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http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/thelostcityofangkorwatthemysteriesofagreatasiancivilisation

TheLostCityofAngkorWat&theMysteriesofaGreatAsian
Civilisation
davidjones

ByWALTERMASON
AngkorWatisavaststonetempleattheheartofanancientstone
city.Butattheendsofitscorridorsandthecentresofitshidden
roomsliesurprisingBuddhistshrinesstillactiveinaplace
abandonedforhundredsofyears.TheseBuddhiststatuesare
imposters,hastylateadditionstoareligiousbuildingconstructedto
accommodatethemythsandritualsofHinduism.
Theyaresplendidstill,somedrapedincongruouslyinnewand
garishorangerobes,thepolyesterglowingharshagainstthecool,
oldstone.Theyarealive,thrivingonthecenturiesofmystical
memorythatmakeAngkorWatoneofthemostfascinatingand
mysteriousplacesonEarth.Amongtheseancientreligiousruins
therestillexistsaliving,beatingheartofspiritualitythathas
survivedalmost1,000years.Imaginetheincrediblespiritualpower
thatexistsinsuchaplace.
ThesedaysthereveredKingofCambodia,forwhoseancestors
theancienttemplesatAngkorwerebuilt,livesinhisofficial
residencerightinthecentreofPhnomPenh,thecapitalcityof
Cambodia.Ioftenwonderifhethinksaboutwhatitwouldbeliketo
liveatthatotherplace.AngkorWatwouldbeuninhabitable,of
course,foranymodernheadofstate.Butitspresencemustplayinthekingsheartandmind,remindinghim
thathiswasoneofthegreatestofthelostcivilisations,andnowstillthelargeststandingstonereligious
structureintheworld.
AngkorWatwasbuiltovera30yearperiodbeginningin1113.Itwasaroyalpalace,templeandeventually
tombforagodkingandthehundredsofwomenwhoattendedhim.Thefivefamouslotusbudtowersstillrise
abovetheflattenedlandscapesocharacteristicofCambodia,thecentralonecontainingtheholiestofshrines
onceattendedonlybytheKinghimself.
Thoughitwaslosttotheworldforcenturies,rumoursofthisgreatcomplexwouldpopupoccasionallyin
Europe,principallyintheaccountsofSpanishandparticularlyPortugueseCatholicmissionarieswhowould
periodicallystumbleupontheplace.Ofcourse,whenyougotoAngkorWatnowyouaremorelikelytosee
hundredsofChineseandKoreantouristsonpackageholidays.Itismorethancompensatingforitscenturiesof
obscurity.
Ithastantalisedthepopularimagination,periodicallyslippingfromthecollectivememory,onlytobediscovered
andcelebratedoveragain.AngkorWatwasonceagainrediscoveredbytheWestin1860byFrench

ProtestantnaturalistHenriMouhot,whobecameitsgreatpublicistandcreatedavogueforCambodiaandfor
Angkorinparticular.Thisrediscoveryverynearlydestroyeditbycreatingamarketfortheexquisitesculpture
thatwaslitteredallthroughthejunglewhichcoveredthecomplex.
WritersandaristocratictravellerslikeSomersetMaughamandtheeccentricSitwellstravelledtoAngkorinthe
1930s,40sand50s.MaughamthoughtthateveryoneshouldseeAngkoroncebeforetheydie.Theywere
charmedbyAngkorWatanditssurroundingreservoirsandcanals.Itremindedthemofanorientalversionof
thePalaceatVersailles,thoughitfarsurpassedVersaillesinscale.
Thetemplehasbeenplunderedoverthecenturies,andmuchofitsbeststatuaryisnowincollectionsallover
theworld,aswellasinplacesliketheNationalMuseumofCambodiaanastoundinginstitutionprobablyone
ofthebestintheworldinanexquisitelydesignedbuilding.Thegroundsofthemuseumalsohousea
UniversityofFineArtsandaCollegeofTraditionalPerformingArts.Itisinthismuseumthatyouwillseethe
bestsculptureoftheAngkorperiod.Cambodianreligiousartissimplythebestintheworld,therefinedand
beautifulBuddhaheadsbecomingsuchiconicitemsthattheyarereproducednowincementandresinand
foundingardensandoncoffeetablesacrosstheworld.Tocomefacetofacewiththemintheiroriginalstone
gloryisreallyquiteexceptional.
AngkorWatwasnotconstructedasaBuddhisttemple.Itrepresentsanextraordinarymomentinreligious
historywhereanancientcivilisationshiftedfromHinduismtoMahayanaBuddhismandlatertothemore
deliberatelyprimitiveformofTheravadaBuddhism,whichitcontinuestopractisetoday.

