Part 17 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

A lintel ready to be sold in the black market...

The Demise of the Khmer Empire

After the death of the Khmer King Jayavarnam VII around 1220 AD the glory of the empire subtly diminished.

The Siamese conquered Ankor Wat in 1351 for the first time thus having control over Preah Vihear as well. For the last time the Khmers were able to recapture Ankor Wat again, but only to lose it to the Siamese in the year 1431 for centuries to come. During a rebellion in the 17^th century the Khmers managed to win a battle, but not the independence from Siam. As a reminder the Khmers named a village close to Ankor Wat “Siem Reap”, meaning: “the defeat of Siam”. The Khmer success of this battle was short lived, but Siem Reap, the gateway to Ankor Wat, with its international airport nowadays became a well known travel destination and its name remains a thorn in the side of Thailand.        

The year 1431 AD can be considered the end of the Khmer empire, an empire so powerful and large that was never seen before in this geography. From now on the area that is now called Cambodia became a playing field of foreign forces like Siam, Vietnam and France. The Siamese Royals considered themselves as the rightful successors of the Khmers royal house and took over rituals, customs and culture of the Khmer Kings.  

And then came the European colonists, the French and the British. They carried instruments in their luggage never seen before by the locals, instruments that enabled the colonists to define exact borders at the edges of their claims. These borders were then sketched on paper for everyone to be seen. However, the locals never have been able to make sense out of these strange drawings called maps. And so it came that the Siamese signed a treaty with the French in the year 1907 accepting the borders between then Indochina and Siam. Siam had to give up Ankor Wat and other areas of Cambodia. The map defining the border between Cambodia and Siam was attached to the agreement. This border is still valid today.

The only thing the Siamese understood in this context was the term “watershed”. The treaty expressed in words that whenever possible natural geographical features like escarpments, mountains and rivers establish the borders between Siam and Indochina. The Dangrek mountain range is such a natural feature. It represents a watershed.

For ominous reasons the French made an exception in the case of Preah Vihear. Instead of using the edge of the Dangrek escarpment as the border, they deviated from this rule as expressed in the treaty and draw the border generously around Preah Vihear so that it remained on Cambodian soil. Siam ordered copies of this map from the French and distributed them to the province governors and other government institutions.

The border conflict seemed to be settled once and for all, but…

…it took the Siamese and then called the Thais almost 30 years to recognize their mistake. Meanwhile smart enough to handle instruments for land surveys they set up their own border commission in 1934 to verify the borderline between Thailand and Cambodia. For the first time they stumbled over the Preah Vihear issue, but did not protest. They just considered the French map of 1907 a sloppy drawing. In the minds of the Thais Preah Vihear was without any doubt on Thai soil.

In the year 1953 Cambodia celebrated the independence day from France. Proud of their ancient past they chose Preah Vihear besides Ankor Wat as one of the locations for the festivities. Thailand felt provoked and stationed their troops on Preah Vihear temple grounds in 1954. Relationships between both countries deteriorated and resulted in a breakup of diplomatic relations in 1958.                

In 1959 Cambodia called the international court of justice for help. In 1962 this court ruled that the temple grounds belong to Cambodia, but left precise border definitions open.

Since then it is a never-ending story. Every time one of both countries faces internal problems or takes one-sided initiative in respect to Preah Vihear the politicians and/or the military try to draw the attention to the border issue away from the real domestic problems. Then shootouts at short distance from each other determine the headlines of the media and lots of nationalistic phrases are muttered.       

Preah Vihear could be a lively place where peoples of many countries meet, full of joy and respect for ancient cultures. Thailand and Cambodia could manage the tourist business jointly, initiate renovation of ruined buildings and let Preah Vihear rise up to new glory. It could be a win-win situation for both countries, but as long as they are deeply involved in their own internal problems chances are low to come to an agreement.

The fight for 4.6 square kilometres will go on for a while. This map shows the borders as drawn by the French in 1907 and signed by both parties (old). So far the Khmers can reach the temple grounds on food walking on their own turf. If the border would be changed to “new” the Khmers were forced to cross the border to Thailand  before entering Preah Vihear unless they come by helicopter or build a cable car going up to the edge of the Dangrek escarpment 500 metres above. 

