Angkor Wat

People who know me are painfully aware of how I like things to be ‘just so’. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, I’m afraid. I’m actually a full-blown anal retentive…I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m obsessive…there’s just a certain way I like things to be. My bookshelves must have books in descending order of size (although I’m thinking of switching to a computerised Dewey-Decimal system when I get back…;-)…I’m kidding!); there’s a certain place for the cutlery; each size plate belongs in a certain part of the cupboard; if I doodle, it’s in geometric shapes…and as everyone knows, I’ve got to have a plan…for everything. Now, I’ve alluded to this in this blog before and, as I said then, one of the great joys of travelling has been the opportunity to give up some of my order-loving ways and just go with the flow. However, one thing that my structured little mind will never tire of is symmetry. (Don’t worry, I’m coming to the point now…)
At a distance, as I walked down the great central causeway to Angkor Wat, the one thing that truly struck me was the beautiful, perfect, unreal symmetry of her great towers. This overwhelming geometrical perfection had the curious effect of making the main structures appear to hover above the grassed parklands and lakes. It could have been a trick of the light or a touch of weariness after my long walk in the sun, but the laterite walls seemed to shimmer like a desert mirage and the whole impression was of seeing something that wasn’t really there. Of course, I’d seen photos of Angkor before and I’d read many books about the monuments and their religious and cultural significance. However, as you come through the doorway of the outer gatehouse, nothing can prepare you for the ethereal sight that greets your eyes. The great stone causeway draws your eye several hundred metres to the temple steps, where this unearthly monument rises up to meet the deep blue sky. Seeing it in all its glory in the afternoon sun, literally stunned me. It must have caused me to gasp out as well because, when I noticed people eyeing me quizzically, I also realised I’d forgotten to breathe in again. Never has a man-made artefact had such an effect on me. I doubt the photos here will induce the same effect for you but, having witnessed this incredible illusion, I only need to see these pictures to see the temple floating again.
One of the unusual features of Angkor Wat is that it faces West (the direction of death). There is still some debate as to the Wat’s primary function, but this unusual orientation has led some scholars to claim that it was built primarily as a mausoleum. Yet the functional aspects, the powerful spirituality of the architecture and the fact that it seems to have been in use since its construction (a major factor in the startlingly good level of preservation) have led many to believe that it served a dual purpose, as both mausoleum and working temple. It is another (highly elaborate) symbolic representation of the mythical Mount Mehru and, as such, travelling through its outer precincts and climbing up into its central sanctuary is like journeying to heaven. In no hurry to make this spiritual transcension, I savoured each level and layer for its beauty and appreciated the role each part played in this enormous symmetrical puzzle’s whole.
From the bas-reliefs in the outer galleries, to the beautifully constructed libraries, the stonework and carving have an exquisite precision. I tried to imagine the pools filled with dark water, reflecting the soaring towers in brilliant sunshine. Climbing almost vertical steps gave the impression of how difficult the spiritual journey should be and looking out, down the towers and across the walls to the surrounding grassland, I felt remote and majestic on my lofty throne. Scurrying beneath me, like ants on the march, the tourist hordes were my loyal subjects, come to pay their dues. It is an unusual and overpowering place and, as I retired to the terrace to watch the sun’s evening colours play, I felt light-headed as I tried to shake of Angkor Wat’s bewitching spell. If there’s one place I’d recommend anyone to visit in Asia…this is it!