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The Temples of Angkor Wat at Siem Reap

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The Temples of Angkor Wat at Siem Reap

by Murli Menon

Angkor Wat 7th Wonder of the World

I started my journey from Ahmedabad and I flew to Bangkok via New Delhi and Bangkok to Phnom Penh. From Phnom Penh airport, I took a taxi to Phnom Penh Bus Station and boarded the bus to Battambang. From Battambang, I took the bus to Seam Reap. After a three-hour bus ride through the lush green Cambodian countryside dotted with palm-fringed rice fields, the bus stopped at Ramdulatea village for lunch. As soon as we get off the bus, hawkers selling everything from roasted peanuts to souvenirs descend on us in hordes. I bought steamed sweet vegan coconut rice pancakes and wrote my travel blog with my laptop while waiting for my fellow passengers to finish their three-course lunch.

Along the way, we passed The Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor Wat, which is a sanctuary for innumerable large water birds. They migrate from northern China in the months of December and January. Many of these birds can be seen perched on the treetops that surround the temples. A few can be seen flying above the Siem Reap river, which snakes its way through the forests that surround Angkor. So, there is a possibility of sighting several threatened and endangered species of large waterbirds throughout your trip from Battambang to Angkor Wat. 41

I reached Siem Reap and a motorbike taxi took me from the bus station to a family-run guest house named Lay Lay guest house located 6 km away from Angkor. I went to bed early to prepare for the early morning two-hour trek to Angkor to see the sunrise at 6:00 a.m.

Motor taxi fares are negotiable and my bargaining skills stood me in good stead with these hard-core bargainers. Locals are quoted fares in Riels whereas foreigners are quoted in multiples of U. S. dollars (as there are no cents or riel coins in Cambodia).

As I explored the temple complex at Bayon, I was perplexed by the mysterious smile on the face of Vishnu (God in Hinduism). The answers to the riddle of the construction of Angkor Wat have left scientists searching for answers. Scientists are dumbstruck by the technology used by the kings of Angkor to haul thousands of stones weighing hundreds of tons and transport them over hundreds of kilometres across several cities stretching from Thailand to Vietnam. How were these stones sculpted to depict scenes from the Mahabharata (the longest and oldest epic poem), Ramayana (epic poem written in Sanskrit), and thousands of birds, plants, animals, deities (gods and goddesses), Devatas and Apsaras (supernatural women in mythology)?

How have these ancient monuments survived to this day with minor damage, though these monuments were left to the elements for a thousand years? The silent faces of Bayon mock the achievements of modern science. There is no better proof of the power of ancient wisdom than a visit to the hundred temple complexes strewn across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

42

Also, the fare quoted is for the return journey with a considerable amount of waiting time at the temples. Also, I got more time to explore the sculptures and architecture inside the temple complexes. The downside is that one has to walk the first kilometre to get the cheapest price. However, one also can get free rides to Seam Reap from the locals who do not seem to mind giving a short lift to foreigners on their twowheelers! I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to find the streets full of life.

A procession of tourists was on the way to see the sandstone replica of “Mount Meru” bathed in molten gold. I got on the moped of a local villager, going to sell wooden carvings to the early birds to reach Angkor.

Bayon is just one of the 60 temples that exist in the 50 km. radius around Seam Reap town. Some temples are located 50 km away from Siem Reap. There are 50 more such treasure troves to discover during my fifteen-day stay at Seam Reap. The most exciting part of going to Angkor Wat is experiencing the architectural beauty of the temples combined with the beauty of nature.

Several temples are viewed best before sunrise or sunset. This gives you an opportunity to enjoy the changing phases of the sun and also study the changing colours of the temples under various shades of light.

Some temples of Angkor have been purposely left exactly as the explorers found them. This is a good thing, as you can see the giant silver cotton trees growing throughout the temple and giving it a wild look. This also ensures you have to trek on foot through thick forests to enjoy the beauty of these temples, which were abandoned to the elements. Even a cursory visit to all the major temple complexes of Angkor could take you almost three to four days. You can spend a considerable amount of time at the major temples if you stay at Angkor for at least seven days.

The more you spend time at Bayon, the more you wish to stay on because you would not only like to photograph each one of these enigmatic faces but would also like to catch it in different moods during the three twilights of the day. The most spectacular views are at midday and dusk.

