Banteay
Chhmar
Yet another “Lost" Jungle
temple.
Cambodia seems to be is full of
jungle temples; but Banteay Chhmar proved to one of the most exiting
of all! I knew of only a few people who have been there. They
had been spoken excitedly of this place; however: having seen
few photos and none in the rainy season, I wasn’t quite sure
of what to expect.
The route was very straightforward;
just 120kms along route 6 to Sissophon and turn right , north; for
60kms and the temple is quite close to the road. The Route 6 is
still a mess and awash east from Kralanh which added ½ hour to
the journey to Sissophon. We were all in need of food by then
eating in a small local café, opposite the Market. The café was
somewhat better than I might of expected; pretty clean and modern on
a row of concrete shop houses. The Shop owner told us that it would
take an hour to Banteay Chhmar on a good road.
Leaving the town with a certain
amount of scepticism we set off on a good tarmac road north Nigel
noticed what look to be scarecrows near the entrance to many houses;
these are a local tradition to guard the
houses against bad spirits! The Figure below looks as though it has
run into a tree!
The
Moat Dharmasala or rest house
Banteay Chhmar is surrounded by a
wide moat comparable in scale and size to that of Angkor Thom. The
cluster of houses alongside was reminiscent of the Village of Beng
Mealea as the location looks very similar.
Guarded to two concrete replicas of
gods heads the a short causeway led to the entrance which was on
the East side of the temple. The remains of a balustrade at one
time was lined with gods and Demons; but now only two replicas
remain. At the entrance a small building was decorated with finely
carved Apsara dancers. The families of The Army officers at the
nearby barracks collected a $5 admission fee.
We entered a cleared green area with
a new white Buddha shrine ahead. To the right a dilapidated but
reasonably intact Dharmasala or rest house. The roof looked ready to
collapse but was an illusion due to the concave arch of the
corbelled roof.
The partially overgrown
Eastern entrance
A few tens of metres away; the outer
wall partially hidden amongst trees gave no indication of the
spectacular sights within. A partially overgrown and rubble strewn
and precarious arch, defied gravity. The green canyons between the
high walls. Were strewn with rubble and choked with vegetation.
Weak shafts of sunlight caressed the stones and illuminated the
lush green vegetation. Every step gave yet another fabulous
composition.
Looking ahead another gateway with a
finely carved lintel beached the wall. Beyond here the sight of the
fabulous Bayon style towers with faces of the Bodhisattvas among the
trees just took my breath away.
In all my temple visits I have never
felt such a feeling of euphoria and sheer delight at this place.
Beng Mealea meets Ta Prohm and The Bayon in this stunning jungle
setting.
If any Jungle Temple could
justify being called such; then Banteay Chhmar has just knocked Beng
Mealea of that ultimate Jungle Temple Pedestal!
Some
of the many towers with enclosure walls in the distance
Climbing up on the walls and on some
of the lower corbelled roofs gave the most spectacular views between
the huge trees of the concentric walls with the emerald vegetation
below. A small Group of kids from the Army Camp followed us around
enthusiastically pointing out some of the Buddha figures and
Apsaras.
Standing on a roof, one of the boys
showed me to magnificent Buddha group virtually under my feet. At
the west gate are two remaining carvings of Vishnu; one with 32
arms, there were originally 8 of these figures , but in 1999 a
section of wall containing these figures were dismantled and carted
off in a convoy of trucks, where they were apprehended near the Thai
Border.
