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Ta
Prohm
The Ancestor Brahma (Jungle Temple )
Ta Prohm's state of ruin is a state
of beauty, which is investigated
with delight and left with regret.
Location: Ta Prohm is locating
southwest of the East Mebon and east
of Angkor Thom. Its outer enclosure
is near the corner of Banteay Kdei.
Access: Enter the monument from the
west and leave from the east
entrance.
Tip: Ta Prohm is especially serene
and beautiful in the early morning.
A torch and a compass are useful for
visiting this temple at all times.
It was built about mid-12th century
to early 13th century (1186) by the
King Jayavarman VII, dedicated to
the mother of the king (Buddhist)
replica to Bayon style of art.
Background
Ta Prohm is the undisputed capital
of the kingdom of the Trees'. It has
been left untouched by
archaeologists except for the
clearing of a path for visitors and
structural strengthening to stave of
further deterioration. Because of
its natural state, it is possible to
experience at this temple the wonder
of the early explorers when they
came upon these monuments in the
middle of the nineteenth century.
Shrouded in dense jungle the temple
of Ta Prohm is ethereal in aspect
and conjures up a romantic aura.
Fig, banyan and kapok trees spread
their gigantic roots over stones,
probing walls and terraces apart, as
their branches and leaves intertwine
to form a roof over the structures.
Trunks of trees twist amongst stone
pillars. The strange, haunted charm
of the place entwines itself about
you as you go, as inescapably as the
roots have wound themselves about
the walls and towers', wrote a
visitor 40 years ago.
A Sanskrit inscription on stone,
still in place, give details of the
temple. Ta Prohm 3,140 villages. It
took 79,365 people to maintain the
temple including 18 great priests,
2,740 officials, 2,202 assistants
and 615 dancers. Among the property
belonging to the temple was a set of
golden dishes weighing more than 500
kilograms, 35 diamonds, 40,620
pearls, 4,540 precious stones, 876
veils from China, 512 silk beds and
523 parasols. Even considering that
these numbers were probably
exaggerated to glorify the king, Ta
Prohm must have been an important
and impressive monument.
Layout
Ta Prohm is among the largest of the
monuments in the Angkor complex, the
in scrimption gives an idea of the
size of the temple. The complex
included 260 statues of gods, 39
towers with pinnacles and 566 groups
of residences. Ta Prohm comprises a
series of long low buildings
standing on one level, which are
enclosed by rectangular laterite
wall (600 by 1,000 meters, 1,959 by
3,281 feet). Only traces of the wall
are still visible. The center of the
monument is reached by a series of
towers connected with passages. This
arrangement forms a ' sort of sacred
way into the heart of the monument’;
three-square galleries enclose the
area.
Tip: Some areas of the temple are
impassable and others are accessible
only by narrow dark passages. It is
recommended to follow the plan with
a route and landmarks indicted or to
stay with a guide to avoid getting
lost.
The boundaries of the exterior wall
are recognizable on the west by a
stone entry tower in the shape of a
cross, with an upper portion in the
form of four faces, one looking
towards each of the cardinal points
(not shown on the plan). The
approach to the west entrance of the
temple is a path through the forest.
After about 350 meters (1,148 feet)
there is a stone terrace in the
shape of a cross. Remains of lions,
serpent balustrades and mythical
creatures lie scattered in the area.
Walk across the terrace to the
vestibule of the enclosing wall. The
view from this point is spectacular.
Every here around you, you see
nature n this dual role of destroyer
and consoler; strangling on the one
hand, and healing on the other; no
sooner splitting the carved stones
asunder than she dresses their
wounds with cool, velvety mosses,
and binds them with her most
delicate tendrils; a conflict of
moods so contradictory and feminine
as to prove once more if proof were
needed how well " Dame "Nature
merits her feminine title.
The next causeway with serpent
balustrades on each side leads to an
entry tower (1) in the first
enclosure around the temple. Inside,
on the right, niches along the inner
wall contain images of the Buddha.
Return to the center of the
vestibule, turn right and walk
through the courtyard to the annex
building at the right (2). Continue
walking straight through the series
of rooms and passages to a tower
(3). The relief on the horizontal
beam is a fine representation of a
scene from 'The Great Departure '
when the future. Buddha decides to
leave his father's palace to live
the life of a monk, the gods hold
the hoofs of his horse so those
sleeping in the palace are not
awakened. Return to the courtyard
and pass through an opening as
opening (4) in the wall of the
second enclosure (at the south end).
The roots of a tree grip the double
row of pillars in this gallery. Walk
to the center of the complex, turn
right and enter the entry tower (5)
of the third enclosing gallery. The
inner walls are decorated with
friezes of pendants, scrolls and
figures in niches. Turn right again
and walk into the central courtyard
(6) of the temple.
Central Sanctuary
Follow the plan and walk through the
Central Sanctuary, recognizable by
its undecorated interior. The stone
has hammered, presumably to apply a
coating probably of paint or gilt.
Evenly spaced ' holes in the wall
from floor to ceiling suggest a
covering of wood, stucco or metal.
Walk across the central courtyard
towards the left (northeast) and
through the door (7) of a gallery
that is framed by the roots of a
tree. Turn left and walk through a
dark passageway (8) and a courtyard
(9). Enter the aisle with pillars,
turn right, walk straight between
twin towers and to the right into a
very narrow passage which houses the
inscription (10) of the temple.
Return by the same passage, turn
right and continue straight, passing
through a vestibule (11). The false
doors on the north and south sides
of the large rectangular enclosure
with high walls are finely
decorated. There are four small
courts with galleries and pillars
(12). Ritual dances may have been
performed in this area.
Walk across the courtyard and into
the entry tower of the enclosing
wall, at the east entrance (13). It
is in the shape of a cross with
pillars on the interior, four wings
and two passages on the side. The
walls of these passages are
decorated with relief. To the left
there is a hall with pillars placed
close together (14). They probably
provided the base for a structure
built of wood. Beyond are small
rectangular cells (15), which
surround the exterior of Ta Prohm.
One leaves Ta Prohm by a path (400
meters, 1,32 feet long) leading to
the exterior enclosure where section
of the wall are visible.
So the temple is held in a
stranglehold of trees. Stone and
wood clasp each other in grim
hostility; yet all is silent and
still, without any visible movement
to indicate their struggle as if
they were wrestlers suddenly
petrified, struck motionless in the
middle of a fight, the rounds in
this battle were not measured by
minutes, but by centuries. |