It is a pleasure to watch the crimson rays of the sun reflected by the black stones as the sun sets.

The other important feature of Bayon is that it is in the middle of thick forests and the sounds of the crickets reverberate throughout the day as the crickets get fooled by the semi-darkness that envelops these forests. In many places, the sun’s rays cannot penetrate the forest floor because of the thick forest cover! After a tough day exploring the temples on foot, it is soothing to laze on the hammocks between the trunk of two gigantic trees, while listening to the shrill cries of the crickets. I closed my eyes and meditated on the binaural beats of the crickets under the giant trees which surround these giant temples.

43

Walking around these giant sculptures almost instills a sense of timelessness, since I could easily have been a villager of the 10th century or a French explorer of the 15th century who accidentally stumbled into these pristine remnants of an ancient civilization.

Dumbfounded, astounded, stupefied, and awestruck, I stopped around these blocks of these stone assembled painstakingly as a tribute to the elements. The most amazing fact about Angkor is that these temples have not only survived the ravages of time, fire, water, earth, plunderers, international smugglers, idol thieves, and civil war but continue to exist as they did when it was built! This itself is proof of divine intervention!

More than the artistic beauty of the sculptures and the wilderness around the temples, Angkor is a miracle in stone. As you climb the steep step pyramids to get a bird’s-eye view of the dense forests or when you watch the sunset after climbing to the Banta Samrey temple on top of the hill, you get a feeling that these temples were constructed so that every visitor could experience the sights and sounds of nature. The energy aura of Bayon is incredibly powerful. As you enter the tiny caves bathed by the setting sun, inside the evergreen forests, a cool breeze blows across one’s face and immediately puts you at ease. The sounds of the evergreen forest and the peaceful environs of Bayon make it an ideal place for meditation. Meditating at Bayon before sunrise is a powerful experience. You can feel your body, mind, and soul being recharged with fresh energy! Every cell of one’s body vibrates with a primordial power, which pervades this ancient site.

Every step inside the ancient complex of Bayon is not short of a miraculous experience. The sound of the rainforest pervades the temple. The chirping of birds and shrill cries of macaques rent the air and in the centre of the wilderness, stands a black pagoda (temple) with giant sculpted faces! However, the effect of the first morning light on Bayon is an incredibly touching moment.

44

The most unbelievable part of the visit to Bayon is that the faces look different at different times of the day. Each face is worth a million pictures, and each picture speaks more than a million words. The language of stone defeats the language of man!

But despite the effect of the elements over a thousand years, only a few cracks show through some faces. A majority of the faces stand together as if assembled the previous day! The sandstone, dolomite, and rock needed for the construction of these temples were quarried 30 km away on the banks of the Seam Reap River and transported to Bayon, sculpted, and assembled there. However, the immensity of this enormous accomplishment became apparent to me, as I tired of walking through the labyrinth of towers, each adorned with four identical faces.

The emotions on the faces are clearly visible.

While the face of Shiva (his third eye is clearly seen) is grim, Vishnu is seen smiling, whereas the two faces of Brahma are neutral. The emotions on the faces symbolize creation, maintenance, and destruction!

After watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat, it is time to move on to the giant faces of Bayon, which were abandoned centuries ago after the Siamese sacked Angkor. A minimum amount of restoration has been carried out by archaeologists, and most of the temple exists in harmony with the giant silver cotton trees and the evergreen forests that surround the many temple complexes that dot Angkor Wat. The ideal time to visit Bayon is late afternoon when the sun plays on the enigmatic smiles on these faces. A giant Shiva lingam (sacred stone) welcomes visitors into the narrow entrance to Bayon. You have almost to crawl through the series of tiny steps that lead to the terrace. As soon as I climbed up the steps, I was astounded by the stupendous scene that emerges. There are several towers at Bayon, each sculpted with four faces looking in all four directions. Each face is eight feet in height and four feet in breadth and has been assembled together by individually sculpting square blocks of stone.

