Not to be judged by appearance

Khmer Classical Dance is intriguing and fascinating. From encountering it first time 15 years ago it really triggered my interest for the rich variety and historical longevity of the Khmer. Over 2000 year of cultural history, that is.

UNESCO added Khmer Classical Dance to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 2003, and reaffirmed the listing in 2008.

Informally the dance style is referred to as Apsara Dance. It is named after the female nymphs playing an absolute central role in the stories told in the dance. Apsara dance refers both to a specific dance piece performed by the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. But any dance developed and inspired by the dancing style including the costumes are referred to as Apsara dance.

The curious, clumsy monkey god
Hanuman is a monkey deity, or demigod, with roots in early Veda culture. His importance grow in the first millennia CE, and he is a central protecting spirit in Khmer history and culture from the Angkor era. Hanumans disfigured face is due to an accident as a young, curious child. He tried to eat the sun.

The symbolism of not judging anyone by their appearance, but by their actions, is not to be missed.

Reamker is the Cambodian national epic poem, based on the older classic Ramayana from Hinduism and Veda writings. But Reamker is adapted to Khmer cultural history and to Buddhism.

The story of Hanuman and the relations to the Apsara nymphs plays a much larger role in Reamker than in Ramayana. The Apsara structure and gracefulness needs a rougher contrast, Hanuman is perfect.


#2011CE #ancient #angkor #apsara #archive #art #buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #costume #culturalheritage #dance #demigod #Empiregod #hanuman #Hinduism #Khmer #monkey #nationalepic #nymphs #reamker #Siem #Reab #siemreap #southeast #asia #southeastasia #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage #world #intangiblecultural #heritage #royalballet #ramayana #veda

Apsara 2 Tracks & Wikipedia Definition

Wiki definition

Apsara Calling - CloZee

Apsara - Tolga Maktay

Interesting to note "stories old or supposedly new", also choosing to be free of them for something "beyond their limitations". The definition just more of a curiousity than anything. Though if I were to keep anything from them. this is what I would highlight in this mind and heart, "Apsaras[1][2] (Sanskrit: अप्सरस्, IAST: Apsaras, Pali: अच्छरा, romanized: Accharā[3][4] Khmer-Cambodia: អប្សរា[5]) are a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture.[6][7][8][9][10][11] They were originally a type of female spirit associated with clouds and water, but, later came to play the role of a "nymph" or "fairy". They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literature and paintings of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures.[12] "

I wouldn't pay much attention to the rest... Yeh! Call it "this Heart's filtering system" 🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

#music #danc3 #water #clouds #nymph #Apsara #CloZee #Tolga-Maktay #dreamery #existential-music

You came to a split in the road….

…and the Apsara-crew took the road less travelled, because they make all the difference.

To manage, develop and maintain the vast human cultural treasure of the Angkor Park, the Apsara Authority was established back in 1995.

It has ha monumental task, literally speaking, taking care of the approximately 420 km2 area of the main Angkor Archaeological Park. It contains more than 70 larger temple sites, and over 1000 smaller sites and remains.

Important task and employer
Easy recognisable with their green uniforms, the Apsara Maintenance staff are making the visit into the Angkor Archaeological Park and sites possible, safe and accessible. It is a highly respected and important effort on behalf of Cambodia’s long and proud history, civilisation and culture. And of course, the common human historic value as a World Cultural Heritage site for the rest of us.

With over 3 000 employees, the Apsara Authority is the largest single employer in the Siem Reap province.

#angkorwat #angkor #pond #sunrise #wat #temple #food #asiangirl #asian #villagelife #morning #AngkorWat #Apsara #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #hinduism #khmer #empire #buddhism #greentourism #takeonlyphotos #leaveonlyfootprints #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #biking #Site #statetemple #Apsara #maintenance #crew #staff #lunch #tiffin #carrier #Chanshrak #tiffincarrier #Nikon #D300 #NikonD300 #Nikkor #14_24mm #f2_8 #2011CE #Siem #Reap #siemreap #southeastasia #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia

Bringing food for mommy

A memory from my first visit to Angkor Wat. This couple, I guess brother and sister, had their priority and duty clear this early fall day in the green season of 2011CE.

