Preah Vihear Temple

Preah Vihear Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ Prasat Preah Vihear) is an ancient Hindu temple built during the period of the Khmer Empire, that is situated atop a 525-metre (1,722 ft) cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, in the Preah Vihear province, Cambodia. In 1962, following a lengthy dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over ownership, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague ruled that the temple is in Cambodia.Affording a view for many kilometers across a plain, Prasat Preah Vihear has the most spectacular setting of all the temples built during the six-centuries-long Khmer Empire. As a key edifice of the empire’s spiritual life, it was supported and modified by successive kings and so bears elements of several architectural styles. Preah Vihear is unusual among Khmer temples in being constructed along a long north-south axis, rather than having the conventional rectangular plan with orientation toward the east. The temple gives its name to Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, in which it is now located, as well as the Khao Phra Wihan National Park which borders it in Thailand’s Sisaket province and through which the temple is most easily accessible. On July 7, 2008, Preah Vihear was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Location
The temple was built at the top of Poy Tadi, a steep cliff in the Dângrêk Mountain range which is the natural border between Cambodia and Thailand. The Temple is currently listed by Cambodia as being in Svay Chrum Village, Kan Tout Commune, in Choam Khsant District of Preah Vihear Province of northern Cambodia. The temple is 140 km from Angkor Wat and 625 km from Phnom Penh. The Temple was listed by Thailand as being in Bhumsrol village of Bueng Malu sub-district (now merged with Sao Thong Chai sub-district), in Kantharalak district of the Sisaket Province of eastern Thailand. It is 110 km from the Mueang Sisaket District, the center of Sisaket Province. In 1962 the ICJ ruled that only the temple building belonged to Cambodia, while the direct way to access the temple is from Thailand.

Ancient history
Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century; both then and in the following centuries it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. The earliest surviving parts of the temple, however, date from the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century, when the empire’s capital was at the city of that name. Today, elements of the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century can be seen, but most of the temple was constructed during the reigns of the Khmer kings Suryavarman I (1006–1050) and Suryavarman II (1113–1150). An inscription found at the temple provides a detailed account of Suryavarman II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants, to his spiritual advisor, the aged Brahmin Divakarapandita. The Brahmin himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, donating to it a golden statue of a dancing Shiva known as Nataraja. In the wake of the decline of Hinduism in the region the site was converted to use by Buddhists.

Nomenclature
Prasat Preah Vihear is the compound of words Prasat, Preah and Vihear, which mean the “religious offering of sacred shrine”. In Sanskrit, Prasat (प्रसाद) (ប្រាសាទ) means “religious offering” which could even be taken as synonym of “temple” in this context, Preah (ព្រះ) mean “sacred” or “beloved”, and “Vihear” (វិហារ) from the Sanskrit word Vihara (विहार) means “abode” or “shrine” (the central structure of the temple).In Khmer, “phnom” (ភ្នំ) means mountain, and Cambodians occasionally refer to it as “Phnom Preah Vihear” (ភ្នំព្រះវិហារ).These versions of the name carry significant political and national connotations (see below: New dispute over ownership).

The site
The temple complex runs 800 m (2,600 ft) along a north-south axis facing the plains to the north, from which it is now cut off by the international border. It consists essentially of a causeway and steps rising up the hill towards the sanctuary, which sits on the clifftop at the southern end of the complex (120 m or 390 ft above the northern end of the complex, 525 m or 1,722 ft above the Cambodian plain and 625 m or 2,051 ft above sea level). Although this structure is very different from the temple mountains found at Angkor, it serves the same purpose as a stylised representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods. The approach to the sanctuary is punctuated by five gopuras (these are conventionally numbered from the sanctuary outwards, so gopura five is the first to be reached by visitors). Each of the gopuras before the courtyards is reached by a set of steps, and so marks a change in height which increases their impact. The gopuras also block a visitor’s view of the next part of the temple until they pass through the gateway, making it impossible to see the complex as a whole from any one point. The fifth gopura, in the Koh Ker style, retains traces of the red paint with which it was once decorated, although the tiled roof has now disappeared. The fourth gopura is later, from the Khleang/Baphuon periods, and has on its southern outer pediment, “one of the masterpieces of Preah Vihear” (Freeman, p. 162): a depiction of the Churning of the Sea of Milk. The third is the largest and is also flanked by two halls. The sanctuary is reached via two successive courtyards, in the outer of which are two libraries.

Modern history and ownership dispute

In modern times, Prasat Preah Vihear was rediscovered by the outside world and became subject of an emotional dispute between Thailand and the newly independent Cambodia. After several court cases over several years, Cambodia formally took possession in 1963. Disputes of land ownership surrounding the temple continued until an International Court of Justice ruling in 2013 formed a resolution between the two countries.

Civil war
Civil war began in Cambodia in 1970; the temple’s location high atop a cliff served to make it readily defensible militarily. Soldiers loyal to the Lon Nol government in Phnom Penh continued to hold it long after the plain below fell to communist forces. The Khmer Rouge made several unsuccessful attempts to capture the temple, then finally succeeded on May 22, 1975 by shelling the cliff, scaling it and routing the defenders. It was said to be the last place in Cambodia to fall to the Khmer Rouge. Full-scale war began again in Cambodia in December 1978 when the Vietnamese army invaded to overthrow the Khmer Rouge. Khmer Rouge troops retreated to border areas. In December 1998, the temple was the scene of negotiations by which several hundred Khmer Rouge soldiers, said to be the guerrilla movement’s last significant force, agreed to surrender to the Phnom Penh government.

