Cambodia- an Angkor  Art

Angkor meaning city is the name of a region near the modern city of Seam Reap, part of Seam Reap province in Cambodia, that was the Center of Kambuja or Kambujadesh, the historical Kingdom of the Khmer-people from the 9^th until the 15^th Century AD. This area is the confluence of Siem Reap River and Tonley Sap River, part of it forming a great fresh water lake of about 2500 sq km area. Ultimately it meets mighty Mekong River 120 km away on the south. This great body of low depth water as is natural for any sustainable development maintained the Angkoran Civilization and the Khmer Empire from 802 CE of powerful Hindu-Buddhist Rule in the South East Asia with its greatest and crumbling legacy is Angkor. Some of the floating fishing villages are worth visiting during the visit of Angkor. 

Restoration project of Naga and Singha images at the Causeway and outer gateways of Bayon Angkor are in progress under UNESCO. Bayon serves as the monument that serves as the " Churning of Sea of Milk around which is coiled the Serpentine Vasuki." This is the belt that the gods and demons use and by their exertion in rotating it as demonstrated on each causeway from the depth of water come the Elixir of immortality.

In the Face Towers depicting Bodhisattva - Avalokiteshvara are some of the spectacular sculptures that are witnessed in Bayon temple in Angkor Thom. In Buddhist philosophy and thoughts a Bodhisattva is a state in being who has not attained enlightenment and may refrain from Nirvana in the hopes of aiding others to reach. In Theravada Buddhist, conventionally the term is applied to hypothetical beings with a high degree of enlighten and power. These are dated late 12^th to 13^th century in a period in Angkor where, may be Hinduism giving way to Buddhism.

Almost all the exterior galleries, that are, today without roofs have Bas-reliefs on the walls. The Chinese appear in many places, they form a troupe of foot soldiers, shop owners with Khmer women as wives and in drunken dance abroad a boat. Other Bas-reliefs show small stall at the market place, Construction workers plotting a route, Women preparing grilled fish on skewers and women suffering sickness, Such varied scenes eloquently portray the daily life of the people. The Bas Reliefs of Angkor Wat also portray the same sort of daily life including Apsaras, Devata.

Over the years the area has overgrown with tree overgrowing the structures, an interesting piece of architecture.

Pictures taken in early October 2015.