A New Study Offers Historical Insight
on the Temple’s Female Imagery

By Michelle Vachon – The Cambodia Daily

Click here for PDF Version (1.6 meg)

© 2010 The Cambodia Daily – This article appears with the permission
of the copyright holder. No further reproduction is permitted.

The Cambodia Daily's Weekend featuring the women of Angkor Wat

In 1927, Sappho Marchal, the 23-year-old daughter of Henri Marchal who was over­seeing restoration of monuments at Angkor Wat at the time, published a book on the hair­styles, clothes and jewelry of 1,737 sculptures of women she had located on the walls and columns of Angkor Wat.

And until recently, no archeologist or historian at Angkor had wondered why so many nearly life-size images of human beings filled the 12th century monument and why these sculptures were only of women, said Kent Davis, a researcher and publisher of DatAsia Press.

“Despite 150 years of intense study, the Khmer pundits who surveyed every temple and measured every stone only thought to consider these women as decorations, rather than as people.” Mr Davis said.

“Visitors were apparently content when the experts told them that the most complex collection of full-body portrait carvings ever created in a single ancient human generation were simply ‘Imaginary wives to serve the king in heaven’ Total nonsense, but it flew for 150 years.”

Angkor Wat general devata types.

One researcher had written a short essay on the resemblance between the features on a few sculptures and hill tribe women.

Another had viewed the sculptures in a mythological context but without going further, he said.

So Mr Davis embarked on his own research in 2005, eventually getting in touch with art historian Peter Sharrock and archaeologist Robert McCarthy, who are studying these woman sculptures but concentrating on the era of Jayavarman VII, which took place about two generations after the construction of Angkor Wat.

Devata faces from the inside wall of the West Gopura at Angkor Wat.

Scholars refer to the women as devatas (deities), when portrayed in large sculptures, and apsaras (dancers and singers of the gods), when groups appear in smaller sculptures.

Mr Davis has identified 1,796 sculpted images on Angkor Wat through his research, expanding on inventories done by stone conservators with the German Apsara Conservation Project.

Once Mr Davis took digital photos of the group, he asked a team from Michigan State University in the US for help developing a computer tool to analyze the sculptures.

This has prompted the first scientific study to be conducted on Angkor Wat’s women figures. Its results will be presented on Sunday in Istanbul at the conference of the International Association for Pattern Recognition on computer vision.

Angkor Wat general devata types.

Anil K. Jain — a professor in several of the university’s departments including computer science and engineering, statistics and probability — will explain the computer analysis model that he and two of his students developed to analyze the features of women sculpted on the surface of the monument.

For this first study, Mr Jain and his team concentrated on 252 devatas located on Angkor Wat’s entrance pavilion called the West Gopura.

As they mention in the summary of their study entitled “Clustering Face Carvings: Exploring the Devatas of Angkor Wat [925k PDF download],” Mr Jain and his team had to devise a program to compare devatas on well preserved as well as eroded stone and on different types of stone, which some existing programs did not make possible.

Features of some devata faces were damaged by erosion over the centuries.

They designed the tool to analyze whole faces, proportions in features, such as the distance between the eyes or between nose and mouth, as well as specific features including ears and chins. This program will also give future researchers the flexibility to change features to be analyzed.

“While the landmarks for many different facial components were marked, in this study we used only four of the major facial components (eyes, nose, mouth and face outline) for clustering the devatas into 8 groups,” they write in their summary. [see bottom of article for composites of facial feature variations]

These groups of devatas sharing specific features may reflect the features of women who actually lived at Angkor at the time and the fact that they came from different regions such as central Cambodia, Laos, northern­central Thailand, Champa in today’s Vietnam, and China.

The initial pattern recognition algorithm defined eight distinct facial types.

“There is [a report from the year 1225] in China which says 200 foreign women danced and made offerings to the Buddha in Jayavarman VII’s temples. So Angkor was an international center,” Mr Sharrock wrote in an e-mail.

However, whether these eight groups of devatas correspond to women who lived at Angkor when the temple was built has yet to be seen, he said, “These are early results only. More tuning and more data manipulation is needed before strong claims can be made.”

In Mr McCarthy’s opinion, the sculptures may be idealized versions of living women who served as royal temple caretakers.

“The possibility that the role of guardian was taken by both female (in the majority) and male (in the minority) should not be ignored. Just as age and region of origin within the Khmer Empire does not appear to be a problematic factor within the devata community of temple guardians,” he wrote in an email.

Angkor Wat general devata types.

Both Mr Sharrock and Mr McCarthy agree that this computer analysis tool shows great potential.