After meeting two non-resident Indians, one from Melbourne (Goan origin) and the other from New York (Telugu origin) at Angkor, we three visited all the temples in a tuk-tuk (the equivalent of the Indian cycle-rickshaw with an engine). There are over 60 temples dating from the 8th century to the 10th century built by Khmer kings with Indian names. After spending a week exploring the largest temple complex ever built by humankind, this experience left a lasting impact on my subconscious and has become an indelible mark that time will never erase. The first glimpse of Angkor, nestled amidst evergreen forests, like a precious jewel, protected by nature, has a humbling effect. One’s logical mind cannot comprehend how a temple built nearly 1000 years ago is so massive that modern science cannot even dream of building such a temple in the next one thousand years!

Murli Menon ZeNLP ZeNLP- learning through stories

45

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Yaek Loam A Volcanic Crater Lake in Cambodia

by Murli Menon

From Phnom Penh, take the bus to Kratie and then a shared taxi from Kratie to Rattanakiri. Motorbike taxis will take you to the volcanic lake from your hotel at Rattanakiri.

The evening at Phnom Penh was spent browsing through the various tourist guides that are distributed free at all Phnom Penh restaurants. Driving to Kratie for a Mekong cruise to watch the river dolphins is en route to the drive to Yaek Loam volcanic lake in Rattanakiri. The next day, I reached the pier where boats are parked and negotiated with the boatman for a 1hour cruise on the Mekong for a memorable experience.

I have just returned from a fifteen day sojourn visiting the hitherto unknown and unexplored north-eastern borders, where Laos and Vietnam meet Cambodia and China in what is going to be known as the Golden Quadrilateral.

The north-east of Cambodia is similar to the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. However, the tribes who live in the hills of Cambodia still follow their century old practices, as these regions are not accessible by air and roads are non-existent. However, some of the world’s most beautiful natural attractions, including pristine volcanic crater lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests, are located in this tribal infested belt.

The Mekong River at Kratie is an amazing sight and so are the lush evergreen forests that straddle the borders of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. I could get fabulous pictures from all these picturesque destinations, not to forget the colourful and delicious-looking food from the Indian restaurant in Phnom Penh which served me “home food” during my brief stay in Phnom Penh before moving to Kratie.

North-Eastern Cambodia is home to several indigenous tribes who have lived in these forests for centuries. Rattanakiri is famous for its semiprecious stones, including rubies, amethysts and onyx. Most probably, the name Rattanakiri is a mispronunciation of the Sanskrit word Ratnagiri or a mountain of gemstones.

The more adventurous tourists sneak into this part of Cambodia either through Laos or Vietnam, but both these journeys are only jungle safaris through mud roads. In this article, I try to give readers a first-hand experience of travelling through one of the remotest terrains on our planet, armed with a Wi-Fi notebook, new battery and two digital cameras. The easiest way for International travellers to reach the volcanic lake is to fly to Bangkok and take the connecting flight to Phnom Penh.

Getting to Rattanakiri is extremely difficult as there is a single dirt road which winds its way through thick evergreen tropical rainforests. Both to and fro traffic compete for space on this narrow forest road, which is only a slushy swamp during the wet season and can turn into one in November too, as tropical showers and sudden downpours are common here throughout the year.

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Another option to go to Kratie is by bus. Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company operates a bus from Phnom Penh to Kratie, leaving Phnom Penh at 8 a.m. and arriving at Kratie at 2 p.m. It is advisable to spend the night at one of the several riverside hotels overlooking the Mekong, before continuing to Rattanakiri by taxi, before 11 a.m. to reach Rattanakiri before nightfall. It gets dark in this part of the world at 6 p.m. There are no streetlights once you leave, Kratie!

The bus to Kratie makes a stop for breakfast at Kompong Cham and another for lunch at a roadside restaurant.

As these stops are located in small kompongs (kompong means village in the Khmer language), fresh fruit vendors fill the buses as soon as they stop. One can buy juicy mangoes, peeled jackfruit, grapefruit, pineapples and coconuts at these tiny bus stations.

Also, there are no repair shops or mechanics for most of the journey through the jungle, and it is not uncommon to encounter stranded cars during one’s trip from Kratie to Rattanakiri. Only trucks, pickups, Land Cruisers and Camry are suited to take the rigours of this cross-country motor-cross across rural Cambodia.

