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Sometimes an image is carried by memory, ensconced somewhere in its deep recesses, and then one day, suddenly, incredibly, it comes alive — not in an abstract form but in concrete shape. So it was with me, as I stood in front of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I first witnessed its magnificence in a magazine in my adolescence. And now here I was — enthralled, like hundreds of visitors, looking at the huge complex as the winter sun was about to set behind the ancient temple (wats) complex. It was built by Khmer kings when the Varmans, a Hindu dynasty, ruled over vast tracts of land in this corner of South East Asia. A Unesco World Heritage site since 1992, Angkor Wat has been under a multi-national restoration project for many years now. The western world woke to this astonishing archaeological wonder after French naturalist Henri Mouhot’s drawings and notes were published in 1863. Cambodia was a French
protectorate from 1863 till independence in 1953, and its influence
shows in its colonial architecture in the cities, and even in the
wonderful patisseries.
The nearest town to Angkor Wat is Siem Reap, a half-an-hour drive. Siem Reap literally means ‘Siamese defeated’ harking back to Khmer and Thai rivalry in the past. The complex needs at least three days to explore but we had only one-and-a-half days. Entry to the Angkor complex after 4 O’clock in the afternoon is free. You can also buy your tickets for the next day in advance. A wise move to avoid the morning queue. On the first day in the afternoon as we approached Angkor Wat, a silent ‘Wow!’ escaped my lips. There they were, framed against the afternoon sky, three immense sculptured domes representing Mount Meru where Shiva supposedly lived. To think this vast temple-residence complex was built during eighth to 12th century! Walking up a long carriageway across a moat we reached the central temple where at the entrance there was a huge idol of Vishnu, which is still worshipped regularly. It is an example of the influence of Hinduism that thrived here once — Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and later Buddhism. Exploring the complex and negotiating the treacherous steps up to the buildings, sometimes almost vertical, needs concentration and good walking shoes. But the effort is well worth it. As evening approached, the temple walls took on a darker hue and we were asked to leave the premises. Outside, I waited with people from myriad nations in hushed silence to enjoy the sunset over the temple’s edifice. Somehow, it made me feel sad at the end of a day as if the walls, too, sighed in remembrance of glorious days gone by. Cambodia has a rich tradition of dance and music, which was smothered under Khmer Rouge dictator Pol Pot during the Vietnamese war in the ’70s. Today, they have been revived and hotels and restaurants often put up shows for visitors. One such is Angkor Mondial restaurant, which combines a show with a fantastic multi-cuisine buffet dinner. The lilting music, the episodes from Ramayana enacted by pretty dancers and local folk dances created a magical evening for us. Next day, we woke even before daybreak in order to witness the much talked about sunrise at the temple site. More than the sunrise, it was the ‘feel’ of the place, the temple shikhars silhouetted against the gradually pinking sky that created a special aura. With daylight on, we began the serious business of exploring the complex. The exquisite Khmer art carvings with Indian motifs, the famous samudra manthan mural (churning of the sea for amrit in Indian mythology), dancing apsaras etc. made me wonder at the range of Indian influence on South East Asia centuries ago. Historians say it arrived through the sea route when trade by the sea was common. The other big complex near-about is Angkor Thom, a city for Khmer kings built by Jayavarman VII. As we arrived at the entrance gate, an awesome sight greeted us: huge rock-cut faces of Shiva looking to four directions. There are many temples within the complex, even a leper temple with a statue of Yama, the god of death. According to legends, one of Angkor kings was a leper. The famous elephant terrace is also situated here. The heat, even though it was winter, was getting to us with so much walking and the delicious pineapple slices the vendors offered were just right for the moment. As for shopping it is quite difficult to resist the temptation with so many local products, which are quite inexpensive, to choose from. The Old Market in the heart of Siem Reap is a good hunting ground for curios and Cambodian silk. Shopkeepers were mostly women, quite gentle and polite and did not mind the bargaining; perhaps it is expected. We are Asians after all. They also accept payment in US dollars. The evening in the town can be quite exciting with tourists from every corner of the globe mingling around. Wafts of music flowed in from a street corner as we relaxed at ‘The Red Piano’ restaurant with a drink and aperitifs. Fish is very fresh here; I opted for ‘Amok’ the local favourite — fish cooked in coconut milk in the kernel itself and served with rice. They also have a good vegetarian selection. The day over, it was time to say a silent farewell to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat taking along memories of a journey into antiquity.
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