 Source: Bangkokpost.

But the day will come. The Thais and Khmers who will stroll around Preah Vihear in peace and friendship are already born. Hope is the last thing to die.

And this is how it will all end. Once Lord Shiva starts to dance and thus annihilating the universe to make room for its re-birth the next morning, it will be too late.

Lord Shiva destroying the universe

Final remark: it’s by intention that the author does not position himself clearly on one side or the other. It’s his humble opinion that participation in further polarization will not contribute to a solution of this conflict. The frontiers of opinions are established since 50 years anyway and more than enough suffering was imposed on the people living in the vicinity of this border post. Not to mention the continuous destruction of what is left of the Preah Vihear buildings. The only way out is compromise and understanding. Whoever reaches out his hand unselfishly first will be the modern hero of Preah Vihear.  

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, May 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

Part 16 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

At the Edge

After passing the gallery it’s just a few meters over sandy and rocky grounds and the visitor stands at the edge of the Dangrek escarpment. One step further means certain death. The rim is unsecured. A large vertical cliffside faces Cambodia approximately 500 m below. 

There are traces of a small stone pit all over the place. It was here where the Khmers cut the early stones to lay down the foundation of Preah Vihear in the late 9^th and early 10^th century AD and built the first humble sanctuary dedicated to Lord Shiva.

A breathtaking view opens up onto the wide plains of Cambodia deep down. The sounds are cushioned as if the slight breeze carries them away before they reach the ear. Giant hawks and eagles surf the skies without a wing beat in the upcurrents, occasionally proclaiming their high pitch call of freedom.    

The Khmer empire was at no times a static affair with defined borders as we know them today. With the exception of the core around Ankor Wat the geography was ruled by more or less influential Khmer powers. The edges of the Khmer Kingdom continuously shrivelled away or expanded.

Almost unnoticed by chroniclers the so called Tai people seeped steadily but in relatively small numbers into North-Vietnam, North-Laos, Burma and North-Thailand long before the Khmer empire reached its peak in the 13^th century AD. They did that in small groups travelling along the rivers. At first without ambitions to be self ruled on larger scale. That changed dramatically when the Mongolian chieftain Kublai Khan pressed south. Tens of thousand of Tai people took off, left their homelands in South-China, one of them Yunnan, and followed their ancestors into Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Thailand.         

After they reached the “critical mass” in North-Thailand it was only a question of time before a charismatic Tai leader was born who strived towards his own kingdom with independence from the Khmers as a final target.

In 1259 AD the Tai king Mengrai founded the Lan Na kingdom in North-Thailand with Chiang Rai first and Chiang Mai later as the center. Lan Na, the land of the million rice fields.

Almost at the same time, in the year 1238, Pho Khun Sri Indraditya founded the Kingdom of Sukhothai south of Lan Na. His son Ramkhamhaeng being known as the dear father of all Thai subjects. Both kings were warrior kings and expanded their kingdom significantly on the expense of the Khmers. Sukhothai, the dawn of happiness, as it is romantically idealised by the official Thai history books. The year 1238 AD is considered the birth year of the Thai-nation. That’s more than 400 years after the Khmer nation was founded. History books distinguish between “Tai” and “Thai” from now on, with the term “Siamese” for Tais in what is today Thailand becoming the most frequently used term.         

Sukhothai was then superseded by Ayutthaya with king U-Thong in the central plains of Thailand in 1350 AD.

In Laos changes took place too. Lan Ngum, a military Tai-man trained by the Khmers, founded the kingdom of Lan Chang, the land of the million elephants, in 1353.       

They all found themselves in competition with the Khmers. Whereas the Lan Na and Lan Chang kings seemed to be satisfied by the extent of their lands, nursing their farming, trading, handicraft and cultural skills, the Siamese warrior kings strived for more…  

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, May 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned...