“In Angkor Wat there are clearly differences between the elaborately coiffed devata inside the outer western gallery and inside the courtyards of the main temple and the more powerful, larger and more serious-faced devata on the higher level of the temple and the central tower. Why there are these differences we do not yet understand.” Mr Sharrock said Mr Davis’ research with this computer program may help answer some of those questions, he added.

When analysis expands to include more features such as headdresses, jewelry, hands and feet, the differences from one to the other image may help, Mr McCarthy said, “unlock secrets of not only the devata of Angkor Wat but those earlier and later devata traits [...] to assist in identifying artistic techniques that may lead to the identity, in unique styles only, of the craft people who supervised and those who carved the bas-reliefs.”

Mr Davis’ goal is to include Mr Jain’s program in a comprehensive database of Angkor Wat’s 1,796 sculpted images of women that tracks 65 characteristics — including location, features, compass orientation, hair styles, jewelry designs, hand positions, fabric patterns — of each image, he said.

He is now editing in a book [Daughters of Angkor Wat] compiling researcher’s opinions and speculations regarding the devata sculptures over the past 100 years.

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Facial Feature Variations

Angkor Wat eye composite photos.

Angkor Wat devata nose comparison photos.

Angkor Wat devata mouth comparison photos.

Angkor Wat chin comparison photos.

Daughters of Angkor Wat

Who were these women? Why were they so important to the powerful Khmer Empire?

A growing body  of evidence indicates that Angkor Wat may be mankind’s greatest tribute to womanhood, motherhood and the feminine divine.

Daughters of Angkor Wat begins unlocking the secrets of these women, immortalized in stone so long ago. Advanced analysis using newly available computer technology is just beginning. This book presents surprising theories, hundreds of original photos and new insights from some of the world’s leading experts including:

Paul Cravath
Kent Davis
Madeleine Giteau
Kapil Goel
George Groslier
Trudy Jacobsen
Nitin Kumar
Anil Menon
Julie Mehta
Peter Sharrock
Krishna Murari Srivastava

…and other enlightened observers.

The book’s most unusual feature is that this investigation raises more questions than it answers. The evidence it reveals gives readers the tools to join the experts and to participate in solving this historical mystery.

In development since 2006, the book has been repeatedly delayed by Devata.org’s rapidly expanding body of research so that new theories can be properly expressed. August 22, 2010 marked the release of the world’s first scientific study of the devata, “Clustering Face Carvings: Exploring the Devata of Angkor Wat”, in progress with the Michigan State University computer vision team since 2008.

We now anticipate Advance Reading Copies of “Daughters of Angkor Wat” to be available to the press by early 2012. We are as anxious as you are to see it as you are!

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Angkor Wat, Cambodia – This article identifies working counts and locations of all devata (sacred female) images in Angkor Wat. We have numerically identified 1,796 devata at the temple, not including those on the high towers.

In her 1926 study, Sappho Marchal cited 1,737 devata, possibly not counting some that are partially completed, worn away, covered by stone blocks (sealed doorways on level A1) or “aerial devata” located on Angkor Wat’s top towers.

Angkor Wat's main structure with key devata locations labeled.

DatAsia’s numbering system identifies devata carvings sequentially in five defined structural areas.

A1 – Angkor Wat Top Level (Bakan) + Central Tower

A2 – Angkor Wat Second Level + 2 Libraries

A3 – Angkor Wat Third Level (outside only) + 2 Libraries

Angkor Wat West Gopura (entry gate)

A4 – The West Gopura – Entry gate to Angkor Wat

A5 – Angkor Wat South + West Gates (no devata at North Gate)

Our numbering convention identifies the Level; Structure; Inside/Outside Location (relative to the center of the temple); Sequential Devata Number + Additional Details (this can include the feature, photographer, raw photo number, etc.)

e.g. A4-GW-I-009-K
This means the devata is located in area A4, Gate West, Inside, Devata #009, photo by Kent Davis

All numbering begins at the southwest corner of each structure and goes sequentially counter clockwise (from South to North on the West Gopura).

Devata Inventory at Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat Devata - West Gopura

A1 – 407

Central Tower – 64   (#001-062)
Central Tower Aerial – 16 (NW-NE-SW-SE x 4)
OUTSIDE – 201   (#001-198)
INSIDE – 126   (#001-124)

A2 – 647

A2 OUTSIDE – 341   (#001-328)
A2 INSIDE – 222   (#001-217)

A2 Libraries
North – 44   (#001-044)
South – 40   (#001-040)

A3 – 414

OUTSIDE – 241   (#001-241)
INSIDE- 0

A3 Libraries
North – 46   (#001-046)
South – 20   (#001-020)

Angkor Wat Devata - West Gopura

West Inside Chambers
Center – 28   (#001-028)
North & South – 8+8   (#001-016)

Cruciform Gallery
North – 34  ( #001-034)
South – 29   (#001-029)

A4 – Gate West – 259

West (OUTSIDE) – 119   (#001-119)
East (INSIDE) – 124   (#001-122)
Entry Chamber North – 8   (#001-008)
Entry Chamber South – 8   (#001-008)

A5 – 69

A5-South Gate – 25   (#001-024)
A5-East Gate – 40   (#001-040)
A5-West Library – 4*   (#001-004)

Total: 1,796 unique devata

*These devata are a different style and appear to have been added during the reign of Jayavarman VII or later. There are other devata with questionable styles that may also have been added later.