Inscriptions
Several inscriptions have been found at Preah Vihear, the most interesting of which are summarised here.

K.383 Known as the Stele of Preah Vihear or Stele of the Divakara, this inscription was written in Sanskrit and Khmer probably between 1119 and 1121. It narrates, by order of Suryavarman II, life of royal guru Divakara and how he served under five Khmer king (Udayadiyavarman II, Harshavarman III, Jayavarman VI, Dharanindravarman I and Suryaman II, who entrusted him with many gifts, both for himself and to be donated on their behalf to temples. between the first and second decade of the 12th century, Divakara was asked by Suryavarman II go to a pilgrimage to the temples to offer gifts, preside over ritual sacrifices and carry out improvements and repair works. At Preah Vihear temple, Davakara offered precious objects to Shikhareshvara, such as a statue, probably of gold, of the dancing Shiva. He added a gold dais inlaid with precious stones, covered the temple floor with bronze plaques and decorated the walls with plates of precious metal. He ordered that the towers, courts and main entrance be redecorated annually. He also distributed payments to all those who worked at the temple. This inscription is engraved on a stele found inside the mandapa. K.380 This inscription appears on both sides of the southern door on the gopura of the fourth level. Written in Sanskrit and Khmer probably between 1038 and 1049, it contains important history about Preah Vihear temple. it narrates the story of a local person, Sukarman, who carried out the duties of Recorder in the Sanctuary and keeper of Archives of the Kingdom. It also tells of a royal decree requiring certain people to swear an oath of allegiance to Shikhareshvara.

K.381 This inscription was sculpted on the southern doorjamb of the eastern palace’s portico on the third level. Written in Sanskrit and Khmer during 1024, it narrates the story of Tapasvindra-pandita, head of a hermitage, who was asked to dispose of presentation in favour of Shikhareshvara, the main god of the temple. K.382 This inscription was carved on a pillar and was found badly damaged in front of the central sanctuary and later taken to the National Museum in Bangkok. Inscribed in 1047 it refers to Suryavarman I who commissioned the inscription but contains little information that is important to Preah Vihear temple.

Materials Used
The gray and yellow sandstone used for the construction of Preah Vihear was available locally. Wood was used extensively to construct a support for the roof which was covered with terracotta tiles. Brick, despite their small size, were used instead of large rock slab to construct the corbelled arches. Brick was easier to use when building corbelled roofs as they bound together with adhesive and were more compact and solid than stone slabs. Khmer architects, not knowing how to design a true arch, were handicapped when attempting to span wide openings, hence the corbelled arches and roofs. No bricks remain at the site. The sandstone blocks used for the construction of the main tower are exceptionally large, weighing no less than five tones. Several have had holes used for lifting the block drilled in up 24 places.

Terminology
The numbering of the various elements of Khmer temple, its enclosure, courtyards gopura etc, customarily starts from the central sanctuary and works outwards. The gopura nearest the central shrine are given the number 1.

Plan at a glance
Large stairways and long pillared causeway lead to the gopura of the first three levels of the mountain. The gopura are gateways leading into the sanctuary and probably had statues of guardians or minor deities installed in their rooms. The naga balustrade between the third and fourth and the top level. There, the galleries and colonnades define areas for religious ceremonies and rituals performed in and around the main shrine containing the sacred linga.

The mountain stairway
When a visitor passes the modern entrance gate they are faced with an impressive and majestic steep stairway. It consists of 163 steps made with large stone slabs, many of which are cut directly into the rock surface. The stairway is 8 meters wide and 78.5 meters long. It was originally flanked by rows of lion statues of which only a few remain, close to the modern entrance gate. In its last 27 meters the stairway narrow to a width of only four meters and is flanked by seven small terraces on either side which were once decorated with the lion statues. The difficulty of climbing the stairway symbolises the laborious path of faith needed to approach the sacred world of the gods.

The Lion Head Reservoir
Between Gopura IV and III, some 50 meters to the east of the second pillared avenue, there is a square, stone paved reservoir, 9.4 meters on each side. Each side of the reservoir has 12 steps, each 20 to 25 centimeters high. Near this small reservoir, there is a re-dented, square brick base six meters on each side. It is supposed that this was used as the pedestal for a statue or a small construction made in perishable materials, suggesting a ritual use of this small reservoir. according to previous reports, on the southern side of this pool there was a stone lion’s head with a water outlet from its mouth. It was visible only when the water level of the reservoir was very low. This lion spout is no longer at the site. and its where about are not known

Access

From Cambodia, the temple can be approached either by Tbeng Meanchey in Preah Vihear province or from Siem Reap in Siem Reap province via Anlong Veng. Although the highway is paved when it leaves Siem Reap, both roads are (occasionally) graded gravel once they begin to approach the Dangrek escarpment. As of 2015, it is not possible to access Preah Vihear from Thailand.

Address: Preah Vihear, Cambodia

Getting there: Options include day trips from Siem Reap via bus, or private car, or staying in the nearby town of Sra’em. Mototaxis and private cars offer transport between Sra’em and the temple for between 10-25 USD. See Preah Vihear tour options.

Sra’em places to stay: Heng Sokchamroeun GuestHouse & Preah Vihear Boutique Hotel

Map

Preah Vihear Boutique Hotel

Heng Sokchamroeun GuestHouse

៦២, Cambodia

 

Source &/or Image Credit:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preah_Vihear_Temple