It was bringing lunch to mommy, one of the Apsara maintenance staffers at Angkor Wat. Making sure the maintenance and operation of the 8th Wonder of the World was smoothly and efficient.

State Temple, tomb, now Wat
Angkor Wat was original a royal state temple built in honour of the Hindu god Vishnu in the mid-12th Century CE. It is a tomb for the God King Suryavarman II too.
As a usurper, he needed to show his right to the throne by building this enormous religious building. It is still the largest and probably the most famous religious buildings in our common human cultural heritage.

Later it was converted to a Buddhist temple and monastery for religious worship and learning, a “Wat”.

Classic combination
Angkor Wat represents two architectural styles for Hindu temples. We have the temple mountain as a reminder of the 5 sacred Meru mountain, home of the Hindu gods. And the later galleried temple.

The galleries are even more interesting than usual. In addition to honour the gods and religious rites, it is the history of the reign of a powerful emperor.

This is one of the temples in Angkor Park where it is highly advisable to have a guide on your first visit. The size is easier to understand when you have some knowledgeable to show the important highlights and the best photo spots.

#angkorwat #angkor #pond #sunrise #wat #temple #food #asiangirl #asian #boy #villagelife #morning #AngkorWat #Apsara #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #hinduism #khmer #empire #buddhism #greentourism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #biking #Site #statetemple #khmerchildren #lunch #tiffin #carrier #Chanshrak #tiffincarrier #Nikon #D300 #NikonD300 #Nikkor #2011CE #Siem #Reap #siemreap #southeastasia #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia

The real heroes of Angkor Park

Early morning at by the moat of Angkor Wat. This Apsara maintenance crew is doing the vital cleaning of the moat.

This moat is a 1.5 km by 1.3 km rectangle, with a width between 190 to 200 meters. The max depth is 4 meters. It is enclosing the whole Angkor Wat and symbolizes the cosmic oceans surrounding the Hindu god’s home.

It provides a crucial foundational stability for the largest religious monuments in the world. The old Khmer excelled in hydraulic engineering, and the old Angkor core capital was a hydraulic city. Angkor Wat was built at the midpoint of the 630 years of the Khmer Empire. The construction clearly demonstrates how advance their technology and engineering had advanced.

Modern heroes
This is a small shoutout to the modern heroes of Angkor; the largest part of the approximately 3000 staff that maintains, secure and restore this world cultural heritage.

It is a monumental task, pun intended. The Angkor Archaeological Park is about 420 sq. kilometres large. There are over 70 larger temple sites, and more than 1000 smaller sites and remains in the extended park.

The Apsara (Authority for the Protection of the Site and Management of the Region of Angkor) is the organisation established to run this task. You meet them first at the Angkor ticket office, but that is only one of the 15 departments.

Say hi, please
First time I visited, the ticket office was a small shack in the middle of thick jungle. Now it is a stately building with all the facilities needed to cater to thousands of tourists a day.

And then you have these maintenance guys working everywhere.

Remember to greet them with a smile and maybe a Sampeah greeting when you meet them.

#angkor #worldculturalheritage #apsaraauthority #maintenance #staff #2019CE #angkorpark #angkorwat #Apsara #architecture #bike #Cambodia #Empire #Hinduism #imperial #khmer #southeastasia #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage #staff #angkorwattemple #moat

The mirror pond at Neak Poan temple

A morning bike to Neak Pean/Neak Poan (Khmer: ប្រាសាទនាគព័ន្ធ, “the entwined serpents”) is a fresh morning bike trip. The main temple tower dedicated to Avalokitesvara is this one in the mirror pond is worth the trip itself.

Neak Pean was built as a retreat and healing place at an artificial island. This island was put in the centre of a man made Baray/lake and water-reservoir.

In memory and honour of Dad
The surrounding Jayatataka Baray lays due east of the Preah Khan temple. This is the large temple complex J7 built in honour of his father.

