Kravan Temple – History & Highlights

Prasat Kravan (Khmer: ប្រាសាទក្រវាន់) is a 10th-century temple constructed in the era of Harshavarman I (reign circa 910-922 AD) consisting of five brick towers. The temple was dedicated to Vishnu in 921 AD, according to the inscription. It’s a site that is often skipped, which is a shame, as the style of bas-relief carvings here are quite unique, as the only other brick temple with inner bas-reliefs (that survives today) in Cambodia would be Preaus Meas (Phnom Trap).

The temple is oriented to the east and surrounded by a small moat (often dry) and preceded by a terrace or the remnant of an entrance gopura and the base of a small satellite building opening to the west and facing the five towers.

The five towers are built atop a common terrace with the central tower being the tallest of all and the most complete of the group. Each tower had its own entrance steps which were all likely flanked by stone guardian lions, some of which remain in situ.

Focusing on the central tower, it features reliefs of Dvarapala flanking its east entrance above which you’ll see some of its original decorative reliefs. False doors are formed in the brickwork around its other sides. The tower rises up with at least four false levels reducing in size. On these false levels, if you look closely, you can see further relief carvings. The doorway is made from sandstone and features an inscription carved into its doorjambs, along with being flanked by ornately decorated columns and topped by a lintel depicting a series of horsemen in the lower foliage, an upper frieze of worshippers, with the remainder in decay. Inside, the stunning carvings are described further below.

As noted further below, the northmost tower also features inner reliefs while the other three towers are bare. The southern tower features the best-preserved lintel, featuring a depiction of Vishnu riding Garuda.

One tower features a pedestal flanked by sema stone, indicating the site may have been in use in the late/post-Angkor era under Theravada Buddhism also noting the building/terrace of which only its base remains on the southeast side (see last two pictures in the set below).

Inner Bas-reliefs

The bas-reliefs on the interior walls of the central tower are representations of Vishnu. There are three in all:

• Four-armed Vishnu sits astride his vehicle Garuda and holding the globe, the conch, the discus, and the baton.
• Four-armed Vishnu takes a large step. This image illustrates the story of Vishnu in his incarnation as Vamana the dwarf taking three great steps to reclaim the world from the asura Bali.
• Eight-armed Vishnu surrounded by hundreds of tiny devotees and surmounted by a crocodile or a lizard.

The interior walls of the northernmost tower feature a pair of bas-reliefs of Lakshmi

• a goddess holds the trident of Shiva and the discus of Vishnu.
• Lakshmi holding lotuses.

Visiting Prasat Kravan

Being so close to the road, and on flat ground, this is a quick and easy temple site to visit and its uniqueness and bas-reliefs make it very worthwhile. The site is open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm and you can spend 15-20 mins here or longer if you want to really geek out on the relief carvings. There is a drink stall at the entrance on the western side of the temple, and the temple is part of the Small Circuit. An Angkor Pass is required.

Historical Images

Images below are property of EFEO and more can be viewed at Fonds Cambodge

Inscriptions

• K. 269 – south jamb of the tower south of the central sanctuary – 13 lines of Khmer Text – IC IV, p. 74
• K. 270 – central tower doorjambs – Khmer + Sanskrit – IC IV, p. 68
• K. 271 – north tower doorjamb – Khmer – IC IV, p. 75

Below are the introductions to the three inscriptions produced by George Coedes in the 1930s

On K. 269

The inscription on this jamb in very poor condition has 13 lines in the Khmer language and begins with the same date as the others: 843 ç. (921 A.D.). It relates the erection, obviously in this tower, of the image of Tribhuvanasvāmin by Mratāň Khlon Gri Virendrādhi-pativarman. It then gives the nominal list of the workers in the service of this sanctuary.

On K.270

The southern jamb of the central sanctuary includes three distinct inscriptions:

1st a Sanskrit inscription of 2 lines (1 sragdharā), much later than the others, and whose writing does not seem to go back further than the 11th century, gives the elements of a date on which a princess named Harşalakşmi made a foundation;

2nd an inscription of 23 lines which is in turn broken down into three: a Khmer text of 2 lines mentioning the erection in this tower of the god Trailokyanātha by the Kamsteń Añ Çri Mahidhara- varman in 843 g. (921 A. D.); a Sanskrit text of 3 lines (1 sragdhara), giving the elements of the date of this erection, a Khmer text of 18 lines listing the servants of the temple with the indication of their functions;

3rd a 10-line Khmer inscription, dated 893 ç. (971 A.D.) mentioning gifts of workers by Çrl Mahidharavarman. It is this character who is responsible for the first inscription on the northern jamb, which has 25 lines and which lists the workers, coming from two places in the country of Sindūra, offered in 843 ç. (921 A.D.) to Trailokyanātha by Kamsteń Añ Çri Mahidharavarman. The second inscription, of which 16 more or less fragmentary lines remain, but which must have included more, names the workers given the same year to Trailokyanātha by Kamsteň Añ Çri Jayaviravarman.

On Jayaviravarman, a prince who would later reign in Angkor from 1002–1006 AD, see Vickery “The Reign of Süryavarman I and Royal Factionalism at Angkor”

On K. 271

The inscription on the southern jamb consists of 27 lines in Khmer, of the same type as the previous ones. It gives three lists of workers offered in 843 ç. (921 A.D.) by Kamsteń Añ Çrī Mahidharavarman, to the goddess Vrah Çri, who was to occupy this tower, decorated internally with images of Lakşmł. The first two lists include people from the country of Gamryań, the third people from a country whose name is lost.

The inscription on the north jamb is almost unusable. The remains of 21 lines giving a new list of workers can be seen, but the beginning which was to give the date and the name of the donor is entirely ruined. This shapeless text is not reproduced here.