TheKing&HisWives
ThestonetemplesatAngkorarecoveredwithintricatecarvingsofwomen.Thedancing,flyingandsinging
angelscalledapsarasandthemoresubstantialandsensuousgoddessesordevadattas.Theylookoutatyou
fromeverywallandfromeverycolumn.KentDavis,writingintherecentbookToCambodiaWithLove(Andy
Brouwered.),claimsthatthereare1,850womencarvedintothestoneatAngkorWatalone,makingthemthe
realsubjectofthetemple,crowdingouttheimageandideaofVishnu,towhomtheplaceismeanttobe
dedicated.ForAngkorwasacityofwomen.Thetempleswereallowedtohouseonlywomen,apartfromthe
godkinghimself.
Hehadhundredsofwives,plusattendantsandstaffandthesacredcourtmusiciansanddancers.Hewasalso
attendedbyanallfemalebodyguard,apicturesquepoliceforcethatmadequiteanimpressionwhenhe
paradedamongsthispeopleoutsidethetemplewalls,standingonthebackofanelephant.Itissaidthatthese
carvingsareinfactportraitsoftheverywomenwholivedhere,andcertainlyeachisdifferentandquiteunique.
Theyareimbuedwithclothingandjewelleryandattitudesthatarequiteindividual.Andthefacesarestillquite
recognisablythoseofthewomenyoumeetoutsideonthestreetsof21stcenturySiemReap.Itsthemost
extraordinarycommunicationacrossthecenturies.
TheKingandhiswomenwalkedthroughthesegalleriesandcloisters,attendingtoaparticularreligiouscultthat
wassaidtobetheverypurposeoftheKhmerpeople.DuringtheAngkorianempirewhenthisplacewasthe
centreofavastcityofoveramillionpeopletheKingdomextendeditsruleoverhugeareasofsoutheast
Asia,overthewholeoftheMekongDelta,Laos,Burma,ThailandandMalaysia.WhatssoeerieaboutAngkor
Watnowisthatitstandsalone,withnoneoftheimmensewoodencitywhichoncesurroundedit.Allwehave
leftarethestonecloisters,galleriesandtemplesthatservedtheempiresreligiouspurpose.Thereisnorecord
anymoreoftheplaceswherepeopleactuallylivedandpursuedtheireverydaylives.Justconstant,monolithic
stonestructuresdedicatedtoapurelyreligiouspurpose.