The A1 exterior towers may also have as many as 16 devata each, which could increase the inventory by 64 additional devata.

NOTE: Original DatAsia numbers were assigned to correspond with the German Apsara Conservation Project database so that data could be compared.

Unfortunately, the GACP database has numerical anomalies due to later additions. For this reason, some numbers have more than one devata (e.g. 100a, 100b). This, therefore, results in areas such as A1 Outside, where the numerical sequence only goes to 198 but covers a population of 201 devata.

Another issue is that the GACP system numbers counterclockwise, even for devata inside levels A1 and A2. This means that they are numbered right to left (…3, 2, 1) instead of left to right (1, 2, 3…), which is less intuitive when viewing.

When the Devata.org database is complete a final, sequentially perfect number will be assigned to each devata portrait. In the meantime, however, we continue to use the legacy system for easier cross referencing.

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Towering above the Cambodian jungle, Angkor Wat is still the largest religious structure on Earth, nearly 900 years after it was built. Since the 12th century, the huge temple has enshrined 1,780 stone portraits of Khmer goddesses, but for more than two years the most exquisite images at the highest levels have been off-limits to visitors. On January 15th, a Buddhist holy day, the sacred area reopens so visitors can once again experience the sublime Khmer vision of heaven on earth.

Eastern view of Angkor wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Angkor Wat is located in an immense archeological district managed by the APSARA National Authority (APSARA), a Cambodian agency responsible for preserving hundreds of temples built by the Khmer civilization.  With nearly two million annual visitors, APSARA constantly works to protect both visitors and their country’s priceless national heritage.

The most sacred level of Angkor Wat is called the "Bakan" in Khmer.

Diagram of the Bakan level from "Angkor Vat, description graphique du temple" by Guy Nafilyan, 1969.

For two years, experts have been working to make visits to the top of Angkor Wat safer for tourists and for the delicate stone portraits of the Khmer goddesses who reside there. Madame Chau Sun Kérya, the Director of Department of Cultural Development, Museums and Heritage Norms for the APSARA National Authority, summarized the situation in her statement to Devata.org:

“Angkor Wat had become so popular that it was too busy, especially at the top level we call the Bakan. The ancient stone staircase was not safe. Uncontrolled crowding combined with difficult walking conditions created a danger, especially for older visitors. APSARA has made a number of improvements to protect our guests, our history and to restore the dignity of this place that is sacred to all Khmer people.”

The most delicate images of sacred Khmer women, called by the Sanskrit terms apsaras or devata, are preserved in the Bakan of Angkor Wat. Photo Kent Davis

Working with international conservators, APSARA first determined Angkor Wat’s capacity to accommodate tourists in the Bakan without burdening the structure. They then constructed new stairs to improve access, added flat wooden walkways over the rough stone surfaces, and installed railings to protect the delicate carvings. But the final steps are perhaps the most important:

“The Bakan is a sacred place for Khmer people, and we want to share this experience with visitors in the best way,” Chau Sun explained. “For this reason the APSARA National Authority will now provide trained guides to explain the history of the Bakan and we will limit visits to groups of 100 persons at a time.”

A Khmer goddess facing West on the central tower in the Bakan. Photo Kent Davis.

In recent years APSARA has also improved tourist access policies at other key temples including the Bayon, Phnom Bakheng and Banteay Srey. Following the re-opening of the Bakan at Angkor Wat, APSARA plans to monitor the situation and adjust policies as necessary.

To learn more about conservation activities in the Angkor archeological park please visit the APSARA Authority Official Website.

NOTE – I was first alerted to this breaking story thanks to Andy Brouwer’s exceptional blog with the latest news and views on all things Cambodian.

SUMMARY FOR ANGKOR WAT VISITORS

(Courtesy APSARA National Authority)

• Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, the largest religious structure in the world, has been a pilgrimage location for Hindu and Buddhist visitors for nearly 900 years.
  
• On January 15, 2010, the APSARA National Authority re-opened the top level of Angkor Wat, called the “Bakan” in the Khmer language. This area enshrines hundreds of lifelike portraits of Khmer goddesses, known by the Sanskrit terms apsaras or devata.
  