During the car drive, there are a few impromptu stops at wayside villages for a quick breakfast and lunch, but these can help one break the monotony of the car ride. The sights of nature during the journey are beauteous but the attractions of Rattanakiri are like the sparkling ruby mounted on a gold ring.

The upside of this bumpy journey is that I could observe several colourful flowers, sight beautiful birds and enjoy the canopy of green throughout my painful sojourn. Getting to Rattanakiri from Phnom Penh is a hard task. Hence, it is advisable to break the journey to Kratie, which is a 6-hour journey from Phnom Penh by bus.

Kachanh waterfall is like a wild tribal beauty, unfettered and violent. It gushes out like a volcano, spewing ash with a loud hissing noise.

Katieng falls is like a sacred deity, which flows down at an even pace with a gentle hum and in several parallel cascades flowing down in a synchronous flow. Falls are like a mother with snow-white water cascading down the rocks in several tiers, giving it an appearance of sublime beauty and it is a touching moment to view this multi-tiered fall.

From Kratie, one has to hire a taxi (only Toyota Camry, Land Cruisers or Mercedes Vans can make this journey over the hilly terrain smoothly) to take one to Rattanakiri. With two brief stops, the taxi journey can easily take about six hours.

Most of this journey is through a mud road through the jungle, over many makeshift wooden bridges.

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Chaong falls, on the other hand, is very businesslike and offers a straight-line flow, like a prim and proper student attired in crisply starched uniforms and dry cleared ties to the school. Even the sound of this waterfall is a faint hum as if a student who is scared to talk to his bench mate at school. However, the views offered by this waterfall are no less beautiful than the others.

The trek to the volcanic lake starts in Banglung. It is pretty flat, but after the first 500 metres, the gradient of the climb increases lightly and difficulty increases at the halfway mark. The final kilometre is the toughest to climb but the last 500 metres are slightly downhill and once one reaches the lake, there are steps which lead to the wooden pier, offering fantastic views of the Yaek Loam volcanic lake.

The most attractive feature of Rattanakiri is this turquoise green lake nestled amid evergreen tropical rainforests. Known as Yaek Loam lake, it is a large water body with natural lukewarm water and sulphuric fumes can be seen emanating from these waters at sunrise. The lake is 4 km. trek from the town centre known as Banglung and is a gentle climb over a forest mud track.

There is a circular trekking route through the rainforests along the banks of the lake and offers trekkers a jungle experience.

But the most fascinating aspect of this lake is the silence, serenity, tranquilness and peace experienced while meditating at its banks. One is touched by the natural beauty that surrounds oneself. This miracle of nature which has lain undisturbed since creation is an ideal place to unwind, forget all worldly worries and relax to the tune of crickets, birds and sounds of the rainforests.

The crystal clear waters invite one to take a dip in them. Swimming in the lake is a divine, soulstirring experience. After reaching Rattanakiri from Kratie, you can watch the sunset over Yaek Loam and go to bed early as it gets dark at 6 p.m. in November.

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As this lake was formed inside a volcanic crater, the shape of the lake is symmetrically spherical. It is a perfect circle and resembles the moon. This moon-shaped lake is probably the only one of its kind on earth!

The walk under the trees and around the lake is pleasurable as the path is flat and snakes its way around the lake.

However, the experience is like a jungle trek through tropical rainforests.

Swimming at this crystal clear lake was energy for my soul... The water of Yaek Loam lake is pure. I could feel highly energised particles, as one quenches one’s thirst by drinking pure mineral water at this source of creation. The indigenous tribes living around Yaek Loam must have venerated it like a goddess, as even today, it exists like a droplet of tranquillity enveloped by a calm, peaceful, and serene environment.

The day break is at 5 a.m. and watching the sun rise over this emerald lake is the first thing one should do the next morning. In the early hours of sunrise, the lake is calm and quiet. The chirping of the birds and the occasional rainforest cricket’s whine are the only sounds that pervade the early morning air. In fact, the experience of hearing the soft musical notes of sparrows and mynahs transports one to another world!

The most surprising thing about visiting the Yaek Loam volcanic lake is the presence of innumerable seashells. The experience of finding seashells on the banks of the lake, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest sea, is something incredible. However, I am convinced that the Yaek Loam lake was created in the past when the oceans disappeared and mountains arose in their place!