Part 15 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

3^rd Avenue, 4th Gopura and Gallery

The 3^rd Avenue is quite short. The long body of the Naga serpent borders both sides. Her seven faces directed North, starring at the arriving visitors.

The body of the Naga lines the 3rd avenue

View back to the King's Palace. A lion guards the entrance to the 4th Gopura

The sanctuary inside the gallery is the oldest part of Preah Vihear, consecrated to Shiva and supposedly built towards the end of the 9^th century. The stones of the sanctuary were cut out of the nearby rocks at the edge of the escarpment. The traces are obvious. A gallery surrounds it.   

The gallery

Half of the sanctuary was destroyed by artillery, either by Thais or by Cambodian government troops fighting the Khmer Rouge, whose hard core remnants entrenched here until 1998.

This is the site that witnessed beginning and end of the Khmer Empire, happiness and atrocities, change of rulers and religions, eventful times. For a long time the Khmer kings ruled in the name of Lord Shiva the destroyer supported by Lord Vishnu the preserver.

Descendants of the Khmers visiting their ancient place of pride

The Siamese Kings, who would become the successors of the Khmers in this geography eventually, took over the godly tradition of the Khmer rulers and blended it with Buddhism. They abandoned Lord Shiva and saw themselves as deputies of Lord Vishnu the preserver on earth. This is still the case today, alleviated though. The Kings of the Chakri-Dynasty call themselves Rama, the 7^th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Bangkok city seal shows Lord Indra riding a white elephant called Erawan, the government emblem or crest of Thailand depicts Garuda, the mystic bird and companion of Lord Vishnu. There are many other Hindu traditions celebrated in Thailand still today. Loy Krathong is one of them to name just one.

The lengthy name for Bangkok: “Krungthep Maha Nakhon Amorn Rattanakosin…” etc. does not contain a single reference to Lord Buddha or Buddhism, but to the Hindu Gods Lord Indra (Thai: Phra In) and Lord Vishnu (Thai: Phra Narai) only.

At the same time the Thai Kings considered and consider themselves as the supreme custodians of Buddhism. Thais don’t draw a sharp line between the Hindu pantheon and Buddha. Instead they absorb the Hindu Gods and convert them into servants and supporting companions of Lord Buddha. The Hindus do it the other way around. For them Lord Buddha is just one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.  

Preah Vihear was dedicated to Lord Shiva. A Shiva lingam or a Shiva statue once decorated this small chamber inside the gallery at the topmost location. Today this small room is dedicated to Lord Buddha.

Sometimes in the 13th or 14th century the colourful Mahayana Buddhism strengthened in the Khmer Empire under the influence of Chinese traders. However, people never have been divided by their believe. They saw this as an enrichment to the heavens and just worshipped the idols of both religions at the same time. Same as is the case in Thailand today. The Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok is the best example for this attitude. The Hindu God Lord Brahma, the creator, Phra Prom in Thai, in the Erawan shrine enjoys the main attention among the Thai Buddhists. Lord Ganesh with the elephant head and Shiva's son in front of the CentralWorld shopping center is frequently visited by students before examinations and by entrepreneurs before setting up or investing into a new business.

The Mon culture and their more strict and back to the basics Theravada Buddhism eventually substituted the younger Mahayana Buddhism in the Khmer empire. Some historians claim that this was the beginning of the end of the divine and powerful Khmer rulers. These historians argument that Lord Shiva lost his role as the sole heavenly ruler and therefore his deputies on earth, the Khmer kings, along with him. To make matters worse, the Theravada Buddhism delivers the message that everybody is responsible for his own destiny and fate, inherits the potential to be enlightened and for this reason can end his suffering forever by not being reborn again.             

This might be a romantic view of believers, but is not failing some logic at least. The more obvious reasons for the fall of the Khmer Empire are much more down to earth however. The light at the end of the tunnel means demise for the Khmers and hope for the ambitious Siamese...

View through the hallways of the 4th Gopura

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, May 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned... 