• To provide safer access to the Bakan, APSARA has constructed new wooden staircases, benches and handrails. The agency will also provide trained guides to share the history and significance of this sacred location.
  
• Visitors must wear be dressed modestly and respectfully to visit the Bakan.
  
• Access is now limited to 100 persons and a stay of 15-30 minutes.
  
• On the four Buddhist holy days of each month, the Bakan will only be open to Cambodian visitors to allow them to worship the Lord Buddha in this sacred location.

The restored temple of Chau Say Tevoda. Note the new stone sections in lighter color.

Between 1,120-1,150AD, Angkor Wat’s sponsor, King Suryavarman II, also began building the elegant Hindu temple of Chau Say Tevoda. Yasovarman II is credited with additional work during his brief reign (1,160-1,166AD). Finally, Jayavarman VII (ruling 1,181-1,215 AD) added new decorative elements to harmonize with the religious transformation he initiated converting the state from Hinduism to Buddhism.

The central shrine is encircled by sacred female images called devata.

Two of the Khmer civilization’s greatest kings, Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII, also installed the greatest number of sacred female images, or devata, in their temples. The style and unique qualities of the devata at Chao Say Tevoda make this small temple well worth a detour on any visit to Angkor.

The Khmer kings Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII enshrined images of more than 4,000 sacred women in their temples. No one knows exactly why.

Chau Say Tevoda includes a central sanctuary, two libraries and four gopura (gateway) structures, one for each cardinal point. Directly to its north sits Thommanon temple, which was also built by King Suryavarman II based on a similar design.

Thommanon also features prominent devata in fine condition (see Devata.org’s Thommanon photo gallery here) but there are significant stylistic differences in the women populating the two temples. For years, Thommanon was in far better condition thanks to extensive restoration done by the EFEO in the 1960’s under the direction of Bernard Philippe Groslier.

Many of the women at Chao Say Tevoda express strength in their beauty.

Unfortunately, Chao Say Tevoda had been devastated by centuries of natural erosion, and all that remained were 4,000 pieces of stone masonry, many of which had tumbled down an embankment into the Siem Reap River.

On March 29, 2000, H.R.H. Princess Buppha Devi with APSARA Authority and other Cambodian dignitaries welcomed H.E. Yang Tin Ai, Ambassador for the People’s Republic of China as his government initiated a massive restoration project of the temple that included both Chinese and Cambodian workers. Tim Tye’s Asia Explorers website offers a few excellent photos taken while the restoration.

The Chinese restoration project was controversial because they chose to totally reconstruct the temple buildings by including newly fabricated stones. While American and Japanese teams rejected this approach it conformed to UNESCO and ICOMOS guidelines allowing for their use of 2-9% of modern replica stones in heritage reconstruction.

The Chinese restoration team included replicas of missing stone sections (seen above in lighter colors).)

The results are dramatic. The new sections are easy to identify and, while the replicas do not equal the artistic quality of the original Khmer sections, they do help visitors experience the temple in a condition closer to what was originally built.

The Chinese team completed their work in 2009, when the improved temple again began receiving visitors.

May the devata of Chao Say Tevoda bestow blessings on the Chinese for their important contribution of restoring this Khmer cultural treasure.

NOTE: A complete photo gallery of all the unique Chau Say Tevoda devata is in preparation. The link will be posted here in the future. In the meantime a trinity of devata appears below:

This devata's crown, with central element, is unusual. None of the symbolic attributes that devata display have yet been interpreted.

This alert looking devata is crowned by her long, thick, braided hair dressed in coils.

This graceful crowned devata is similar to her sisters at Angkor Wat. Note that she holds a "rooted bud" (Devata.org terminology) exactly like the sacred women surrounding the central sanctuary on the top level of Angkor Wat.

Siem Reap, Cambodia – This huge temple city, once filled with as many as 100,000 acolytes, now rests peacefully in the lush jungle of northern Cambodia.

Today acolytes are few, but sacred images of Khmer women still abound, protecting the temple with their auspicious presence.

The sacred woman in this photo gallery have been exposed to harsh tropical sun for more than 700 years but still retain their charm and mystery. For comparison, be sure to visit the other devata temple photo galleries.

The brilliant colors of the friendly Preah Khan devata pictured at the right are natural, but enhanced by increasing the camera’s color saturation.

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Preah Khan Photos – Devata of Light

The women of Angkor Wat, frequently called devata and apsaras, are related to many divine, semi-divine and mortal Asian females. While researching flying goddesses (like the apsaras manifesting from the Sea of Milk at Angkor Wat), I began following threads about the Indonesian rice goddess, Dewi Sri.