The crystal clearness of the lake is seen in the brilliant reflection of the surrounding greenery on its mirrorlike surface. Minutes can turn into hours as one watches the calm and serene lake without a ripple on its surface. A thin layer of sulphuric fumes is seen a few inches above the lake as soon as the first sunrays hit the water. But these fumes soon vanish, once the sunrise is complete.

The trek around the lake is enjoyable as one observes several colourful butterflies that flitter hither and thither; the diversity of the flora seen also is notable. Trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, and palms compete with one another for space and the dense foliage prevents sunlight from touching the ground in a few spots!

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Murli Menon ZeNLP ZeNLP- learning through stories

Travel Bug TheSouthAsianTimes.com

37

May 31 - June 6, 2008

Angkor Wat and the many faces of Vishnu

A humbling experience at Bayon.

by Murli Menon

Angkor Wat is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

I reached Angkor Wat some months ago, with funds low but morale high.

In a very meaningful coincidence I met two NRIs, one from Australia and the other from New York, both travelling alone who wanted to know more about India to jointly explore with me the 50 odd temples that are existing here in return for me telling them something about India as both of them were born abroad to Indian parents and have never been to India even once.

All my travels in Angkor were in their limousine.

The most incredible proof that destiny wanted us to meet at Angkor is that all three of us are born on the same date : 15th of December. We compared our passports as we ourselves could not believe that we are together in a one in a billion coincidence. Three people living in three different continents meeting at Angkor and being born on the same day between 1962 and 1970!

At Angkor you see what resemble the stone sculptures scattered at Easter Island off Chile and step pyramids which are not dissimilar to the step pyramids of Guatemala, Mexico and Peru.

The most exciting part of going to Angkor Wat is to experience the architectural beauty of the temples combined with the beauty of nature.

Several temples are viewed best before sunrise or sunset. This gives one an opportunity to enjoy the changing phases of the sun and also study the changing colors of the temples under various shades of light. Some of the temples of Angkor have been purposely left exactly as the explorers found them. This is a good thing as one can see the giant silver cotton trees growing throughout the temple and giving it a wild look. This also ensures that one has to trek on foot through thick forests to enjoy the beauty of these temples which were abandoned to the elements. Even for a cursory visit to all the major temple complexes of Angkor could take almost three to four days. One can spend a considerable amount of time at the major temples if one stays at Angkor for at least seven days.

Bayon is just one of the over 50 temples that exist in the 50 km radius around Seam Reap town.

Every step inside the ancient complex of Bayon is no short of a miraculous experience. The sound of the rainforest pervades the temple. The chirping of birds and shrill cries of macaques rent the air and in the center of the wilderness, stands a black pagoda with giant sculpted faces! The effect of the first morning light on Bayon is an incredibly touching moment. The most unbelievable part of one's visit to Bayon is that the faces look different at different times of the day and is a photographer's dream. Each face is worth a million pictures and each picture speaks more than a million words. The language of stone defeats the language of man!

As one explores the temple complex at Bayon, one is perplexed by the mysterious smile on the face of Vishnu. The answers to the riddle of the construction of Angkor Wat has left scientists searching for answers.

Scientists are dumbstruck on the technology used by the Angkorian kings to haul thousands of stones weighing hundreds of tons and transport them over hundreds of kilometres across several cities stretching from Thailand to Vietnam. How were these stones sculpted to depict scenes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana and thousands of birds, plants, animals, deities, devatas and apsaras? How have these ancient monuments survived to this day without much damage though they were left to the elements for a thousand years! The silent faces of Bayon mock the achievements of modern science.

There is no better proof of the power of ancient wisdom, than a visit to the hundred temple complexes strewn across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Walking around these giant sculpture almost instils a sense of timelessness. One could easily be a villager of the 10th century, or a French explorer of the 15th century who accidentally stumbled into these pristine remnants of an ancient civilization. Dumbfounded, astounded, stupefied and awestruck, one lingers around these blocks of stone assembled painstakingly as a tribute to the elements. The most amazing fact about Angkor is that these temples have not only survived the ravages of time, fire, water, earth, plunderers, international smugglers, idol thieves and civil war but continues to exist as it did when it was built! This itself is a proof of divine intervention!

A view of Angkor Wat (top) with its reflection in water.

