Dag-Rune ZThe last Hindu temple built in the greatest Buddhist kings’ capital
That time a hidden temple revealed itself in green season livery. A misty morning at East Top Temple, Angkor Thom.
Prasat Top Khang Kaeut (Eastern Prasat Top), ប្រាសាទតុប ខាងកើត or Mangalartha temple is a small Hindu temple with several images of the God Vishnu. The temple is mostly unvisited and very peaceful.
Green temple
The vegetation has taken over most of the surroundings. That makes for some stunning photo opportunities. During or just after green season this gets extraordinary, with deep, green moss and fresh green all around this temple.
Top Khang Kaeut was built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the great Buddhist god king, and was initiated in 1295CE. It was built in honour of Mangalartha, a son of a Hindu Brahmin priest/guru kept in high regard by the god king. That gives a glimpse into the religious tolerance and structures in the Khmer Empire.
Small temple, large importance
This is the last significant Hindu Temple built in the Khmer Empire before the major change to Buddhism as State religion. It was built during the era of the most powerful of the Buddhist kings of Angkor. It is the last temple built in the high Angkor time frame with a definitive known initiating date.
The “Hidden Temple”-name is because anyone who wants to explore this small temple and site needs to actively go looking for it. It is not on any of the ordinary visiting trips in Angkor Park. If not biking, the visitor needs to walk some hundred meters into the thick forest. Tuk Tuks or cars cannot drive there.
It is a nice 12 km ride from central Siem Reap.
https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/05/15/the-secret-temple-in-angkor-thom/
#angkor #greenseason #AOTBT #offthebeatentrack #KhangKaeut #Mangalartha #vishnu #green #hinduism #jayavarmanvii #angkorthom #1295CE #hindu #temple #Park #ricefield #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #ancient #architecture #Cambodia #KhmerEmpire #southeastasia #worldculturalheritage
That time a hidden temple revealed itself in green season livery. A misty morning at East Top Temple, Angkor Thom.
Prasat Top Khang Kaeut (Eastern Prasat Top), ប្រាសាទតុប ខាងកើត or Mangalartha temple is a small Hindu temple with several images of the God Vishnu. The temple is mostly unvisited and very peaceful.
Green temple
The vegetation has taken over most of the surroundings. That makes for some stunning photo opportunities. During or just after green season this gets extraordinary, with deep, green moss and fresh green all around this temple.
Top Khang Kaeut was built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the great Buddhist god king, and was initiated in 1295CE. It was built in honour of Mangalartha, a son of a Hindu Brahmin priest/guru kept in high regard by the god king. That gives a glimpse into the religious tolerance and structures in the Khmer Empire.
Small temple, large importance
This is the last significant Hindu Temple built in the Khmer Empire before the major change to Buddhism as State religion. It was built during the era of the most powerful of the Buddhist kings of Angkor. It is the last temple built in the high Angkor time frame with a definitive known initiating date.
The “Hidden Temple”-name is because anyone who wants to explore this small temple and site needs to actively go looking for it. It is not on any of the ordinary visiting trips in Angkor Park. If not biking, the visitor needs to walk some hundred meters into the thick forest. Tuk Tuks or cars cannot drive there.
It is a nice 12 km ride from central Siem Reap.
https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/05/15/the-secret-temple-in-angkor-thom/
#angkor #greenseason #AOTBT #offthebeatentrack #KhangKaeut #Mangalartha #vishnu #green #hinduism #jayavarmanvii #angkorthom #1295CE #hindu #temple #Park #ricefield #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #ancient #architecture #Cambodia #KhmerEmpire #southeastasia #worldculturalheritage
