Teampaill Angkor Chambodia

Bha mi cho fortanach ‘s gun robh cothrom agam saor-làithean a chur seachad ann an Àisia an Ear-dheas san Fhaoilleach. Tha mo bhràthair a’ fuireach ann an Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, agus ‘s ann an sin a bha mi pàirt den ùine, ach shiùbhail mi a Chambodia cuideachd, a dh’aona-ghnothach gus na teampaill de dh’Angkor fhaicinn. Bha mi riamh airson am faicinn, is iad air an liosta-bhucaid agam cuide ri Machu Picchu agus na Pioramaidean, ach cha robh fìor dhùil agam ri dol ann ann an da-rìribh.  ‘S e mo bhràthair a chuir a h-uile rud air dòigh. Agus cha d’fhuair mi briseadh-dùil.

Cha robh mi eòlach roimhe gur e baile iongantach mòr a bh’ ann an Angkor sna Meadhan Aoisean, bho mu 900 gu 1500, is prìomh baile na rìoghachd Khmer. Thathar ag ràdh gun robh e, aig àirde a leasachaidh, na bu mhòtha na Paras an-diùgh, le bun-structar adhartach, gu h-àraidh a thaobh uisgeachaidh is drèanaidh – feartan riatanach ann an dùthaich a bhios a’ dol bho mhonsunaichean gu mòr-thiormachd gach bhliadhna. Bha na ficheadan de theampaill chudromach ann, agus gach nì eile a bhuineadh do bhaile mòr.  Bhlàthaich e fo na rìghrean mòra Khmer, gu sònraichte Suryavarnam, a thog Angkor Wat 1113-1150, agus Jayavarman VII (baile Angkor Thom, teampaill Bayon agus Ta Prohm, mu 1200).  Às an dèidh-san chrìon baile agus rìoghrachas nan Khmer thar nan linntean, agus ann an 1431 chreach nàimhdean am baile.

Ach dè tha ri fhaicinn san latha an-diùgh? Chan eil ach tobhtaichean air am fàgail den mhòr-chuid de na teampaill, ach tha cuid ann fhathast a tha fìor dhrùidhteach – nam meud, nam bòidhchead agus nan staid glèidhteachais. Dh’atharraich an creideamh-stàite bho Hindu gu Budastach thairis air ùine, agus chithear lorgan den dà dhiubh san ailtireachd agus san sgeadachadh.  Thadhail mi air na trì teampaill as ainmeile, còmhla ri neach-iùil Cambodianach fiosrachail.

h‘S e Angkor Wat an teampall as mòtha air an t-saoghal, àrd is eireachdail le staing fharsaing agus ballachan làidir ceithir-thimcheall air. Tha Bayon, ann am meadhan baile bhallaich Angkor Thom, aig crìdhe meaga-baile Angkor, ann an stòidhle eile, le aghaidhean fuamhaireil Bhuddha air gach uachdar a’ coimhead a-mach air an diungail. Agus ‘s e Ta Promh, aithnichte tro fhilmichean mar Indiana Jones agus Tomb Raider, am fear as neònaiche. Leis na freumhan silteach snàgaireach a’ fàs thairis air togalaichean is dorsan, tha thu a’ faireachdainn gu bheil an diungail a’ toirt an teampall air ais.

Ach a-nis leigidh mi leis na dealbhan bruidhinn leotha fhèin, agus tha mi ‘n dòchas gum bi iad gur brosnachadh a dhol ann sibh fhèin, ma bhios cothrom idir agaibh!

The Angkor Temples of Cambodia

I was lucky enough to have the chance to spend a holiday in SE Asia in January. My brother lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and that’s where I was based, but I also travelled to Cambodia, specifically to see the Angkor temples. I had always wanted to see them – they’re on my bucket list, along with Machu Picchu and the Pyramids, but I never expected to actually get there. My brother set it all up. And I wasn’t disappointed.

I hadn’t known before that Angkor was an incredibly large city in the Middle Ages, from about 900 to 1500, and the capital of the Khmer kingdom. It’s said that at the height of its development it was as big as Paris is today, with an advanced infrastructure, especially regarding irrigation and drainage – essential in a country which goes from monsoons to drought every year. There were scores of important temples there, and everything else a city needed. It flourished under the great Khmer kings, particularly Suryavarnam, who built Angkor Wat 1113 -1150, and Jayavarnam VII (the town of Angkor Prohm, the temples of Bayon and Ta Promh, ca. 1200). After them the city and the Khmer dynasty declined over the centuries, and in 1431 the city was destroyed by enemies.

But what is there to see nowadays?  There are only ruins of most of the temples, but some have survived which are truly impressive – in their size, their beauty and their state of preservation.  The state religion had gradually changed from Hindu to Buddhist over the centuries, and we see traces of both in the architecture and decoration.  I visited three of the most famous temples, with a knowledgeable Cambodian guide.

Angkor Wat is the biggest temple in the world, high and handsome with its broad moat and strong walls all around. The Bayon temple, in the fortified town-centre of Angkor Thom, the heart of the Angkor mega-city, is in a different style, with gigantic Buddha faces gazing out into the jungle from every surface. And Ta Promh, famous from films like Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, is the most curious. With the flowing, reptilian roots growing over buildings and doorways, you feel that the jungle is taking it back.

But now I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, and I hope that they will encourage you to go there yourselves, if you ever get the chance!