Andintothesestructuresarecarvedreligiousiconography,andoutofitarecarvedthemostsensuousandalive
statuesGarudas,Bodhisattvas,theNaga.ThisNaga,thesnakeking,wasthespecialprotectorofthe
Angkorianempire,andhishooded,cobralikeimage,bearingseven,nineorelevenheads,isstillthereinthe
antiquestone,emergingattheendofstairwaysonbalustrades,loomingupatthevisitorinanattitudeboth
threateningandmajestic.EacheveningtheKingofAngkorhadtoascendtothetempleatthesummitofthe
complexandspendthenightwithhisonlytruewife,theQueenofSerpents.ThisisthecentraltowerofAngkor
Wat,withawell120feetdeep,itsbottomscatteredwithsacredgoldenobjects.Hewaslockedintotheholiest
ofshrineseachnightofhislifetoconsummatethissupernaturalrelationship.IftheQueenofSerpentswerenot
toappear,theKingwasdoomedtodiethenextday.AndiftheKingdidntappearthentheKhmerkingdom
wouldbedestroyedandtheworldwouldend.
ThiswasthemythologyoftheKhmerpeople,andthereasonbehindtheirgreatstonecity.Theysaw
themselvesasthecreatorsofhumanity,andthekeepersofhumanityssecrets.Thecontinuedexistenceofthe
wholeworld,theybelieved,reliedonthereligiousdutiesoftheKhmerKing.Thismythologycontinueseveninto
thepresentday,witharealconvictionamongsttheKhmerpeoplethatwhoevercouldbuildAngkorWatmust
stillbepossessedofextraordinarytalents.Thisconvictionhasfedintosomeofthemoreunfortunatemoments
ofrecentCambodianhistory,withthegenocidalbutcherPolPotemployingthisimagerytojustifyhissavagery
andhislunaticambitions.
Theholygroundsurroundingtheancientandmysterious(andfundamentallyHindu)AngkorWathasbeen
colonisedbythemoremodernBuddhists,recognisingthespecialsignificanceofthisamazingplace.Indeed,
almostfromthedayitwasdesertedasthecentreofroyalpower,thecityofAngkorbecameaplaceof
pilgrimagefortheBuddhistsofCambodia,thoughcenturybycenturyitfellintofurtherdisrepair.
Thesedaysinthesurroundingareasyoucanhaveyourpalmread,makeofferingstoBuddhistmonksandhave
thespecialblessedredthreadtiedaroundyourwrists,andalloftheseactivitieshaveanespecialsignificance
onthehallowedgroundofAngkor.Wizenedoldwomenperformedthethreadtyingceremonyonmeandmy
partner,andthesethreadsstayedaroundourwristsforalmostayear,somethingwetookasanauspiciousand
remarkablesigntheynormallyonlylastforamonthortwo.AttestingaswelltoAngkorWatsHinduheritageis
thepresenceofshrinestothesacredcowatvariouspointsaroundthecity.Theseshrinesarestillrecognised
asholybythelocalpeople,thoughtheyhavenorealunderstandingofwhythisisso,andCambodianBuddhist
culturehasnotaboossurroundingtheeatingofcows.

TheAmazingConstructionoftheTemple
Sowhobuilttheplace?ThekingSuryavarmanthe2ndbuiltAngkorWatasaHindutemplededicatedtoVishnu,
inarecreationofthemythicalHolyMountainofMeru.HewassaidtobethedescendantofanintrepidHindu
familythathadmanagedtoconquervastswathesofAsia.ThisincludedtheislandofJava,wherearelative
builttheextraordinarytempleofBorobudur,anotherevocationofMountMeru,thoughonfarlessgrandascale
thanAngkor.ThegloryoftheAngkorWatperiodwasshortlived.Havingbeencompletedin1150,itwassacked
bythesisterHinduKingdomofChaminmoderndayCentralVietnamin1177.Inthenineteenthcentury,
whenHenriMouhotaskedthelocalshowitwasbuilttheywereasmystifiedaboutitsoriginsashewas.They
suggestedthatitwasselfcreated,somehowemergingentirelyperfectfromthejunglefloor.Atthispointin
historytheCambodianpeoplehadforgottenthegreatnessoftheirempire.Someothersthoughtthatithadbeen
createdthroughmagicalinterventionthatsuchafeatofconstructionwasimpossiblegiventhetechnologyof
thetime.
MaverickhistorianGrahamHancockbelievesthetemplesmirrortheconstellationDracoasitwouldhavebeen
seensome12,000yearsago,sothattheyinfactmapoutanevenmoreancientandperhapseven

