Landscape & temples in a vivid context Softcover, c. 250 pages, A sneak preview https://angkorguide.net/magnificent-angkor-the-essential-guide- book-for-individual-travels/ © Johann Reinhart Zieger 2021 47 Banteay Srei, the inner area from northeast Banteay Srei west. The eastern part of the moat is twice as "The Citadel of the Women" wide as the western. The buildings are reduced Original name: Tribhuvanamahesvara, "Great in pseudo-perspective; the further east, the Lord of the Triple World"' smaller. Therefore, the towers are miniatures. D Consecrated 967, executed in the 11th and The core, a square of just 25 by 25 m, is now 12th centuries cordoned off. There are three towers here, the O East middle one with mandapa, and two fire C Hindu, Shiva shrines. F private temple The central and southern towers are dedicated L c. 20 km north of Angkor to Shiva, the northern to Vishnu. Far away from Angkor, at Phnom Kulen's Reliefs foot, a tribe of wealthy Brahmins created a The most impressive reliefs are on the outer private temple complex; a centre of Ashrams, east gate, on the two halls that interrupt the av- meditation places for Shiva followers, occu- enue, in the middle east gate, on the inner east pies the eastern part. gate on both sides, on the east and west sides Shiva's residence is in the western part. He of the fire shrines and the outer west gate. and Vishnu live among friends, as it were, in towers adorned with playfull Devatas and Dvarapalas. The temple is small, masterfully built from ex- quisite sandstone, adorned with excellent re- liefs, uniquely well preserved and carefully re- constructed. A small avenue is lined with picture stones and pillar colonnades in the east of the temple itself. The inner area is surrounded by two enclosure walls, each with gate structures in the east and 48 Banteay Srei, Total plan 1 Northeast Fire Shrine, 2 Southeast Fire Shrine, A Ashram, G Gopura (gate pavil- ion), E East, N North, S South, W West . Indra on Airavan above Reahu, (Outer East Gate) Shiva and Uma on Nandi (Southern Ashram) Shiva and Uma sit on the bull just like a Khmer couple on their moped. Vishnu as "Lion Man" kills a Demon king (Northern Ashram) 49 Ravana kidnaps Sita (on the ground in front of East Gate III) The abduction of Sita Ramayana reliefs Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu, won the Three scenes of this epic are at display at Banteay Srei: spouse Lakshmi, in a tournament (AW). The abduction of Sita, Rama killing Valin, Banished from his position as heir of the and Elephants cleansing Sita. Kingdom, he was exiled to the forest, More reliefs are at the gate pavilions of where he lived with his wife and Laksh- the Baphuon pyramid. mana, his half-brother, for fourteen years. At Angkor Wat is the large tableau of The relief tells us the story of how the Battle of Lanka. More scenes are in Ravana, the Demon-King of Lanka, ab- the western corner pavilions. ducted Sita. At Preah Khan, you can see We see two golden gazelles that Ravana umphant return to his capital. sent and the Brothers pursuing them while Ravana kidnaps Sita. 50 Elephants pour a cleansing elixir on Sita (East Gate II) Elephants pouring cleansing elixirs on Sita Dancing Shiva (East Gate I) In the battle of Lanka, the monkey army defeated the demons, and Rama killed Ravana and freed Sita. Dancing Shiva Nevertheless, after Sita had been in the One of the most potent images of Shiva is hands of Ravana for so long, Rama sus- that of Nataraja, the King of Dance. pects her. Sita claims her innocence; Drunken and intoxicated, he performs the Ravana did not touch her. Therefore, Sita Tandava, the orgiastic dance he has in- has to undergo a cleansing ritual. vented, at the centre of a circle of drunk Demons wherein he tramples a rebel De- mon. The dance symbolizes the destruc- tion of the World; its rhythm is the source of all movement and the origin of cosmic power. (Based on Roveda 2005, p. 162 f.) 51 Durga killing the Buffalo Monster (RGI, W face) Durga, the killer of the Buffalo Monster The Demon Mahisha had won a great bat- At last, the Gods were vindicated and tle against the Gods. He took residence in could return to their heavenly abode. their Heaven after having expelled them At Banteay Srei, Durga has eight arms, the to wander homeless on Earth. lower right holding the spear used to Worried about these events, the Gods con- d her lower centred their powers to create flames that left to hold the animal's tail. From the lat- took form first as a ball of fire and then as head (now