Part 13 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

Time Travel Along the 2^nd Avenue

The 2^nd Avenue leads to the 3^rd Gopura and to the King’s palace, the largest building of Preah Vihear. The palace is aligned along the East-West axis, thus forming along with the North-South avenues a huge cross. 

The 2^nd avenue takes after the 1^st avenue, cobbled with cut sandstones and on both sides aligned with pillars resembling lotus buds. The thirsty traveller finds mongers offering water, Cola, Black Label and the addicted finds cigarettes, mainly Malboro.

***

The Khmer Empire reached its first peak during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113 – 1150). By then Ankor Wat, the power centre, was enlarged significantly. Preah Vihear was extended with the King’s palace at the end of the 2^nd avenue. The Khmers ruled over a huge geography we call today Thailand, Laos and parts of Burma and Vietnam. Some historians claim that the Khmers even reached North Malaysia via Phuket.   

red: Khmer Empire

The geography was not deserted of course. The Mon in Thailand and Burma might have resisted ineffectively, they are not known as a military power or people in arms. Instead they blended their own Buddhist culture with the Hindu culture of the Khmers, other than the Cham in Laos and Vietnam, the still archenemy of the Khmers at that time. 802 AD, the date of the liberation from the Cham, is celebrated as the birthday of the Khmer nation. The Cham never gave up really, never got over their defeat. They overran Ankor Wat after the death of King Suryavarman II in 1177 AD and hit the Khmer empire at its very heart. 

***

Shortly before the 3^rd Gopura a small slightly tilted building sits under the shade of a tree. It used to host a Shiva lingam presumably. The empty Cola tins inside are not forgotten rubbish but leftovers of a ritual praising Lord Shiva, who is still alive in the minds of the Khmers today. 

***

The Khmers recovered and rose to the supreme power again. King Jayavarman VII (1181 – 1218) expanded Ankor Wat and other Khmer Prasat (palaces) to the shape we can still admire today. Cleverly devised irrigation systems with countless water canals and ponds allowed for up to three rice harvests per year. Modern historians estimate that the area around Ankor Wat could easily feed almost one million people. The mix of peoples must have been impressive. People from all around the Khmer empire assembled there. They made up the richness of this vast Kingdom. The more people a Kingdom could accumulate the more powerful it was. Gaggles of farmers cared for the nourishment, tens of thousand of soldiers for defence and further extensions of the empire, not to forget the thousands of masons, carpenters, construction workers, architects and artists.          

End of the 2nd Avenue and 3rd Gopura

Preah Vihear was not an advanced outpost with just a Shiva lingam any more, but second to Ankor Wat a central and important part of the Khmer kingdom. Like other prasat (palaces) it was connected by partially cobbled roads leading to Ankor Wat. The analogy to Rome pops up in someone’s mind. “All roads lead to Ankor Wat”  

But even at the zenith of the Khmer empire an old prophecy still weighted heavily on the shoulders of this ancient nation during the 12^th and 13^th century AD…

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, April 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned... 

Part 12 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

As seen on a lintel at Preah Vihear

The Legend of “The Churning of the Milk Ocean”

Continued…

Time was short. The demons gained strength by the minute, the Gods lost power by the second. Never mind that one second in the calendar of the Hindu heavenliest lasts 100,000 earth years.  

Lord Indra: “Any advice will do, Lord Vishnu. We need a miracle anyway…”

Lord Vishnu after taking a deep breath: “OK then, listen! We need to recover the long lost amrita, the nectar of strength, power and endless life.

Lord Indra: “What has to be done? Any idea?”

Lord Vishnu: “Of course. We need to churn the ocean until it releases this magical drink. 

Lord Indra: “Why don’t we start immediately? Let’s hurry up!”

Lord Vishnu: “But there’s a catch in it. We, deva, Gods, will not be able to do it alone. We are too weak meanwhile and have to find helping hands. Strong hands that is.”

Lord Indra: “Oh man, something bad is going down.“  

Lord Vishnu: “We need to convince the asura, demons, to support us.”

