Visitor's Guide to Prasat Phra Viharn
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VISITOR’S GUIDE TO PRASAT PHRA VIHARN 2 VISITOR’S GUIDE TO PRASAT PHRA VIHARN Mr. Manit Walliphodom First Curator Department of Fine Arts Published by Department of Fine Arts On the occasion of the survey and restoration of Ancient ruins in the North-eastern Region 2503 B.E. (1960) 3 Preface to the English Translation The Stone Prasat at the Mountain of Phra Viharn was first found by Prince Krommaluang Sanphasitthi Prasong in the year 1899 when he was inspecting the area while serving as King Rama V’s Inspector General. Since then, the Fine Arts Department, the agency in charge of arts, culture and antiquities under the Ministry of Education and Culture undertook several archeological surveys of the monuments and sites. In 1940, the Fine Arts Department registered both the group of monuments and the site under the name “Monuments on Phra Viharn Mountain” as national protection area and national monuments, and published the registration in the National Gazette on October 22, 1940. In 1960, the Fine Arts Department published the first full archaeological survey report written by a senior archeologist, the late Mr. Manit Walliphodom, together with photographs taken by the author during the surveys. The report described in great detail how to travel form Bangkok to the site and gave a complete archaeological account of the monuments and the site, how to ascend the grand stairs from the north of the temple and walk up until one reached the main structure at the peak of the hill in the south. He also reported faithfully the stages of the ruin monuments found at the time of the survey. The report has served as an important reference on the monuments of Phra Viharn to later archaeologists and scholars as well as a guide book for visitors to Prasat Phra Viharn. ICOMOS Thailand, is happy to have the report translated into English for international readers. It is hoped that the report will provide a clear and interesting picture of this sacred Hindu Temple from the eyes of a respected archaeologist whose works have received recognition in Thailand and by international scholars. 4 Foreword In November 2502 B.E. students from Silpakorn University submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister volunteering and seeking permission to restore ancient ruins at Khao Phra Viharn, Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province. Consequently, I assigned Mr. Manit Walliphodom, First Curator, and Mr. Thaen Thiraphichit, Second Curator attached to the Department of Fine Arts to define the scope of restoration, to supervise and advise the students as well as to facilitate their operation. This restoration coincides with the Department’s own survey and restoration of ruins in the north-eastern region, which began at the beginning of the same year and led by Mr. Manit Walliphodom. Phra Viharn ruins are within the area of coverage of the 6th Fine Arts Unit headed by Mr. Thaen Thiraphichit. Successful conclusion of the assignment testifies to both officials’ knowledge of and keen interest in ancient ruins. Therefore, I have asked Mr. Manit Walliphodom to write this visitor’s guide to Prasat Phra Viharn. Regretfully, it is not possible to include in this Guide detailed maps of each groups of gopura described therein. At any rate, readers may refer to the map of the ruins at the end of this Guide. I hope that interested readers will find this Visitor’s Guide to Prasat Phra Viharn useful. (Signed) Dhanit Yupho Department of Fine Arts 12 February 2503 B.E. 5 Prasat Phra Viharn Figure 1 View of the east of Phra Viharn Figure 2 Front stairway 6 Figure 3 Western naga raj guard rail Figure 4 Aerial view of the first level of Monthien Commonly known as Prasat Phra Viharn, the sacred ruins in Tambol Bueng Maloo, Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province are, according to the stone inscription found in a prang (sanctuary) among the ruins, Bhavalai. Prasat Phra Viharn was constructed on a peak in the Dangrek Mountains which separates the south-east of Thailand from Cambodia. The highest point of this peak is in the south at an altitude of 657 meters above sea level. The Cambodian plain is approximately 547 meters 7 below punctuated by a number of small hills (Figure1). The peak slopes down towards the north where its lowest point registers 535 meters above sea level. Facing northward toward Thailand, Prasat Phra Viharn was built with stones extracted from nearby mountains thus leaving traces of their original sites. Four groups of buildings sprawl from the foothill upward to the peak. Most of them are gabled structures without embellished spire roof structure that is characteristic of prasat. Therefore, they should be more appropriately called Monthien. Phra Viharn ruins are accessible via two routes. 