TA PROHM, an ancient Buddhist monastic complex that has been reclaimed by the jungle, is one of the largest sites at Angkor. It is an excellent example of an uncleared & unrestored ruin, thanks to the decision of the French restorers to leave it as it was found. All they did was to sufficiently clear the compound & pathway, & add a wooden walkway so that future visitors could explore this fascinating site. Huge spoong trees & voracious vines, called strangler figs, have taken over & damaged much of the complex over the years. Because of its rugged good looks, Ta Prohm is one of the most popular with Angkor's visitors. This atmospheric temple is a favorite for many visitors who can't help but feel a little like Indiana Jones, or Lara Croft from the first Tomb Raider movie (Ta Prohm was used as one of the locations) as they pick through the rubble. (Apparently, sunrise here is an unforgettable experience, & sunsets are also magic.)

History: After king Jayavarman VII reconquered the Khmer empire from Cham invaders, he set about making it into a proper seat of power by ordering the reconstruction of a number of temples. Ta Prohm, which was located in the center of the capital, was the centerpiece of his master plan. (Although known today as Ta Prohm ("Old Brahma"), it was initially named "Rajavihara" meaning "royal monastery".) He built Ta Prohm in 1186 as a monastery & university dedicated to his mother & spiritual teacher. Several years later, he built the nearby Preah Khan temple complex which was dedicated to his father. Ta Prohm was also the headquarters of a vast hospital network that he created. From Ta Prohm, supplies filtered out to 102 hospitals located throughout the empire.

Though the temple itself barely takes up 2.5 acres, its walls (1km x 600m) & moat encompass 148 acres which would have sheltered the town attached to the temple. An inscription reveals there were 12,640 inhabitants within the walls, of which 13 were high priests, 2,740 were officials, 2,232 were assistants, & 615 were dancers. They were supported by a population of 79,365 who worked in nearby villages to provide food & supplies.

This large Buddhist monastery had five enclosures & 39 towers connected by numerous galleries. Most of the galleries are now off-limits due to the potential danger to the temple & visitors. Ta Prohm housed the deity Prajnaparamita, the 'perfection of wisdom', which the king had carved in the likeness of his mother. The statue was surrounded by 260 lesser divinities, housed in their own sanctuaries. Apparently, Ta Prohm had 619 divinities represented in the form of statues, many of them devatas who are minor female deities charged with safeguarding the temple. They are always benign & peaceable which contrasts with other more menacing temple guardians found at Angkor, such as lions and serpents.

More photos & info here: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cambodia/ta-prohm.htm

Excellent photo gallery & captions: http://www.pbase.com/srijith/taprohm

BANTEAY SREI: the "Citadel of Woman", is small red sandstone temple located in a forest 25 kms NE of the main group of temples at Angkor. Although it’s out of the way, true temple buffs won't want to miss it. The buildings & layout are miniature rather than monumental in scale. In fact, it’s one of the smallest sites at Angkor. But what it lacks in size (the first inner enclosure is a mere 24m square) it makes up for in amazing decoration. Almost every square inch of the temple is carved with outstanding fineness & detail which are well preserved. This temple has some of the finest stone carving seen anywhere on the planet. For many tourists, Banteay Srei is Angkor's most beautiful temple, & is often referred to as “The Jewel of Khmer Art". So given the particular charm of Banteay Srei, its remarkable state of preservation, & the excellence of the ornamental technique, one should not hesitate, of all the monuments of the Angkor group, to give it the highest priority.

Older than most of the famous Angkorian sites, this temple was constructed in 967 during the reign of King Rajendravarman (944-968) by one of his ministers, Yajnyavaraha, who served as guru & tutor to the next king, Jayavarman V (968-1000). It was the only major temple at Angkor that was not built by a monarch. The temple was further expanded & rebuilt in the 11th century "Banteay Srei" (Citadel of Women), the modern name of this temple, was originally called "Tribhuvanamahesvara" (Great Lord of the Threefold World), an appellation of the god Siva to whom the temple is dedicated. It’s uncertain how the temple got its modern name, but it’s likely due to the many devata statues or carvings in the red sandstone walls, or the temple's diminutive stature & the fineness of the detailed carvings.

Situated in the middle of a forest, small in scale, & in a region lacking in other archaeological remains, one can understand why it escaped general attention for so long. Its discovery was only made in 1914, & it wasn’t cleared until 1924 following the theft & ensuing scandal the previous year of some important stones. These were eventually recovered & restored to their original positions during the course of restoration work. (It was dismantled & reconstructed between 1931 and 1936.)

The small walled complex consists of three concentric rectangular enclosures. A causeway leads from an outer gopura, or gate, to the 3rd or outermost of the three enclosures. The inner enclosure contains the sanctuary which consists of an entrance chamber & two buildings conventionally referred to as libraries, & three towers. Besides being the most extravagantly decorated parts of the temple, these have also been the most successfully restored (helped by the durability of the red sandstone and their small scale).

Good sources for more info & photos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banteay_Srei

Many closeup photos here: http://www.angkor.com/banteay/index.shtml

This site also has great photos plus more info: http://angkorblog.com/_wsn/page2.html

Excellent site with photos: http://www.angkor.com/banteay/index.shtml

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cambodia/banteay-srei.htm

An excellent, comprehensive resource: www.theangkorguide.com/text/part-two/ outer-monuments/banteaysrei.htm

As always, a great photo gallery http://www.molon.de/galleries/Cambodia/Angkor/BanteaySrei/