Angkor
Thom, the capital of the new empire founded by Jayavarman VII was
built at the end of the 12th century.
The city was surrounded by a moat and huge gates
led to the city. It is a heritage site now which houses the famous
Bayon Temple, Elephant Terrace, the terrace of the leper king.
Jayavarman VII was the first Angkor King to follow
Buddhism. He built the Bayon temple at the centre of the city as a
symbol of Mt. Sumeru the centre of the world in the Buddhist
cosmology. Bayon is a Mahayana Buddhist temple. Battles between the
Khmer forces and Cham are depicted in the bas reliefs in the first
gallery of the temple. Scenes from day-to-day life are also engraved
there. A causeway leading to the temple is decorated on both sides
with giant statues holding nagas in their hands.
The
entrance tower is 200 mt high and Bodhisattvas’ faces, sculpted on all
the four sides of the tower, are about 3 mt in height. The Bayon
temple has 54 towers and the faces of Avaloketshwara are carved on all
the four sides. The face of Avaloketshwara seem to take on different
expressions with the changing light of sunset: looking gentle,
compassionate and sad. The temple is a repository of information about
the life and times of Jayavarman VII.
Bayon temple looks like a pyramid gradually rising
up to 45 mt in height. Bayon is unique among all the Angkor temples
and it is alluring and mystifying.
The
battle scenes are so realistic that the warriors with spears and
shields seem to attack us. On the western side of the Bayon temple is
a Buddhist monastery where the monks conduct religious ceremonies
regularly.
The Bayon temple is perhaps the enigmatic of all
the temples built by Jayavarman VII and postdates Angkor temples by
100 years.
I was spellbound viewing the stone heads which gaze
from all directions.
Angkor
Thom, the capital of the new empire founded by Jayavarman VII was
built at the end of the 12th century. 
The
entrance tower is 200 mt high and Bodhisattvas’ faces, sculpted on all
the four sides of the tower, are about 3 mt in height. The Bayon
temple has 54 towers and the faces of Avaloketshwara are carved on all
the four sides. The face of Avaloketshwara seem to take on different
expressions with the changing light of sunset: looking gentle,
compassionate and sad. The temple is a repository of information about
the life and times of Jayavarman VII.
The
battle scenes are so realistic that the warriors with spears and
shields seem to attack us. On the western side of the Bayon temple is
a Buddhist monastery where the monks conduct religious ceremonies
regularly.