1. By rail via Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani express train. This express train leaves Bangkok daily at 7.30 p.m. and arrives in Sisaket Province at 8.10 a.m. on the following day. Visitors should travel on by car to Kantharalak District, which is 62 kilometers away, and continue another 34 kilometers past Nam Khuab Village, Phumsalon Village to Khao Phra Viharn. (See road map at the end of this guide.) This sector should take about four hours. Trains to Bangkok leaves Sisaket Province at 8.04 p.m. each evening arriving in Bangkok at 9 a.m. the next morning. 2. By car. The distance between Bangkok and Khao Phra Viharn is 690 kilometers. Visitors are advised to take Phahonyothin Road to Saraburi (108 kms.) then turn into Friendship Highway to Nakhonratchasima Province (253 kms.). From Nakhonratchasima Province, follow the route to Chokechai District (23 kms.), Chokechai-Nang Rong (62 kms.), Nang Rong-Prakhonechai (28 kms.), Prakhonechai- Kantharalak (188 kms.), and finally, Kantharalak-Khao Phra Viharn (34 kms.). Visitors coming from Ubon Ratchathani Province should use Ubon-Dejudom route (43 kms), then follow cart tracks through the woods from Dejudom District to Kantharalak District (61 kms.) and Khao Phra Viharn (34 kms.). This 136-kilometer route is passable only in the dry season. Traveling by road is more fun, but visitors are advised to prepare for unforeseen obstacles along the above latterly-mentioned rugged route which may culminate in overnight stay en route. The sights of Phra Viharn start right at a stone terrace at the foot of Khao Phra Viharn. Front stairway. The main access to Prasat Phra Viharn or Bhavalai is the grand and important stairway situated in the north. The first flight counts 162 stone steps of 8-meter width that span the length of 78.50 meters. Some steps are carved into the stone ground of the mountain on the ground of the peak. Both sides of the steps are punctuated by four-sided pedestals, the first of which stands at the foot of the stairway. Upon these large pedestals were sitting lion sculptures that have fallen to the ground (Figure 2). The second flight stair is 27-meter long and comprises of 54 4-meter width steps. Seven pairs of small pedestals of 2.50 meter width for similar sculptures bordered the steps at regular intervals. 8 Sa Trao. At the foot of the stairway, to the west, are stone embankments filled with sand and gravel winding westward along the slope turning slightly north at its end. This 4-meter wide and 258-meter long embankment path serves as a path and also a dyke to divert rain water through its 4-meter gap near the path’s end to the cliff. At the cliff a source of a stream flows to a creek known as Huay Amaria in the west. On the right bank of the stream is a terraced stone embankment path filled with earth and sand. It is 37.20 meter wide and 107 meter long leading to stone terrace in the north. This embankment directs rain water from the cliff to a stream in the west and a rather large reservoir in the east. From this reservoir water flows into a stream, meandering through a stone terrace at the foot of the front stairway into a pond called Sra Trao or Sra Krao, then flows to Huay Ta khob. The water from Huay Amaria, on the other hand, flows past Sawai checking point to join another stream at Huay Ta Khob. Nagaraj terrace. A stone-paved terrace, 7-meter wide and 31.80-meter long, at the top of the front stairway was probably built as rest area for those exhausted from climbing the steps. The terrace is bordered on each side by 2 stone 7-head naga (serpent). These simple heads and tails of two nagaraj are among early designs in animal arts of this type. The head parts of the west nagaraj is quite an impressive sight as it is carved from a single piece of large and long stone (Figure 3). A 7-meter wide and 11.50-meter high stairway brings visitors from the terrace to the first level of Monthien. On each side of the stairway stand three four-sided pedestals for seated lion sculptures. Lion sculptures made for this set of pedestals are smaller than those decorating the first flight of stairs; some of them are now lying on the ground. First level of Monthien. Tetrahedrons without walls constitute this group of buildings located on a slope. Their common characteristics are steps and portals. Terraced stone embankments in the eastern, northern and western corners of the Gopura serve as slope retention. The 1.80-meter high square-based stone with indented corners supports the Gopura (Figure 4). Seated lion sculptures are placed at the steps in front of the four portals.