Dewi Sri, the Indonesian goddess of rice and fertility, is reputed to have pre-Hindu origins.

Sadly, ancient images of Dewi Sri are scarce to the point that I could find none…so we have to settle for this attractive, but modern, reproduction from Wikipedia. Still, it’s interesting to note that her accouterments and demeanor are immediately reminiscent of the devata of Angkor Wat.

Khmer Uma Goddess found at Koh Ker - Cornell Collection

Dewi Sri is associated with rice, water, the moon…and is believed to have dominion over the underworld…domain of the serpent or Naga race…the very same race that are progenitors of the Khmers.

Cambodia’s closest equivalent goddess seems to be Po Ino Nogar, whose name means “great one” in Khmer, and is sometimes associated with the Hindu goddess Uma. Po Ino Nogar is revered because she brings fertility and agricultural bounty to the earth and its people. Like the heavenly apsaras seen at Angkor Wat, she is also associated with the sky, clouds and water, and is sometimes symbolized as a gentle rain.

It is interesting to note that Po Ino Nogar is polyandrous, with 97 husbands. She also has 38 daughters, one of whom, Po Yan Dari, is supposedly a goddess of disease and death who lives in caves and grottos. However, in a Cham version of this tale, the daughter is named Pajau Tan, and she is seen as a divine healer. According to that legend, Pajau Tan was so successful raising the dead that she disrupted normal life and was finally sent to live on the moon. Another daughter of Po Ino Nogar is “the Mouse Queen” (Po Bya Tikuh), perhaps related because of the threat mice pose to the rice crop.

I’ve been unable to locate an image of Po Ino Nogar (please comment to provide info below) but Thailand’s rice goddess is quite popular and quite visible. Known as Mae Posop (แม่โพสพ) she is still honored as the goddess of fertility and abundance as this article from August 9, 2008 explains: Queen Sirikit of Thailand presided over a ceremony.

Since ancient times, Cambodian and Thai royalty have commemorated the beginning of the rice growing season with an annual Royal Plowing Day Ceremony in the month of May.

Mae Posop - แม่โพสพ- Thailand's Rice Goddess. Note that the letters seen top right are Khmer script, not Thai. Can anyone comment as to their significance?

This all seems relevant to our investigation of sacred Khmer women for a few reasons:

1. The iconography of the devata of Angkor Wat is also associated with fertility, growth and abundance.

2. Associations with naga (divine serpents), water, the underworld and the moon also potentially link these sacred females.

3. Java, the home of Dewi Sri, has proven ties to the Khmer civilization in ancient times (10th to 13th century).

To conclude,  let’s read a bit more about rice and tradition with our guest writer, and food aficionado, Vipp Rongsit from Thailand…

Thai Rice and the Ceremony of the Rice Goddess: Mae Posop

By Vipp Rongsit

Mae Posop - แม่โพสพ - Thailand's Rice Goddess

Rice is the mainstay of the Siamese diet and economy. It is always served with salads, meats, poultry, fish, and sea food. Two-thirds of the Thai people earn a living from rice farming. They produce enough not only to feed themselves, but also to be one of the world’s largest rice exporters. Rice farming is the greatest single contributor to national income, providing almost half of Thailand’s export earnings, and major support of government revenues. When one hires a servant in Siam, it is customary to supply rice in addition to salary.

Besides its economic importance, rice has a deep psychological and cultural meaning for the Thai, according to Phya Anuman Rajadhon, distinguished Thai historian and scholar of the customs and traditions of his country. When a Siamese wishes to say he is hungry, he says, “Hiu khao“ or “I’m hungry for rice.” When he is eating, he says, “Tan khao” or “I’m eating rice.” Even when he refers to food in general he uses the word khao, meaning rice.

Thai Rice Goddess - Mae Posop

There are many rituals and ceremonies that accompany rice farming, and, while some are losing their vitality with the passing of the older generation, others are practiced today. These observances are founded on the belief that there is a Rice Goddess or Rice Mother, Mae Posop (แม่โพสพ), who, if properly worshiped and propitiated, will reward the farmer with prosperity and good health. For those who deny her, only poverty and sickness will be their end.

It is said that she first came to reside in the land of the rice fields from Mount Meru, the home of the Hindu-Buddhist gods. Her journey over the Seven Seas and the Seven Mountain Ranges was long and tortuous. And on her heels came the many fish which today are still so plentiful in Siamese waters.

Mae Posop statue at a Thai temple.

When rice plants begin to seed, the Thai expression is that the rice becomes pregnant. This is a crisis in the life of the plant, and therefore its khwan (spirit or soul) must be strengthened. It is believed that every living thing has a khwan, man, animal, and plant. When a person is ill, the khwan flees the body. Death means that the khwan does not return.