Jayavarman VII had clear visions as mighty ruler of the Khmer Empire. This was the most beautiful of the more than 110 hospitals he initiated build for his people all over the core parts of his Empire. It is an architectural and water engineering marvel. Placed close by the large temple built in memory of his dad.

Tips for visits
Neak Pean is normally part of the Grand Circuit Tours of Angkor Park. It should be visited early after sunrise, before the soft breeze of the day breaks up the internal mirror pond tranquillity.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/12/25/neak-poan-hospital-temple-for-peace-of-mind/

#1250CE #ancient #angkor #wat #AngkorHeritage #angkorpark #apsara #architecture #mirror #forest #archive #art #artificial #lake #Asia #Avalokitesvara #ប្រាសាទ#នាគព័ន្ធ #biking #bikingadventures #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #J7 #jajavarmanvii #Jayatataka #Baray #jvii #Kampuchea #khmer #kingdomofwonders #mirror #pond #NeakPean #neakpoan #Temple #Pagoda #Prasat #PreahKhan #roadtrip #Sculpture #SiemReap #southeastasia #theentwinedserpents #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage

Modern colourful Lolei pagoda

The original, classic Khmer temple Prasat Lolei was placed on an island in an artificial water basin. It was the royal family temple in Hariharalaya. That was the last capital outside what we now recognise as the core Angkor Archaeological Park area around Angkor Thom north of Siem Reap.

The water is gone, but the four old temple towers are still there. Around the old temple grounds, a modern Buddhist monastery was built and still operating.

A modern Wat and Temple
The monks here were quite interested in talking to visitors, seeking information and some of them loved to practice their English. And some German too, come to that.

This photo is from inside the modern Buddhist temple, which is among the heaviest colourful temples I have seen in the Siem Reap area. But it is also very open to the sun light, making it a place of worship filled with light and colours.

I like religious buildings with this sort of character.

Under a hundred meter away, the 1100 years older holy towers connect the old and new continuous cultural history and heritage of Cambodia.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/10/10/prasat-lolei/

#2018CE #893CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorwat #apsara #ApsaraAuthority #architecture #archive #art #Asia #ប្រាសាទលលៃរលួស #biking #bikingintheAngkorWonderland #biking #adventures #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #Hariharalaya #Hinduism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #khmer #khmercapital #leaveonlyfootprints #lolei #Temple #Pagoda #prasatlolei #roadtrip #roluosgroup #Roluos #siemreap #southeastasia #takeonlyphotos #temple #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #wat #worldculturalheritage #yasovarman #leperking #Bakong #Loleimonastery #Nikkor #Nikon #oldangkor #nationalroad6 #kingdomofwonder

Royal honour to the grandparents

Prasat Lolei, ប្រាសាទលលៃ, is the northernmost temple in the old capital of the Khmer empire Hariharalaya. Finished in 893CE, the temple group of four towers was dedicated to Shiva and to members of the royal family by king Yasovarman I.

The two tall brick temple towers were built in honour of the king’s grandparents. The two lower towers were for his parents. King Yasovarman I was not a big fan of his father’s plans of succession. He ended up making his own succession line and legitimized right to the throne via his grandmother’s family.

Last larger Hindu temple built in Hariharalaya
It was originally a temple on an island in a now dried out water reservoir called Indratataka Baray. This was the first Baray of many built by the imperial god kings of Angkor. A temple on an island surrounded by water is probably meant to symbolise Mount Meru, home of the gods in the Hindu pantheon.

Back then it was an Ashram nearby, today there is a modern pagoda and a monastery surrounding the classic site. The interior of the modern pagoda is worth a closer look.