The author with Apsara dance troupe (above) at Angkor, (seven-headed Naga is in the background.)

The mysterious faces of Vishnu at Bayon.

More than the artistic beauty of the sculptures and the wildernesss around the temples, Angkor is a miracle in stone. As one climbs the steep step pyramids to get a bird's eye view of the dense forests or when one watches the sunset after climbing to the Bantay Samrey temple on top of the hill, one gets a feeling that these temples were constructed so that every visitor to these temples could experience the sights and sounds of nature.

The Tonle Sap lake is located near Angkor Wat and is a sanctuary to innumerable large water birds which

migrate from northern China in the months of December and January.

Many of these birds can be seen perched on the treetops that surround the temples. A few can be seen flying above the Siem Reap river which snakes its way through the forests that surround Angkor. So there is a good chance of sighting several threatened and endangered species of large water birds throughout your trip through Angkor.

The author is an intrepid Indian traveler, who lives in Ahmedabad and is author of books on ZeNLP.

TRAVEL

THE INDIAN PANORAMA FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2022

37

The temples of Angkor Wat Murli Menon started my journey from Ahmedabad and I flew to Bangkok via New Delhi and Bangkok to Phnom Penh. From Phnom Penh airport, I took a taxi to Phnom Penh Bus Station and boarded the bus to Battambang. From Battambang, I took the bus to Seam Reap. After a threehour bus ride through the lush green Cambodian countryside dotted with palm-fringed rice fields, the bus stopped at Ramdulatea village for lunch. As soon as we get down from the bus, hawkers selling everything from roasted peanuts to souvenirs descend on us in hordes. I bought steamed sweet vegan coconut rice pancakes and wrote my travel blog with my laptop while waiting for my fellow passengers to finish their three-course lunch.

Along the way, we passed The Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor Wat, which is a sanctuary for innumerable large water birds. They migrate from northern China in the months of December and January.

Many of these birds can be seen perched on the treetops that surround the temples.

A few can be seen flying above the Siem Reap river, which snakes its way through the forests that surround Angkor. So, there is a possibility of sighting several threatened and endangered species of large water-birds throughout your trip from Battambang to Angkor Wat. As I explored the temple complex at Bayon, I was perplexed by the mysterious smile on the face of Vishnu (God in Hinduism). The answers to the riddle of the construction of Angkor Wat has left scientists searching for answers.

Scientists are dumbstruck on the technology used by the kings of Angkor to haul thousands of stones weighing hundreds of tons and transport them over hundreds of kilometres across several cities stretching from Thailand to Vietnam. How were these stones sculpted to depict scenes from the Mahabharata (the longest and oldest epic poem), Ramayana (epic poem written in Sanskrit) and thousands of birds, plants, animals, deities (gods and goddesses), devatas and apsaras (supernatural women in mythology)? How have these ancient monuments survived to this day with minor damage, though these monuments were left to the elements for a thousand years? The silent faces of Bayon mock the achievements of modern science. There is no better proof of the power of ancient wisdom than a visit to the hundred temple complexes strewn across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

I reached Siem Reap and a motorbike taxi took me from the bus station to a family run guest house named Lay Lay guest house located 6 km away from Angkor. I went to bed early to prepare for the early morning two-hour trek to Angkor to see the sunrise at 6:00 a.m.

Motor taxi fares are negotiable and my bargaining skills stood me in good stead with these hard-core bargainers. Locals are quoted fares in Riels whereas foreigners are quoted in multiples of U. S. dollars (as there are no cents or riel coins in Cambodia).

Also, the fare quoted is for the return journey with a considerable amount of waiting time at the temples. Also, I got more time to explore the sculptures and

I

architecture inside the temple complexes.

The downside is that one has to walk the first kilometre to get the cheapest price.

However, one also can get free rides to Seam Reap from the locals who do not seem to mind giving a short lift to foreigners on their two-wheelers! I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to find the streets full of life. A procession of tourists was on the way to see the sandstone replica of "Mount Meru" bathed in molten gold. I got on the moped of a local villager, going to sell wooden carvings to the early birds, to reach Angkor.

Bayon is just one of the 60 temples that exist in the 50 km. radius around Seam Reap town. Some temples are located 50 km. away from Siem Reap. There are 50 more such treasure troves to discover during my fifteen-day stay at Seam Reap.