extraterrestrialsetofastronomicalrecords.ManyhavehintedthatAngkorcontainswisdomthatisAtlanteanin
itsorigins.Thelostcivilisationarchetypeisatitsmostpowerfulinthisplacebecauseitprovidessuchsolidand
inexplicableevidenceoftechnology,sophisticationandarchitecturalcomplexityseeminglyoutofitstime.Itisno
accidentthatitcallstosomanypeoplefromacrosstheworld.Angkorisapointofpower,andtobeamongstit
istofeelaconnectionthatcannotbedescribedordefined.
Othersstillwonderedifitwasconstructedbyaprehistoricraceofgiantswhoembodiedtheperfectionofthe
Khmernation.Thislasttheorystillhassomecurrencytoday,withoneofmysmartyounguniversityeducated
friendsinPhnomPenhconfessingtomethathewassuretheKhmerhadoncebeengiants.Giantsand
demonsmakeupthebalustradesofthestonebridgesinAngkor,representingtheactofthechurningofthe
oceanofmilk,thefundamentalcreationmythofHinduism,andacentralideabehindthearchitectureofAngkor
Wat.
Thetemplesaresurroundedbystillfunctioningreservoirs,artificiallakesandornamentalpools.Theseserved,
notapracticalpurposeastheearliestFrencharchaeologistssupposed,butareligiousandsymbolicpurpose.
AustralianCambodiaexpertMiltonOsborneexplainsitbestinhisbookTheMekong:Symbolically,thewater
thatsurroundedthetemplesrepresentedtheseasoftheHinduuniverse,justasthetowersofthetemples
wereevocationsofMountMeru,thesacredmountainatthecentreoftheuniverse.Suchincrediblecomplexity
existsinthisantiquecityscape.Theaveragetouristisalmostentirelyunawareofthesacredintentoftheground
onwhichtheywander.
Asmightbeexpectedinsuchanancient,mysteriousandpalpablyspiritualplace,thereismuchtalkof
propheciesfoundetchedinthestonesofAngkor.Monksandmagiciansareallprivytothesetales,allofwhich
hingeonthedestructionofCambodiaandtheeventualreturntopoweroftheKhmerontheglobalstage.The
propheciesarequitespookyintheirprescience,thoughperhapstheyspeakmoretotheagonyofapowerless
andimpoverishednationdestroyedbywarandinternalconflict.Certainlytheyaresharedatdrunkengatherings
ofmenalloverCambodia.ItiswritteninAngkor,theysayonedayweshallbegreatagain.
ThemanwhorestoredtheAngkorianempiretogreatnesswasJayavarmanthe7th,descendentofthemanwho
constructedAngkorWat.HeledCambodiaduringitsverybriefperiodinthesunandremainsagreatherotothe
Cambodianpeople,theepitomeoftheGodKing.Heissomuchstillreveredthattheyaremakinganewmovie
abouthimfeaturingKhmermartialartsandamuscularmoviestarplayingtheking.Therealtruthisprobably
Jayavarmanthe7thwasareclusewhorarelylefthisTempleatBayonandwassaidtohaveleprosy.
NonethelessheseemstohavebeenastrongandcapableleaderandhegotridoftheinvadingChamsin1181.
ThatswhenhebuilttheenigmaticBayonTemple,whichhashisownfacecarvedintodozensoftowers
scatteredatrandomaroundthetemple.TheKingrenderedhimself,notjustasthesupremerulerand
representativeoftheGodhead,butalsoastheBodhisattvaLokesvara,therebycombininginhispersonthe
multiplereligiouscurrentsoftheKhmer.Thereissomething,aswell,supremelyhumanintheseheads,so
perfectlyrecreatedthroughoutthecomplex.Thefulllipsandplumpcheeksarebeautiful,andspeakof
gentlenessratherthanfear,ofcontemplationratherthanexertion.Iamalwaysdelightedtobeinthepresence
ofthisenormouscosmicfriend,nomatterhowmanyhundredelderlyKoreanladiesmightbepushingpastme
inthehotsun.Thatistheconnectionbetweentherulerandhispeopleperhapsallpeople.Werespondto
majesty,andrecogniseitspresenceanditsguidinghand,evenacrossthedivisionofages.
Afterhediedin1218theKhmerEmpirebeganitsslowandsaddecline,fromwhichitisonlynowbeginningto
rescueitself.Fromthe17thcenturytheKhmerempirebegantospiraldownward,cedingvastamountsof
territorytoThailandandVietnamincludingthewholeofwhatwenowknowasSouthernVietnam,including
thecityofSaigon,whichtheKhmercalledPreyNakor(andstilldo,ifyouaskthem).In1865Cambodiabecame

aFrenchprotectorate.