Lord Indra: “I was afraid of that. Why would they want to help us anyway? Unless we promise them something in return…oh no, Lord Vishnu…you really want to tell them, what we are after?”

Lord Vishnu: “Yes, we need to. The recovery of amrita is the only motivation that will make them co-operate with us.”

Lord Indra: “More than risky. If the asura get their hands on amrita we are lost for ever. I don’t see how we would be able to prevent them from doing so. Mission impossible.”

Lord Vishnu: “Trust me, Lord Indra, I know the answer.”

And so it came that the “good” and the “ugly bad” pulled the same string for a mutual task, the recovery of amrita. The dimensions of the churning device were huge. There was the “string”, a giant snake, named vasuki, her middle spiralled around the sacred mount meru, the center of all universes, that was used as a churning tool.

The asura pulled the head end of vasuki, the deva the tail end...back and forth, back and forth…for more than a thousand years, causing the mount to rotate. Sounds like a straightforward task, but it wasn’t.

Mount meru threatened to sink into the ocean.  Lord Vishnu was the first one to recognize this and transformed into a giant turtle. Thus supporting mount meru on his back and establishing a sound base. Not only that. The snake went hot and started to exhale a poisonous and deadly steam. Surprisingly it was Lord Shiva, the destroyer, who was willing to sacrifice himself by inhaling the lethal toxin, so it wouldn’t contaminate the entire universe . His lovely wife, Parvati,  and mother of Ganesh, the one with the elephant head, didn’t want her husband to die and jumped immediately to Shiva’s help, clinging her hands around his throat. Lord Shiva survived because the poison never reached his lungs, but he turned bluish like a strangled person for ever.

The churning went on. Both, the deva and the asura, never intending to let the other party get hold of amrita, the ultimate power drink.

Successively the ocean began to release its treasures.

·      A white elephant called Erawan

·      A holy cow and future companion of Lord Shiva

·      A white horse with a tail which could fulfil any wishes

·      A tree with the same characteristic

·      A Garuda and future companion of Lord Vishnu

Garuda, Thailand's government seal

·      The goddess of wine

·      A number of beautiful nymphs

·      Lakshmi, the long missed beautiful wife of Lord Vishnu

Finally, Dhanvantari, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, rose up out of the floods, a bowl filled with amrita in his hands. The fight for this mystical potion started immediately.  

The Garuda grabbed the bowl and flew away. On its way some drops of amrita rained down to earth. To be more precise at Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. Since then these four locations radiate mystical powers. Every 12 years millions of Hindus assemble at these places for ritual bathing.        

     

Meanwhile Lord Vishnu transformed into a sexy nymph, named Mohini. His companions saw through his ploy and kept their eyes on the eventually returning Garuda. The asura, demons, however, went randy. Every single one of them trying to be the first one laying hands on this beautiful nymph.

When the Garuda returned he served amrita to the Gods who drank it eagerly. The world was saved. One of the demons, Rahu, played it smart though. He disguised as a God, stood in queue, caught a drought of amrita and was just about to swallow it when the observant Lord Vishnu recognized the fraud. He decapitated Rahu with one stroke of his sword. Too late for the head of Rahu. It remained immortal. Since then his mug decorates many Hindu and Buddhist chedis as a warning. It is told that Rahu can eclipse sun and moon.        

Grimaces of Rahu at Phra Buddha Bat Bua Bok, province Udon Thani, Thailand.

So far the legend of the churning of the ocean of milk. Its greatest depiction can be found at Ankor Wat. It’s 45 meters long. A modern one can be admired in the international airport Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok.

Suvarnabhumi airport Bangkok

The 2nd avenue and the 3rd Gopura will be subject of the next blog entry in this series about Preah Vihear.

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, May 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned... 

Part 11 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

The Legend of “The Churning of the Milk Ocean”

 

The lintel depicting this legend can be found above one of the entrances of the 2^nd Gopura facing South.

For many it’s just a Khmer relief or lintel among others, kind of interesting though, because it shows some figures holding on to a strange thing and obviously doing something with it, a mystery to the ordinary person outside India or the Hindu community.