The most exciting part of going to Angkor Wat is to experience the architectural beauty of the temples combined with the beauty of nature. Several temples are viewed best before sunrise or sunset. This gives you an opportunity to enjoy the changing phases of the sun and also study the changing colours of the temples under various shades of light.

Some temples of Angkor have been purposely left exactly as the explorers found them. This is a good thing, as you can see the giant silver cotton trees growing throughout the temple and giving it a wild look. This also ensures you have to trek on foot through thick forests to enjoy the beauty of these

temples, which were abandoned to the elements. Even a cursory visit to all the major temple complexes of Angkor could take you almost three to four days. You can spend a considerable amount of time at the major temples if you stay at Angkor for at least seven days.

The more you spend time at Bayon, the more you wish to stay on because you would not only like to photograph each one of these enigmatic faces but would also like to catch it in different moods during the three twilights of the day. The most spectacular views are at mid-day and dusk.

It is a pleasure to watch the crimson rays of the sun reflected by the black stones as the sun sets. The other important feature of Bayon is that it is in the middle of thick forests and the sounds of the crickets reverberate throughout the day as the crickets get fooled by the semi-darkness that envelops these forests. In many places, the sun's rays cannot penetrate the forest floor because of the thick forest cover! After a tough day exploring the temples on foot, it is soothing to laze on the hammocks between the trunk of two gigantic trees, while listening to the shrill cries of the crickets. I closed my eyes and meditated on the binaural beats of the crickets under the giant trees which surround these giant temples.

Walking around these giant sculptures almost instils a sense of timelessness, since I could easily have been a villager of the 10th century or a French explorer of

the 15th century who accidentally stumbled into these pristine remnants of an ancient civilization. Dumbfounded, astounded, stupefied and awestruck, I stopped around these blocks of these stone assembled painstakingly as a tribute to the elements. The most amazing fact about Angkor is that these temples have not only survived the ravages of time, fire, water, earth, plunderers, international smugglers, idle thieves and civil war but continue to exist as it did when it was built! This itself is proof of divine intervention!

More than the artistic beauty of the sculptures and the wilderness around the temples, Angkor is a miracle in stone. As you climb the steep step pyramids to get a bird's-eye view of the dense forests or when you watch the sunset after climbing to the Banta Samrey temple on top of the hill, you get a feeling that these temples were constructed so that every visitor could experience the sights and sounds of nature. The energy aura of Bayon is incredibly powerful. As you enter the tiny caves bathed by the setting sun, inside the evergreen forests, a cool breeze blows across one's face and immediately puts one at ease. The sounds of the evergreen forest and the peaceful environs of Bayon make it an ideal place for meditation.

Meditating at Bayon before sunrise is a powerful experience. You can feel one's body, mind and soul being recharged with fresh energy! Every cell of one's body vibrates with a primordial power, which pervades this ancient site.

Every step inside the ancient complex of Bayon is not short of a miraculous experience. The sound of the rainforest pervades the temple. The chirping of birds and shrill cries of macaques rent the air and in the centre of the wilderness, stands a black pagoda (cult place) with giant sculpted faces! However, the effect of the first morning light on Bayon is an incredibly touching moment.

The most unbelievable part of the visit to Bayon is that the faces look different at different times of the day. Each face is worth a million pictures, and each picture speaks more than a million words. The language of stone defeats the language of man!

But despite the effect of the elements over a thousand years, only a few cracks show through some faces. A majority of the faces stand together as if assembled the previous day! The sandstone, dolomite and rock needed for the construction of these temples were quarried 30 km away on the banks of the Seam Reap River and transported to Bayon, sculpted and assembled there.

However, the immensity of this enormous accomplishment became apparent to me, as I tired of walking through the labyrinth of towers, each adorned with four identical faces. The emotions on the faces are clearly visible.

While the face of Shiva (his third eye is clearly seen) is grim, Vishnu is seen smiling, whereas the two faces of Brahma are neutral. The emotions on the faces symbolise creation, maintenance and destruction!

After watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat, it is time to move on to the giant faces of Bayon, which were abandoned centuries ago after the Siamese sacked Angkor.