Temples of ANGKOR

It was 5 am (my eyes weren't used to be alert at this hour ) whe my TUK-TUK entered a thick dark jungle.I felt after missing out on sunrise for 20 years I will finally waste it in this jungle.

As i got down all i could see was a bridge and a wall 300 meters away .Confused and dejected i followed the voices which suggested a big crowd.Beyond the bridge  across the water body was the huge wall.As we ( voices and i) crossed the wall we got to a lake.As minutes passed by  the sky turned crimson. Most noticeable was the lotus in the lake.Next to the lotus was a reflection . As I raised my eyes I saw a silhouette. A grand imposing structure blocking the light. I realized the grandeur of Angkor Vat . The feeling of belittlement was similar to the feeling you get on a deserted beach .While the Sea is god's creation this was possibly made by Mortals.

As the sun tried to peek through this grandiose structure, I noticed not only was it grand but also the beauty of the fine work . I have never witnessed a sunrise with thousands of people around me .Surprisingly it was very quite ,perhaps they were as mesmerized as I was.

The temple’s design represents Mount Meru (abode of lord Brahma), a place which Hindus consider to be home of the gods. The gods reside at the top – the main dome. The other eight domes represent the peaks of the mountain around Meru. Artistically the domes also resemble lotus buds,thus providing a fitting backdrop  to the lotus buds in the lake. The moats represent the ocean around it. 

Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century in over 30 years. King Suryavarman II, dedicated it  to Vishnu (Hindu god).The 200 acre wonder is surrounded by a rectangular moat. The moat is 200 m wide and cover  5km.(http://natgeotv.com/uk/ancient-megastructures/videos/angkor-wat-the-moat-explained)

As we went inside to explore the Angkor we realized the beauty and enigma of ANGKOR is only limited by our capability to explore.One can spend a lifetime exploring the temples of Angkor from the city of Angkor thom to the Ta Prohm ( showcased in Angelina jolie's tomb raider )I saw what i could but i knew underneath this jungle lies a footprint of a civilization what was unfathomable before French explorer Henri Mahout stumbled across this staggering collection of temples in 1860.Right here was a civilization that was once the cultural and economic capital of the world.

Every Cambodian is a proud descendant of Angkor, while the wealth has left the culture and pride is still there.Angkor is an everlasting symbol of strength and prosperity . A ray of hope in these troubled times.It motivates them to reclaim their glorious place again .

As for a traveler , best way to experience Angkor is in a hot air balloon because only then will you experience its true splendor.

Cambodia -

 

                                                                                                                               DEC 2010

As I sat on a crowded yet comfortable train, crossing the green fields of rural Thailand.I set out  to travel across this very unknown  country, i did not know what to expect.For most travelers ,Cambodia is only about Angkor Vat , however I wanted to see the Cambodia of today .I wanted to experience how people there live in 21st century rather than in the past .To accomplish this i traveled in three different modes of transportation ( train, bus , boat) and met people from diverse ages and professions.
Like anyone with limited knowledge of country the following questions intrigued me

Walking in Cambodia why don't you ever see an old man ? Why is Cambodia the human trafficking capital of the world ?

From the glorious days of the Angkor empire to the most repressive regimes of POL POT, Cambodians have seen it all .As they recover,rebuild and reunite they maintain a tight balance between nationalistic pride and still be wary off the fanatic excessive nationalistic emotions that bought POL POT to power.
While the temples of Angkor are preserved as a reminemscence of the Golden age of Kampuchea , the killing fields are preserved to remember the lost generation of Cambodia. Angkor makes a Cambodian proud while the killing fields remind him not to take the freedom for granted .
In short it is its history that defines the path to its future.This is the inherent conundrum called Cambodia.

While Cambodia might have been lost among its better marketed  tourist locations like Malaysia , Thailand but if you want to experience life in its most virgin form and rediscover yourself Cambodia is the place to be .

The four short stories that describe my experiences in Cambodia are in subsequent posts.

Temples of Angkor
Kids of ANGKOR-The Floating village
Killing fields
Good morning Pnom Phen

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” 
― Ernest Hemingway

The posts here are my feeble attempts to document the amazing experiences i have had while travelling to diverse parts of the world.
Its with great reluctance i am putting these posts up as unintentionally some of the stuff might be offensive to a few people.
Most of them have been written a while back , when i traveled to these amazing places.Only recently i deemed it fit to transfer them from my diary.I would be putting a time stamp to indicate the original date .