Some call it the Hindu creation myth. But it’s definitely not the one of mankind. Kshir sagar mantham or samudra mantham, as it is titled sometimes, rather describes the Parthenon of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses and the way they became immortal and invincible.

It’s a story of good and evil, sacrifice and selfishness, sincerity and furtiveness, love and hate, hope and desperation, joy and suffering. In other words, it retells the story of universal values common to all mankind. And that is why “The Churning of the Milk Ocean” holds a central place in the Hindu Mythology.   

The legend is told in some variations around a common core. One goes like this…

Kshir (milk) sagar (ocean) manthan (churn)

Once upon a time Lord Indra, the King of Gods, rode his white elephant named Airavata through the country side. The Thais call this elephant Erawan.

 The city seal of Bangkok

The famous ascetic Durvasa came across his way and immediately showed his respect to Lord Indra by handing over a wreath of flowers to him. Lord Indra placed it on the head of Airavata. The elephant got irritated by the captivating scent of these flowers and shook its head angrily. Not only that. The garland fell down on the ground and Airavata trampled furiously on it. The ascetic Durvasa, also well known for his violent temper, got upset to such an extent that he cursed Lord Indra:        

“Hey Indra. Look, what became of you. A snotty ruler, blinded by richness, power and pride. You’re nothing else than a selfish shell hiding your arrogance. Your might, power, energy and happiness will dissipate, same as for your heavenly companions.” 

So it happened. The demons (asura) took advantage of the weakness of the Gods (deva) and overran their heavens. The world was at the brink of darkness. 

Interesting, how the Hindus characterize the demons. According to them they are half- brothers of the Gods but lack helpfulness, compassion, empathy, love, truthfulness, the willingness to sacrifice themselves for a companion, not to mention their aversion of worshipping any God.

At normal times the Gods keep the demons at bay to a fair extend, but now there were no normal times any more. Lord Indra desperately approached Lord Brahma, the creator, and asked him for advice. Lord Brahma sent him to Lord Vishnu, the preserver, the one who supports and sustains the universe.      

Lord Vishnu’s idea to regain power was most challenging and quite unusual...

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, April 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned... 

Part 10 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

2^nd Gopura

The 2^nd Gopura comes as a nice change after the disappointment over the 1^st one some of the visitors might have felt. It’s in a quite good shape, at least on first glance, and much more impressive.

The Khmers are of the same opinion.

Some of the steps leading up to the 2^nd Gopura are definitely not made to walk tall. The most convenient way is to negotiate them on all four extremeties.

These holes in front of the 2nd Gopura are holders for giant torches. When lit up at night the steps and the façade of this building radiated mystically with an eerie shine. 

The inside of this sanctuary is larger and in much better condition than the one of the 1^st Gopura, but still no match to Prasat Phimai in Buriam.

Once passed the façade of the 2^nd Gopura facing South allows the visitor a glance on some very interesting lintels. It’s easy to miss them, if too much impressed by the architecture as a whole and the buildings themselves. This might eventually blind the eye for details.

One of these lintels illustrates a central legend of Hinduism. “The Churning of the Sea of Milk”…

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, April 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

Today, April 26, 2011, as this blog entry is written, fighting resumed at the Preah Vihear

stay tuned... 

Part 9 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

1st Avenue

After passing the 1st Gopura the plateau opens up allowing an undisturbed panoramic view to all sides, the next building complex, the 2nd Gopura, lies ahead in quite some distance. The 1st Avenue, bouldered with  sandstone rocks, leads straight to the South. It is lined by stone pillars at both sides representing Lotus buds. Some still standing straight, some heedlessly left overturned.

Historically speaking the five Gopuras are numbered the other way around. The oldest one on top being the number one and the newest one connecting to the stone staircase at the entrance being number five. For the purpose of this travel report of my visit on December 25^th, 2006, however, we stick to the sequence the way we pass the Gopuras on our journey to the top and as it is depicted on the map. 