eroded) of Mahisha in human form. The coils of the Naga tighten up this and other attributes from various Gods. portion of the Demon. To the left of Durga Riding a lion, she defeated the armies of is the lion, her mount, with a very expres- the Demons and fought Mahisha. To dis- sive detailed snout, typical of the carvings guise himself, Mahisha had assumed dif- of lions at Banteay Srei. (Based on Roved ferent shapes, including, finally, that of a 2005. p. 169) buffalo, symbolic of death. But Durga rec- (To see this hidden relief, contact a police ognised him and pierced his throat with a officer at 5 pm.) spear. Then, when he tied to escape from his animal body, she cut off his head with a sword. 52 The Demon King Ravana shakes Mount Kailasa (Southern fire shrine) Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha safety with a charming gesture. The giant Ravana, King of the Demons of On the step below Shiva, there is a row of Lanka, went to Mount Kailasa, home of ascetics with their wives. Some seem to Shiva and his spouse Uma, but was for- point at Ravana, while one other point to- bidden access by a monkey-headed wards Shiva, imploring him to intervene. guardian. The Gana members, a host of animal- When Ravana scolded him for a monkey, headed attendants, are engaged in ani- of which he would not be told, the guard- mated conservation on the middle step. ian predicted: It's the monkeys who will At the base of the pyramid are several ani- kill you. mals fleeing in all directions, terrified by Furious with rage, Ravana raises the base the mountain's tremors. of the mountain and shakes it to attract With his toe's simple movement, Shiva the attention of Shiva. pushed the mountain onto Ravana, who He is portrayed with a gigantic body, ten was trapped under the rubble. heads and twenty arms. He is kneeling in Acknowledging Shiva's power, Ravana the effort to raise or shake Mount Kailasa. sang his praise for a thousand years. The mountain is represented as a three- As a reward, Shiva set him free and gave stepped pyramid with a forest in the back- him a sword. ground. Ravana abused the Gods' powers and cre- Shiva sits enthroned at the top of his ated such chaos on earth that the Gods mountain with his wife, Uma. had to send down Vishnu in his incarna- All the creatures living on the mountain tion as Rama. Rama then becomes the were terrified, and Uma, looking at sworn enemy of Ravana. Ravana, snuggled against Shiva's chest for (Based on Roveda 2005, p. 162.) 53 Shiva killing the God of Love (Southern fire shrine) Shiva killing the God of Love Kama discharges an arrow of mango blos- soms on Shiva. The Demon Taraka brings havoc among the Gods. Shiva either gives his rosary to Uma for safekeeping, or Uma attempts to interrupt People take refuge to Mount Kailasha. his meditation by presenting him with a Below Shiva on the mountain, Brahmans rosary. have a crowd with their wives on the Shiva, startled up, furiously kills Kama highest step. On the intermediate step are with the energy of his frontal eye. several semi-divine creatures with the heads of parrots, elephants, horses or Then he perceives Uma and the son will other animals. On the lowest step are be born. peasants with their animals and Nandi in When Uma asks Shiva to resuscitate the middle. Kama because there would be no love and Only a son of Shiva can overcome the De- happiness without him, he brings him to mon. life again. However, Shiva is in deep meditation. (Based on Roveda 2005, p. 156.) God Indra summons Kama, the God of Though the relief is commonly named Love to wake up Shiva to make love with his spouse Uma and father a son. is here on fire. 54 Krishna slays the Demon King Kamsa (Northern Fire Shrine) The royal pavilion, made entirely of wood, is Krishna slays the Demon King Kamsa illustrated in detail. Kamsa had persecuted Krishna and his family side from childhood. rooms are decked with garlands, and the cen- Hearing that Kamsa wanted to persecute his tral room has a canopy with gentle folds in the family again, Krishna forced his way into the fabric and a fringe with a pendant at the cen- tre. hair down from the dais, which is visible in the background and kills him with a mace. 55 Fire in the Khandava Forest (Northern fire shrine) Fire in the Khandava Forest water down at the burning forest. When Krishna and Arjuna were resting in However, Arjuna created a barrage of ar- the Khandava Forest, Agni, the God of rows over the forest, preventing the water Fire, approached them and explained that from reaching the flames.