During every crisis of life–birth, puberty, marriage–a ceremony is performed to strengthen this spirit. So for the pregnant Rice Mother an offering is made of banana, citrus fruit, and sugar cane for her morning sickness. The farmer puts these foods in a bamboo basket which he hangs on a flag pole in the fields. This also serves as a warning to trespassers to keep their animals from treading on the rice plants. The farmer then takes a comb, toilet powder, and perfumed ointment and symbolically combs a rice plant, dabbing it with powder and ointment as though it were the Rice Mother herself. He prays that through his offerings the Rice Mother will thrive and not come to harm.

After the harvest, the rice missed in the reaping, representing the spirit of the Rice Mother, is gathered, with an entreaty to her to leave the field, where she may be in danger of prowling mice and birds, and to come and live in the barn instead. When the threshing is done, an offering of boiled duck eggs, sweets, and fruit is made to the Rice Mother. What rice paddy remains on the threshing floor is then put into a basket and called Mae Posop’s rice. This is the spirit or essence of rice. Next a doll is made from rice straw and mixed with some of this paddy–as an image of the Rice Mother–and is kept in the barn with the paddy essence. When the sowing of rice begins in the rainy season, the Rice Mother’s essence is taken out of the barn and mixed with the paddy to be sown, to insure fertility. The doll is then ceremoniously destroyed.

Amulet with Mae Posop

Even when not directly concerned with the cultivation of rice, the Rice Mother must be propitiated. At the end of a meal children often raise their hands palm to palm in thanksgiving to the Rice Mother.

It is said that her ire is incurred if, when eating, one allows grains of rice to fall to the floor, or if these grains are stepped on, or leftover rice is discarded. If one wishes to criticize the way rice has been cooked, one must beg the Rice Mother’s pardon first and then politely make one’s complaint.

When fed to animals – and it is, by the way, the main source of food for cats, dogs, pigs, chickens, ducks, cows, and buffalo – rice must be offered in a container, not scattered on the ground, for the Rice Mother’s wrath may be incurred. The threatening danger is that she will leave the offender, and only bad luck will surround him without her.

About the Author

Vipp Rongsit is an author and editor specializing in Thai food & Thai recipes.

Thai Recipes | Thai Soup Recipes | Thai Restaurants

Source: http://www.articopia.com

NEW – See this article translated into the Tamil language by Santhipriya here:

Devata at Rajarani temple in Orissa

Bhubaneshwar, Orissa – Set like a gem among fertile ricefields, the 11th century Rajarani Temple is a breathtaking example of of Orissan style. It is also an immediate architectural predecessor of the Khmer Empire’s greatest monuments.

As at Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Preah Khan, Thommanon, Ta Som and other Khmer temples, we find female images as the majority of figures on Rajarani’s main structure. Playful celestial nymphs, devata, apsara or yaksini, dance upon lotus buds, framed by lush plants and foliage. Unlike the subdued “courtly devata” of the Khmers, these maidens are quite playful, and we see them engaged in romantic dalliance, enticing visitors, holding pet birds, adjusting jewelry, cradling children and gazing at themselves in mirrors.

The Dikpalas: Guardians of the Eight Directions

Agni, god of fire and guardian of the southeast

In addition to these heavenly beauties, the temple features eight “dikpalas”: guardians protecting the tower at the compass points. The guardians begin with the head of the demigods Indra in the east; Agni the god of fire (southeast); Yama god of death (south); Nirriti goddess of the black asuras, also known as Kali, (southwest); Varuna the god of water (west); Vayu the god of air (northwest); Kubera the god of weath shown with a wish-granting tree (north); and Īśāna, the face of Siva and master of all knowledge (northeast).

Northeastern Thailand, a region whose strong people were shaped by Khmer influence, is still to this day called Isaan, derived from Īśāna, the Hindu god of the northwest.

Like their Indian counterparts, Khmer temples were designed to incorporate alignment to certain compass points, however there are surprising variations. Asger Mollerup, a Danish author, linguist and archeo-astronomer, clearly establishes that the Khmers (like the ancient Indians, Chinese and Greeks) had a grasp of planetary movements far beyond what modern people believe they had. Circa 1,000 AD, the Khmers were familiar with the astronomical principles detailed in the Surya Siddhanta.

His article from the Thai site Muang Borarn Journal, considers the orientation of the Khmer temple of Phanom Rung in relation to celestial events. For a wealth of additional information, consult Mollerup’s research website, Sundial, Calendar & Khmer Temples, including this article about the “Navagraha,” or celestial deities of directions, that he examines in a number of Khmer temples.