TheLegacyoftheKhmerEmpire
TheKhmerempireisresponsibleforsomuchofwhatwerecogniseassoutheastAsiancultureincluding
manyofthethingswenormallyattributetoThailand,suchasThaiboxing,Thaidancing,eventheThaiscriptis
derivedfromKhmer,whichwasitselfderivedfromSanskrit.ThetraditionalstoryoftheRamayanathough
considerablychangedinitsCambodianversioniscarvedonkilometresofstonepanelsinAngkorWat,saidto
containeighteentotwentythousandcarvedfigures.Thewomenofthetemplespentmuchoftheirtimere
creatingthestoriesinsacreddance.Thisdancehassurvived,quitemiraculously,throughitscontinuousroyal
patronage,andthesedaysisperformedonceagainontheterracesofthetemplesofAngkor.
Cambodiaisstillaverypoorplace.IthassufferedtheeffectsofwarandthedisastrousKhmerRougeyears.
AngkorWatisitsjewel,gloriousandmajesticstill,andtheKhmerpeoplearejustlyproudofit.Inour
enthusiasmforthisancientsiteitsimportantthatwenotglamorisethepovertythatstillblightsthenationor,
moresubtlestill,spiritualiseit.TheCambodianpeoplestruggletoexist,anditsacountryofimmensepoverty
andinjustice.Butthereexistsaswellagreatcontinuedinterestinthetraditionalarts,theartsthatyoucansee
beingpracticedonthe900yearoldcarvedstonesofAngkor.
AndAngkorWatisnolongerthecentreofpoliticalpowerinmodernCambodia.ThecapitalcityisPhnomPenh,
315kilometrestothesoutheast.Interestinglyenough,PhnomPenhhasitsownspiritualandmysticalrootsin
Angkor.Thecitywassaidtohavebeenfoundedbyanelderlywomanwho,scavengingforfirewoodinthe
debriswashedupbyarecentflood,splitalogandfoundinitshollowfivereligiousstatuesfourstone
BuddhasandonebronzeVishnu.TheyhadcomefromAngkor,magicallytransportedinthefloodwaters.The
woman,calledPenh,decidedtohavethemenshrinedonahill(PhnominKhmer)onherpropertyaround1372.
AroundthisgrewthecityofPhnomPenh,eventuallythenewheartoftheKhmerkingdom.Butatitsverycentre
remainsthespiritualenergyofAngkor.
ThetemplesoftheAngkorareaarestillaliveaspointsofworshipandpilgrimage.Theyhaveseensucha
strangeshiftoverthecenturiesasHindutemples,thenMahayanaBuddhisttemples,thenTheravada
Buddhisttemples,andfinallyasshrinestothetouristdollar.Theywillsurvivethis,too,andtheirstoneswill
continuetospeaktopeopleathousandyearsafterwehavegone.
CheckoutWalterMasonsnewarticleinthelatestissueofNewDawn(JanFeb2014).

Ifyouappreciatedthisarticle,pleaseconsideradigitalsubscriptiontoNewDawn.

WALTERMASONisanacademicandwriterwithalongstandinginterestinmeditation,prayer
andothercontemplativepractices.WalterhastravelledextensivelythroughoutAsia,andhas
spentlongperiodsstudyingBuddhismandmeditationinVietnam,Thailand,Taiwanand
Cambodia.HisfirstbookDestinationSaigonwasnamedoneofthetenbesttravelbooksof2010
bytheSydneyMorningHerald.HislatestbookisDestinationCambodia.Hiswebsiteis
www.waltermason.com.

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