Look back at the 1st Gopura

       

What kind of colorful processions might have marched along this avenue in long past centuries? How fantastic might it have looked like at night when illuminated by innumerable torches? How much blood was spilled when the Siamese overran this place in the 15th century? How many last battles have been fought between Cambodian government troops and the hard core of a past terror regime in the 20^th century before the Khmer Rouge finally gave up Preah Vihear, their last heaven, in 1998?

Strolling along this avenue in bright sunlight without fear lets someone’s thoughts wondering. Knowing the past of this place reminds on the change the world faces continuously. Nothing remains as it is. Rise and fall of powerhouses go hand in hand, are two sides of the very same coin. Good times are followed by bad times and vice versa in endless cycles. Some tourists might appreciate the peaceful moments when walking this avenue. An avenue, that could tell so many stories of happiness and suffering.

Whoever got thirsty meanwhile can find water, Cola, Black Label offered and praised not able to be ignored by some hawkers at the wayside, as well as cigarettes. Little girls try to sell postcards, five Baht a piece, cheaper by the dozen. A simple “no” and a smile is sufficient to stop their picking on tourists. It’s quite a discreet affair.

The plains to the left and right of the 1^st Avenue are completely cleared off of landmines. A sign tries to assure the visitors.

Of course, the French didn’t “fund the minefield”, but rather the clearance.           

Almost in the shadow of the 2nd Gopura, an artificial water pond (sra song) guarded by lion statues invites the visitor to rest under shady trees. Vestiges of red color on the lions remind on the almost forgotten fact that all the statues and buildings once have been painted in bright colors. 

These ponds are typical for Khmer temples and usually four of them are arranged symmetrically around the innermost sanctuary of the compound. Then they represent the primordial ocean, the home of the Naga.

However, since there are no counterparts to this pond it is fair to assume that this one was used as a water reservoir and sometimes as a place to perform holy cleansing and water blessing rituals.

The so called Ankor period lasted from 802 to 1431, the year the Siamese conquered Ankor Wat. From then on the capital of the by then already emaciated Khmer Empire was moved to Phom Phen. At times when the successors of Khmer King Jayavarnam continued to enlarge Preah Vihear beyond its modest sanctuary with the Shiva lingam at the South end nobody spent a single thought on a likely demise of the still growing Khmer Empire. The opposite was the case. The geographies that are called Thailand, Burma, Laos and parts of Vietnam and Malaysia today fell into the hands of the Khmers or were at least influenced by them. People living there did not only pay tribute to the Khmer kings but also absorbed the Khmer culture to a great extend. Preah Vihear was significantly extended in the 11^th century during the reign of King Suryavarman I and assumed the final shape during the 12^th century under the rule of the King Suryavarman II. 

At the same time the Khmers built prasat(s) (palaces/temples) in numerous strategic locations. Their remains are tourist spots today, many of them renovated and rebuilt out of rubble and loose stones and lintels left over at these sites. Some places in the Thai provinces of Surin, Buriam and Si Sa Ket enjoy great popularity among local and foreign tourists. Prasat Phimai, Prasat Phanom Rung and Muang Tam to name only a few of them. Prasat Muang Singh in the province Kanchanaburi  and Sam Yod in Lopburi belong to the westernmost Khmer sanctuaries. South Laos prides oneself with Wat Phu, built in a fascinating and beautiful landscape. And of course, not to forget, Ankor Wat in Cambodia, the pearl of all.

We are now close to the 2^nd Gopura….              

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, April 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

Today, April 26, 2011, as this blog entry is written, fighting resumed at the Preah Vihear

stay tuned... 

Part 8 - Preah Vihear No Man's Land

Stone Staircase and 1st Gopura

The ascend from the Thai side begins right after passing the Khmer sign “Preah Vihear Temple”, not before paying the entrance fee of 200 Baht. Thai visitors very often ask one common question: ”And what’s the price for Thais?” To their surprise the simple answer is: “same same.” Latest by then many Thais recognize grudgingly for the first time that they are on foreign turf from now on.