Images of the Gods by Vittorio Roveda

Other astronomical research relating to Khmer temples by Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Robert Bywater is available at their site AncientCartography.net.

How divine images of Hindu gods and symbols in Khmer monuments relate to compass point associations is therefore an interesting area of inquiry. In his book, Images of the Gods, author and researcher Vittorio Roveda points out the surprising fact that Angkor Wat contradicts the Hindu rules of guardian placement: the gods there actually appear opposite from their prescribed locations. Roveda’s theory is that the temple designers and iconographers envisioned a mirror image in their construction plan, for reasons that are still unknown.

The chart below may inspire readers to make some new discoveries:

Adapted from Wikpedia “The Guardians of the Directions”

Ancient Angels and Modern Cambodian Dance

Above the figures of the major Rajarani gods we see flying angels. What’s curious is that these angels are in the identical pose that the ancient Cambodian dance traditions uses to symbolize flying to this very day! This inspired this article about the history of divine flight. If the link is not yet active, the article isn’t complete, but will be soon.

Flying entities above the god adopt a pose with the trailing leg bent upwards, identical to the pose still used to signify flying in Cambodian dance.

Flying entities above the god adopt a pose with the trailing leg bent upwards, identical to the pose still used to signify flying in Cambodian dance.

Cambodian dancer in the same flying pose depicted in more than a millennium of Indian art. Courtesy "Earth in Flower" by Paul Cravath

The Origin of Rajarani’s Name

In this region of Orissa, “rajarani” is the local name of the rich red and gold sandstone that the temple is made from. However, there is a debate about the temple’s name that is inspired by the name of the city Bhubaneswar itself: all Hindu temples dedicated to the God Shiva in that town end in the suffix “eswar.” Non-Shaivite temple names are based on the presiding deity (e.g. Parvati temple).

The Orissan king who built Rajarani temple died before the temple was complete. The ceremony to install the main deity was therefore never performed, leaving Rajarani eternally godless. At least one scholar has argued that the Rajarani name was applied at a much later date because of the local stone used, and that this shrine was originally built to honor Shiva, like many others in the town.

Rajarani temple is an extraordinary statement to the brilliance of the Indian architects, builders and spiritual leaders of Orissa. I hope I am one day able to supplement the modest gallery below:

National Geographic's stunning visual rendition of Angkor Wat on their interactive webpage.

Angkor Wat fans who enjoyed “Divining Angkor” – National Geographic’s July 2009 cover story by Richard Stone – should also visit their website for more stunning visuals in a special animation presentation.

National Geographic's special webpage features profiles of eight major Khmer temples.

The feature includes profiles of seven major Khmer temples including Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, Prasat Kravanh, Phimeanakas, Ta Keo, Preah Khan and Bayon.

The highlight of the site is a series of eight 3D animations of landscapes and daily life at Angkor in the 13th century CE. This page on NASA’s website features two images not included on the National Geographic page. Readers interested in historical animation should also see our article Virtual Tourists Experience Angkor Wat in 3D Visit.

These views and ambiant soundscapes were created collaboratively by Monash University and the University of Sydney.

These views and ambiant soundscapes were created collaboratively by Monash University and the University of Sydney. One example is a village shrine, shown below.

An Angkor era village shrine by Monash University and the University of Sydney.

The Monash animation team, coordinated by Tom Chandler, was assisted by Roland Fletcher, Christophe Pottier, Martin Polkinghome and the Monash Faculty of TT and the Monash Asia Institute.

The site includes one page on spiritual beliefs of the Khmers…

National Geographic's page on "The Driving Spirits" of the Khmers

The site’s overview of female imagery in Khmer temples is unfortunately inaccurate and quite superficial. Calling all female images in all Khmer temples “celestial dancers” and “apsaras” contradicts a considerable amount of research on this site, as well as the work of Trudy Jacobsen, Peter Sharrock, Miranda Shaw, Sappho Marchal, and many other scholars.

“Some 1,700 apsaras [sic] are carved on the walls of Angkor Wat alone; thousands more – individual in dress, hairstyle, and ornamentation – appear in almost every Angkor temple, Hindu and Buddhist alike.” In our view, true apsaras are only featured at Angkor Wat above the Churning of the Sea of Milk bas relief. We refer to to other types of female images by the more general term “devata” until specific types of women are defined.

National Geographic’s  estimated count is accurate because Devata.org provided their researcher with a count in April 2009 (1,796 devata are at Angkor Wat in our present inventory).

National Geographic Interactive Timeline of the Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire Timeline is rather general, picking out only a couple significant events and structures for each century.

Finally, there’s a Cambodia quiz with fun questions.  But don’t people leave incense for the Buddhas as well as lotus flowers? I guess I’m just miffed because I got one wrong. (-:

National Geographic - July 2009

Article by Kent Davis

The angel of Beng Melea on March 5, 2006.