This was the last large temple build by the god kings in Hariharalaya. Yasovarman I later moved the capital to Yaśodharapura centred around Phnom Bakheng, near Angkor Thom/Nokor Thom as it is known today.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/the-modern-prasat-lolei-a-colorful-cultural/

#2022CE #893CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorwat #apsara #ApsaraAuthority #architecture #archive #art #Asia #ប្រាសាទលលៃរលួស #biking #bikingintheAngkorWonderland #biking #adventures #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #Hariharalaya #Hinduism #history #imperial #Kampuchea #khmer #khmercapital #leaveonlyfootprints #lolei #Temple #Pagoda #prasatlolei #roadtrip #roluosgroup #Roluos #siemreap #southeastasia #takeonlyphotos #temple #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #wat #worldculturalheritage #yasovarman #leperking

The reclining lord Buddha

The temple complex Preah Ang Thom is worth a trip to Phnom Kulen/Kulen Mountains in itself. But a large experience within Ang Thom is the 8 meter long statue of a reclining Buddha.

It is the largest in Cambodia and among the 20 largest reclining Buddha-status in Asia. It rests on top of a sandstone formation, and the statue is carved out as part of that sandstone.

Meaning someone saw the Lord Buddha in the stone and carved until he was set free. The classics motivation in art works in any human civilisation.

A holy area
The surrounding Preah Ang Thom temple was built after the Buddha was carved. Getting to this site is easy by car from Siem Reap, and the area carries a lot of other excursion worthy sites.
This includes walking trails for the day trip trekker, a river with a thousand lingam carvings and holy waterfall. The conglomerate of holy sites on the Kulen Mountain was proposed as an official World Cultural Heritage site by Cambodia just when the pandemic started.

An approval of this request seems like a proper next step. This is the national mountains and cradle of Khmer imperial culture after all. Here the first god king of the Khmer Angkor Empire declared the establishment of the Empire in 802 CE, establishing an empire lasting for the next 630 years.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/07/somewhere-to-run-to-someone-is-eager-to-visit/

#Phnom #Kulen #Mountain #KulenMountain #Khmer #ភ្នំគូលែន #Phnum #Kulên #Lychee #Mountain #Preah #AngThom #Reclining #Buddha #classickhmer #angkor #siemreap #visitsiemreap #cambodia #dirttrack #backcountry #Apsara #ApsaraAuthority #siemreab #reclining #buddhism #stairs #statue #hinduism #cambodia #nationalpark #worldheritage #cultural #architecture #2018CE #classic #Phnom #Kulen #recliningBuddha #cultural #craddle #Kambuja #khmerempire #Ancient #art #ភ្នំគូលែន #Bluesky #Countryside #daytrip #mountainPagoda #roadtrip #Sculpture #southeastasia #visitcambodia #worldculturalheritage

Hunting red bananas in the woods

The red bananas from Kulen mountains are a treat and a sweet surprise. They are easily available visiting the sacred mountain and cradle of the Khmer civilization.

Along the hillside road to the Kulen sites, including Preah Ang Thom with Cambodia’s largest reclining buddha, the thousand lingams river and the waterfall in these holy mountains, there are market stalls. Here the locals are selling veggies and fruit, as well as food, drinks and miscellanies like flip flops, hats and krama scarf.

Chek!
These red bananas, “chek leak” in Khmer looks and taste great and is a must-have among the produce offered. The Chek Leak is a bit more expensive than the more ordinary bananas, chek, in Cambodia. Expect prices up to 5 USD a kilo.

For the banana lover, Cambodia is where to make out big time. There are at least 27 different chek/banana versions available in different sizes and colours, and they are often very inexpensive. They vary from the immediately snackable to the savoury plantain version best known for different cooked dishes in various cuisines around the globe.

You may even find a typical Cavendish banana in Cambodia, if that is your craving.

It all ads into the extensive list of fresh fruit easily available for people living or travel in the Kingdom of Wonder.

Open markets are affluent on the road to Kulen Mountain, attracting a lot of different customers. It is an hour-hour and a half drive from Siem Reap, depending on traffic.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/01/09/reclining-at-the-craddle-of-khmer-empire-3/

#Phnom #Kulen #Kulen #Mountain #KulenMountain #Khmer #ភ្នំគូលែន #Phnum #Kulên #Lychee #Mountain #Preah #AngThom #Reclining #Buddha #classickhmer #archivephoto #angkor #siemreap #visitsiemreap #cambodia #dirttrack #backcountry #greentourism #Apsara #ApsaraAuthority #greentourism #2019CE