November 21, 2004

Amid the ruins of war, poverty and hunger lie, hidden in the South-East Asian jungles, the magnificent complex of Angkor Wat

Mired by decades of war and disasters, Cambodia isn’t the first place that comes to mind when planning a vacation. But then, if you want to be one of the many who visit a wonder place called Angkor Wat, then you have to step into this South East Asian destination.

My sense of adventurism took me first to the small town of Siem Riep. Tucked away in the central plains of the former Indo-China, this is the gateway to the ruins which have been dedicated as International Cultural Heritage. Direct flights from Bangkok and Singapore land at its tiny, hassle-free airport where visas are stamped for a small fee and you are out of the terminal in no time. From the airport to the city center, the route is dotted with several hotels, all in hope of cashing in on the fast growing tourist business. However, we (me and my wife) had decided to play it safe and made our hotel reservations via the Internet. We had expected an English-speaking guide, but Setan, our guide, spoke some combination of pidgin Khmer and English, which my wife deciphered with some difficulty and much amusement.

Cambodia still bears the scars of prolonged wars and deprivation. Poverty is written all over. Roads are in poor shape, and motorbikes swerve around the potholes dodging the oncoming traffic with careless abandon.

The countryside has more serious problems: it is littered with landmines, a legacy of the wars which Cambodians have suffered for long. The unwary tourist is reminded to stay in marked tracks and not to stray onto danger zones. Many locals have stepped on these booby traps, and it is a common sight to see these unfortunate people hobbling on crutches or in wheelchairs.

By early summer it is hot and sultry in Cambodia. The wind picks up humidity from the nearby Ton Le Sap River and by midday the heat is oppressive. But that doesn’t deter the hardy tourist who know that some ruins are to be seen early in the morning and some look best in the setting Sun. We were swarmed by the locals, selling straw hats to pineapple slices to help us stay cool in the muggy heat. It was midday by the time we got on the road, and our guide decided that we should begin our day with the majestic Angkor Thom. On the way he informed us that we would need photographs and $40 per person for a ticket to see the ruins. That was more than the cost of the visa to Cambodia!

The mode of transportation for most tourists are the motorbikes, driven by the natives with tourists as their passengers for a few dollars. Since only one tourist can be accommodated, couples have to ride separately.

Most tourists have heard of Angkor Wat monument. But few know that the ruins of Angkor are spread over 200sq/km. Only 40 are accessible today but many are still within thick forests waiting to be cleared. The ruins transcend 600 years of the Angkor period between the 9th and 15th centuries. The world remained oblivious to these magnificent temples, except for occasional reports from Portuguese refugees and Spanish missionaries of ‘ancient cities’ in the jungles. But it was the French naturalist Henri Mouhot who in the middle of the 19th century published a detailed account of the region in Voyage a Siam et dans la Cambodge and brought Angkor ruins into the limelight.

Angkor Thom is a few kilometres from Siem Riep, and the entrance is a monumental gateway guarded by 54 gods on one side and 54 demons on the other. Khmer art depicted in all the temples has evolved from the Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and much of Hindu mythology is the recurring motif in the carvings on the bas-reliefs all over the ruins.

It is a visual feast to explore the fine carvings on the huge laterite stone boulders that are precisely inter-locked and have survived centuries of natural events. The Japanese tourist contingent was by far the largest, and it is interesting to know that Japanese companies have invested heavily in the restoration of these sites which represent their Buddhist heritage.

The most famous of the ruins is Angkor Wat, a remarkably well preserved monument, the centrepiece of all attractions in Cambodia which appears even on the national flag. It is immense in size sprawling over 500 acres, perfect in architectural composition, symmetry and proportion. On the walls around the temple are exquisite carvings depicting the Hindu mythologies Ramayana and Mahabharata. Although this was built as a Hindu temple it is now a Buddhist shrine and is one of the several Khmer temples which celebrate the fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism.

It is virtually impossible to see all the temples of Angkor but among the must-see is the Ta Prohm ruin which, along with Angkor Wat, is the most popular tourist destination. The unusual feature of this monument is that it has been left just as it was found. The ruins are swallowed by the jungle, and massive and wandering roots of 400 year old trees hold the crumbling ruins in a ‘passionate tentacled embrace’.

Setan was very keen to show us more ruins, but even as the cicadas broke the deafeningly quiet air with their shrill chirpings, the skies suddenly split asunder. Thunder and lightening crashed and the much awaited rains ushered in a tranquillizing breeze. The trees swayed threateningly. The jungle came alive as the tropical rain poured and soaked through our skins, and exotic bird songs filled the air. We no longer wanted to see any other temple that day. For us a rainfall in the jungle was the best sight to behold.

Around Angkor Wat there are several temples but none more exquisite than Banteay Srei from the 10th century. It is the most elegant of all the temples with delicate filigree relief work on red stone. Figurines of dancing girls, jewellry, fruits, orchids, ornaments, vases, and bowls are etched indelibly with beauty and precision that would bring joy to any artist. Banteay Srei is about an hour’s drive through rural Cambodia. The countryside is green and we stopped at several small villages to “chat” with the locals and share tea.

Cambodians are gentle in their ways but they have clear memories of a bitter recent past. The museum of the tower of skulls and limbs in the killing fields of Cambodia is there for the world to see. The tourists, on the other hand, keep on coming, by the plane load. And in a way, Cambodian’s are looking to them for a brighter tomorrow.

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