By Kent Davis — © 2008 Touchstone magazine – This article is reprinted with permission.

Her exquisite features expressed her Khmer heritage so perfectly she was chosen to become immortal.

No one had spoken her name for nearly 900 years but certainly thousands had admired her beauty; her almond eyes, the gentle cleft in her chin, her benevolent gaze, her full lips and deep smile conveyed warmth that set her apart from other women. Once adorned with a golden crown, jewelry and accoutrements this flower of the Khmers became divine. She answered her king’s highest calling in the temple of Beng Melea.

The Khmer race created some of history’s most fantastic and innovative art. Their civilization emerged at the crossroads of Southeast Asia, clearly influenced by ancient Indian culture, yet the Khmer vision of religion, kingship, sculpture and architecture set them apart from any other ethnic group.

Khmer temples, their holiest of places, were actual models of heaven on Earth, ensuring balance, prosperity and fertility for their land. In the first half of the 12th century, King Suryavarman II built Cambodia’s most famous monument, Angkor Wat, still featured as the central image of the country’s flag.

To the southeast another magnificent structure rose from the jungle, Beng Melea temple, incorporating many of Angkor Wat’s features on a smaller scale. Experts date it to the same period, yet its builder, architect and precise purpose remain unknown.

Like Angkor Wat, Beng Melea’s designers and sponsors prominently included female deities, now referred to as devata (when standing) or apsara (when dancing). Balancing masculine and feminine forces in the universe was a key component of Khmer religion. Ancient accounts confirm that women held important positions in Khmer society so it isn’t surprising to see women represented in temples as well.

What is surprising is the unique style of these portrayals at the peak of the Khmer culture in the 12th-13th centuries. Rather than generic images of impersonal goddesses, many devatas appear to be portrait carvings of actual women in divine context. These stone images show facial features, poses and personalities that imply individual women were the source of their inspiration.

The angel of Beng Melea was one such woman.

I found her on a sweltering hot day in March 2006 while working on my quantitative analysis of Angkor Wat’s devata. When I heard about Beng Melea’s similar style I took a daytrip there to investigate. Despite the collapse of most of its structures, Beng Melea is majestic in its jungle setting and well worth exploring. Sadly, most of its devatas were weathered beyond recognition, but when I climbed the pile of stones previously forming the northwest corner tower I had a surprising encounter.

Sophaphan Davis approaches the hidden alcove at Beng Melea temple that protected one devata for nearly 1,000 years.

She was hidden by vines beneath a stone overhang. Decades or even centuries ago, the tower’s collapse formed a protective alcove around her. While all her sisters suffered erosion from exposure to the elements she alone remained preserved, still fulfilling the divine duties she was charged with so long ago.

My inexpensive camera didn’t focus well in her compact hiding place so I already planned to return to see her again. Back in Siem Reap I saw my friend Jaro Poncar, a professor from the University of Cologne who has been photographing Khmer structures for more than ten years. Jaro was surprised that he himself had never seen this devata before, making her discovery even more special to me.

It took me nearly a year to mount my next research trip. In February 2007 I returned to Cambodia with my wife Sophaphan and a new camera. After three days of shooting at Angkor Wat we headed to Beng Melea and I anticipated introducing my wife to my hidden friend.

We arrived at the northwest tower and I sent Sophaphan up to look first, awaiting her shout of delight. Instead, she said, “What am I supposed to see?”

“The devata! The only one here that’s well preserved,” I said. “Look, down in the alcove!”

“She’s not there,” came her reply.

I clambered up the rocks to find a faceless section of white rock. Clearly, someone had recently attempted to steal her head but the stone’s stress cracks (visible in my earlier photo) caused her to break unevenly.

Beng Melea Devata - 2006-2007

She, who had survived the collapse of her temple, the weather and the wars of nearly a thousand years, had been destroyed in a moment by a thief’s chisel. For a few dollars, the Khmer race lost a piece of its soul. Cambodia lost an irreplaceable part of its heritage. And Beng Melea became a bit less attractive, and less financially viable, to the Cambodian economy as a tourist destination.

I don’t write these words to fault anyone. The company administrating Beng Melea built the road that enables visitors to easily access this remote site. Apsara Authority is charged with protecting a vast area and countless treasures on a limited budget. And whoever destroyed this angel did so out of ignorance and possibly out of economic necessity.

The only solution is education. With the help of Heritage Watch and other organizations Cambodian leaders can teach Khmer people that their heritage is their most priceless possession. With care and preservation the Khmer legacy will support this land and its people far into the future.

But now this angel will not be there to see it. Her time has passed.