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Angkor Wat Sunrise – Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat Sunrise 01 500 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Siem Reap, CambodiaAngkor Wat temple, the symbol of modern Cambodia, embodies the genius, beauty and power of the Khmer civilization that first civilized what is now Southeast Asia.

Angkor Wat is unlike any other ancient temple on Earth because of the treasure it protects: its vast walls and corridors enshrine a delicate legacy, the exquisite portraits of more than 2,000 Khmer women known as devata. Whether they represent goddesses from heaven or queens here on earth is unknown.

Each day, these sanctified women welcome a new sunrise with the promise of abundance, fertility, peace and enlightenment for this land, and for all who wish to see their message. The heart of Angkor Wat is very much alive and the devata still offer humankind hints of our celestial place in the universe.

Special thanks to architect and photographer Gary Ng, who captured this magnificent series of sunrise photos at Angkor Wat on his first visit to Cambodia. For more of his work, please visit http://gnostec.wordpress.com/

Angkor Wat Sunrise 01a 500 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Angkor Wat Sunrise 02 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Angkor Wat Sunrise 03 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Angkor Wat Sunrise 04 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Angkor Wat Sunrise 05 500 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

Angkor Wat Sunrise 06 500 Angkor Wat Sunrise   Light of an Ancient Empire

Angkor Wat sunrise. © Copyright Gary Ng.

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Angkor Wat was built as a Hindu temple honoring Vishnu between 1,115-1,150 AD. Cambodia adopted Buddhism in the 13th century and Buddhist monks have maintained the temple since that time. © Copyright Gary Ng.

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Angkor Wat enshrines more than 2,000 portrait carvings of ancient Khmer women. Their identity and meaning remain a mystery. © Copyright Gary Ng.


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Posted in Devata & Apsara Photos, Khmer History. Tagged with , , , .

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Continuing the Discussion

  1. Cambodia – Republished « Gnostecism Vision linked to this post on April 19, 2010

    [...] If not, you can check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 by clicking on them. Anyway, i was approched by Kent Davis from Florida about using my Cambodian pics for his article up on his website, so i agreed and here it is. You can check it out by clicking the link below. Angkor Wat Sunrise – Light of an Ancient Empire | Angkor Wat Apsara & Devata: Khmer Women … [...]

  2. Angkor Photography Essentials: Camera Equipment Reviews | Angkor Wat Apsara & Devata: Khmer Women in Divine Context linked to this post on April 19, 2010

    [...] arts visit the galleries of photographers Anders Jiras and Andrew Page. And don’t miss Gary Ng’s beautiful shots of an Angkor sunrise on his first visit to [...]

  3. From America to Angkor to Ashes: The Artistic Odyssey of Lucille Douglass | Angkor Wat Apsara & Devata: Khmer Women in Divine Context linked to this post on May 3, 2010

    [...] Angkor Wat Sunrise – Light of an Ancient Empire [...]

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