This mountain temple was dedicated to the worship of the Linga built in the middle of the 11th century. However, with the advent of Buddhism, it was reused as a Buddhist monument. The first concern of the restoration team was to improve drainage in and around the monument. They had to fight against vegetation that threatened to overwhelm the monument. Emergency stabilisation had to be carried out to prevent collapse of the structure. At present, scaffolding work is in place and work is going on to supplement gaps by sandstone masonry. At least five more years are needed to bring the monument to some shape for visitors to go in. Right now they are not allowed inside the fenced area where work is going on.

Restoration of the Ta Prohm monument is a joint India-Cambodia cooperation project from 2004 to 2014 funded by the Indian Government. This is a partnership of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), APSARA Authority and UNESCO. There is a five-man team from the ASI working at the site. These ASI officers work closely with the local craftsmen, labourers and contractors using local and imported equipment.

There are many challenges to be faced, as Tra Phom is one such monument where the huge trees embracing the structures were left untouched by the French discoverers to give the rest of the world an idea how the monuments looked at the time of discovery. Moreover, the tree roots have penetrated deeply into the structure, which makes restoration work more difficult and tricky. "We plan to leave the tree trunk and roots alone and work around them," said the leader of the ASI team.

Ta Prohm or Old Brahma initially was named Rajavihara, meaning royal monastery. In 1186, Jayavarman VII consecrated several statues in this temple, the most important of which was that of Prajnaparamita, the personification of the perfection of wisdom, a figure whom the king identified with his mother. The first task, which the ASI undertook was the "archaeological investigation of causeway foundation and removal of buried stones for reuse." Stones are numbered for easy identification as well as to facilitate reuse. The renovation work is still in progress at the west entrance. The ASI personnel are confident that they could restore the temple to some of its original glory within the time and budget constraint. The work under hot and humid conditions in a foreign location is tough but those dedicated to the task of conservation are carrying out their task bravely and against odds.

Japanese Government Team for safeguarding Angkor (JASA) is working with the APSARA Authority in restoring the massive Bayon monument. The Japanese experts, along with local craftsmen and labourers, restored the Southern Library of the Bayon in 1996-1998, which is now open for visitors. There is plenty more work that is continuing in restoring parts of the Bayon.

The ancient drainage system is clogged and so no longer operational. Efforts are on to locate these and declog them to ensure better drainage. The project team is studying the collapse mode of the entire building. JASA is monitoring environmental changes, temperature changes, effect of humidity and wind speed as well as quantum and direction of rainfall.

The Bayon is famous for its bass reliefs depicting various religious scenes and has figures of enchanting apsaras. Another interesting feature of this temple complex is the number of massive faces staring down from towers. The gigantic faces can be classified as three types of deities: devata, deva and asura, which were common to Hinduism and Buddhism. They are depicted as symbols of all gods and goddesses in both celestial worlds. Another theory suggests that the massive face represents King Jayavarman VII (Devaraja) but others opine that it could be the Buddhist’s deity Avalokitesvara or Lord Shiva. However, there is no unanimity among the experts in the interpretation of the massive faces staring down from towers, which remain as enigmatic as ever.

Brisk work is in progress in restoring the Bayon as a magnificent monument as envisaged by the founder Jayavarman VII who restored the pride of Khmers in 1182 by defeating the enemy. He is credited with rebuilding the capital in Angkor after the disastrous sacking of the capital by the neighbouring Champa forces, which had ruled Angkor from 1177 to 1181.

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