   The schematic drawing of Preah Vihear above helps the visitor to understand where his/her current location is. The following pictures are in order from right to left, or in geographical terms, from North to South. That can be quite a challenge for the shutterbugs, because the sun will be up front all the way uphill. There is no automatic camera which can cope with that kind of back light. Therefore it is recommended to arrive in the morning as early as possible. A meaningful stopover at this place usually lasts at least three to four hours. For the passionate fan of ancient Khmer ruins it can easily be one full day. 

The Preah Vihear Temple tour starts with a nice work out up the stone staircase. At peaceful times a lively place for tourists and hawkers. Kids sell postcards, others unidentified Khmer essences and lucky charms. They know the numbers in English and Thai perfectly. But there’s where the conversational skills with foreigners end.

Some kids have a break, count their income, sort their postcards and listen to music on a Chinese walkman.  

We are now on our way climbing up stone staircases, strolling along Avenues and passing through Gopuras, these monumental richly ornamented Gates leading into ancient buildings of various purposes and finally reaching the holy place, the gallery with a temple inside, where once Shiva was worshipped.

So far the visitor has no idea what to expect. The Gopuras and buildings are hidden below the horizon, hidden from the eyes of people on the stone staircase.   

How did this area look like almost 1200 years ago? There’s lots of room for speculation and fantasy. Assuming that the Shiva temple at the most Southern end by then was in the works, there was definitely no staircase yet. Maybe a forest aisle has been already cut through the djungle, maybe the Khmers by then climbed up the exhausting path from what is called Cambodia today. A new nation was just forming. In 802 AD King Jayavarnam II declared independence from the ancient Kingdom of Java. Water and land Chenlas were united under his rule, protected by the very same Hindu Gods, they learnt to know from the Java rulers.

It is fair to assume that the Dangrek escarpment at that time was the most northern domain under the influence of the charismatic Khmer leader King Jayavarnam. To make this known to the people living in these realms he started to build a place of worship for the mighty Lord Shiva, the destroyer of the universe at the end of a cosmic day, lasting 4,320,000,000 solar years, and the merciful facilitator for a new universe the following dawn. That’s all what there was in the 9^th century AD. Jayavarnam’s successors continued building by extending Preah Vihear with palaces, libraries, halls for festivities and living quarters for the royals and their guests.           

Buddhism didn’t play any important role in the people’s mind by then, although Mon traders, coming from what is Thailand and Burma today, might have spread the word in the Khmer world already. Alcoves were decorated with Shiva statues and lintels (pediments) covered with stone carvings telling the many legends of Shiva's heavenly life.

The symbols of power, however, were the same in the whole geografie. The lion…

…and the Naga, nak in Thai. This formidable serpent, often depicted with seven heads, and the sovereign of the waters. Whoever has this creature on his side or is guarded or protected by it, is invincible. The Khmer Kings gathered gifted stonemasons around them and ordered them to chisel the symbols of their power. There is no Khmer temple without Lions and Nagas.             

Naga at the Nagaraj Courtyard shortly before Gopura 1

After passing these fearsome guards and almost reaching the top of the stone staircase a look back is allowed…

And finally the tip of the first Gopura rises over the horizon, proudly presenting the Cambodian flag. Blue – red – blue with three Ankor Wat Prangs in white.   

The first Gopura is in a miserable state. It suffered most during the many conflicts this place experienced. Grenades have smashed its walls and the stones were used for something else, bunkers and the like, its treasures stolen. 

Just one lintel above the entrance survived. Surprisingly, because they are considered very valuable among collectors all over the world. But there used to be four of them. One on each point of the compass.  

Not much to awe about at the first Gopura, except some feelings of sadness might sneak into someone’s mind, when glancing back at this mostly man made ruination.

Ahead lies the first avenue, an invitation for a pleasant walk after all these steps on the stone staircase…

Cautionary Remark: Whoever intends to visit Preah Vihear / Khao Pra Wihan should ask for advice beforehand. As of now, April 2011, the place is closed for visitors. Thai and Cambodian troops face each other in close proximity. Renewed battles could emerge at any time.   

stay tuned...