Heading into Banteay Srei, my favourite of Angkor's temples. Built 1050
years ago by a courtier rather than a king, it is a contemporary of the Mayan
Chichen Itza and predates the more famous Angkor Wat by 200 years.
I should say from
the outset that I find it very hard to like the much lauded Hindu
deities.
Admittedly, some of
their exploits are quite impressive.
Brahma creates the
world to Vishnu’s plan, while Vishnu reclines on a snake at the bottom of the
sea, with a lotus growing up through his belly button.
Recreating the
world: Vishnu with lotus, snake and belly button. If only.
Aaaah yes. We come
to the nub.
Good job on
creating the world, guys, but do we have to go on these continual murderous
rampages? Might I suggest an anger management course?
Perhaps not.
Because without the ancient Ramayama, Mahabharata and Purana stories, the
glorious 1200-700 year old temples around Angkor Wat in Northern Cambodia would
not contain the stone carvings that make them so magnificent and made me laugh out loud.
Here are a few of
my faves.
Brahma's four
remaining heads. Despite being the Creator of the Universe, Brahma doesn't get
much of a look in at Angkor's temples, which does seem a bit unfair.
Credit stays with Vishnu for universe planning and giving birth to Brahma
via the lotus and his belly button. Angkor Thom's North Gate. Late 12th
Century.
Death by Big Toe
Shiva, the God of Destruction, is having a quiet moment.
This would be an
excellent thing as the man is a dancer, but of the End-Of-The-World rather than
the With-The-Stars variety.
With each dance,
the entire reconstruction of the world via Vishnu's belly button must begin yet
again.
So yes, Vishnu is
undoubtedly pissed off with cause, but he is not the only one. Ravana is
out for blood.
Ravana is a 'demon'
but commands an army, rules Sri Lanka, is multi-faced and thinks he's God. A
politician in other words.
Ravana arrives to
shake things up - in a literal sense, scaring the bejesus out of all and sundry
- while Shiva sits with his lover in his lap, languidly swatting flies...
Until he crushes
Ravana with his big toe.
Now there is a
response worthy of a highly paid rugby player and an orchestrated media
campaign.
That's Ravana at
the bottom, Shiva at the top, Parvarti in his lap and everyone else looking
terrified. The actual toe crushing comes later in the story. Banteay Srei.
967 AD
Photo Credit: alickmighal
Death by Incineration
Shiva was meditating when accidentally hit by the God of Love, Kama's
arrow.
Failing to remain in a state of calm, Shiva incinerates Kama in payback - love
clearly not conquering all on this occasion.
Heading back to his
meditation post-tanty, he falls in love.
To be honest, I'm not quite getting Shiva's massive popularity.
To be honest, I'm not quite getting Shiva's massive popularity.
The God of Love in
action (on the right) prior to incineration. Shiva throwing a tantrum
while Parvati (soon to be the object of desire) cowers on the left.
Banteay Srei. 967 AD
Photo Credit:
Richard Beck
Self-Cannibalism & Assorted Water Creatures
Kirtimukha
Kirtimukha's
headless body with its sharpened teeth and tiny hands sits below Indri on his
three headed elephant, welcoming all who enter Banteay Srei with the reminder
that the ego or self must be consumed to attain enlightenment.
On either side of
Kirtimukha and Indra, a two-headed Makara extends down over the gateway. Water
creatures that incorporate pieces of alligators, elephants, lions or fish,
these ones have serpents springing from their mouths to provide protection.
Suffering from ophidiophobia as I do, the Angkorian love of snakes is hard to
take, but they feature in the creation of alcohol, so I will live and let live.
More on this subject later.
Death by Clubbing
Kamsa steals
throne.
Krishna knocks
Kamsa over, grabs him by the hair and slugs him with Krishna's signature club.
Palace officials
watch happily.
Wait for the
action-packed sequel.
Krishna clubbing
Kamsa the King, while palace people party. Banteay Strei, 967 AD
Photo Credit: angkorguide.net
Gods of Fire and Rain
We move now from
simple regicide to a more complex story of God Gangland War. This will be
our last story of destruction, so enjoy:
Agni, God of Fire,
decides to do away with evil serpent, Taksaka, via massive environmental
destruction: burning down the forest in which the serpent lives.
The serpent calls
on his mate, God of Rain, Indra, to put out the fire but...
God of Fire
retaliates, calling on more deities who hold back the rain by shooting up a
massive shield of arrows - and incredible piece of carving below.
The serpent is cast
out of the forest, which is destroyed. Sigh.
God of Rain, Indra
on his three-headed elephant at the top above his rain in flowing torrents.
The arrows underneath block the rain and amongst them is the serpent
fleeing to the forest. At bottom left is Krishna warrior form with his
older brother, Balarama in a matching chariot at bottom right. Banteay
Strei, 967 AD
One of many
thousand Apsara adorning Bayon Temple. About 1200AD
The Creation of Cambodia and Alcohol
So we move away
from the mythical death and destruction of the Hindu deities and refocus on
what is possible my all time favourite story which not only explains the
creation of the divine Apsara or Angkorian Guardian Angels, but the creation of
alcohol itself.
It also involves
gods working collaboratively for a change.
Downside? This story involves a hell of a lot of snakes...
The entrance to
Angkor Thom. Each temple journey begins by crossing a metaphorical Cosmic
Sea, complete with snakes and (sometimes) water.
To be continued...
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