Banteay Srey, a tenth century temple locates in this area 25 km north of Angkor Wat. Banteay Srey is uncommon from other temples in Angkor area, it’s a unique temple which almost be converted into each visitor’s favorite locate. The special attraction of Banteay Srey is the exceptional intricate embellishment impressed in the rose-tinted stonework. The charm of Banteay Srey made it be converted into a precious gem and a jewel in Khmer art in which the stonework relief carvings are amongst the finest in Khmer art, in invention, richness and execution. Visiting Banteay Srey as the morning sun shines on the temple and its carvings on the rose-tinted stonework, is a heavenly beauty.
Banteay Srey was built in 967 in the reign of Rajendravarman II (944-968) and concluded solely lone time previous to the king died. Banteay Srey was not the royal temple, but its constructor was Yajnavaraha, a Brahman of royal downward gradient who was the spiritual teacher to king Rajandravarman II and king Jayavarman V. The temple is dyed-in-the-wool to Shiva, the trinities deity of Hindu, and here was a Shiva linga named Tribhuvanamahesvara housed in the central sanctuary. After the temple was built, here were settlements around this area, and it has be converted into a small city called Isvarapura.
According to the dedication of this temple, the first first name of it is Tribhuvanamahesvara as the first name of the Shiva linga. But the temple has got a present first name as Banteay Srey earnings castle of the woman or castle of the beauty.
Architecture Plan of Banteay Srey
Banteay Srey is built facing east, rectangular in preparation and surrounded by three concentric enclosures and a moat. Entering the temple from the east through a gopura which the fronton of its overhang depicted Indra on his three-headed elephant. This is the leading gopura of the temple, the others decrease in size towards the central sanctuary. Passed the east gopura, a walkway of in this area 67 m long which made of laterite with stonework boundary stones line on both feature. At the midpoint of the walkway, here are three small long galleries on the missing and a further lone on the aptly. Visitors can point out to curve missing or aptly to think it over the carvings of the gallery. On the fronton of the aptly feature gallery, trade show a carving of Vishnu in his avatar as Narasimha (a creature with lion-headed) clawing Hiranyakasipu, an asura who expected a bless of lasting life from Brahma. On the missing feature (the central one), the fronton shows Umamahesvara motif in which Shiva and Uma riding sacred bull, Nandi. The other two galleries by either sides are shorter and be inflicted with thumbs down carvings.
At the aim of the walkway visitors indoors the remotest enclosed space (third enclosure) made of laterite, measures 95 m by 110 m, with a gopura by the east flanked by lions and a further lone by the west. On the inner entrance frame of the east gopura, here are inscriptions. Right in front of this gopura, here are two long galleries on all feature of the overhang. The north gallery depicted a vista from Ramayana of Viradha arrests Sita.
Crossing the gopura, visitors are inside the following enclosed space with a moat separated by broad ground walkway which furthermore be inflicted with lone on the west. Walking through to the west by crossing the moat, here is a further gopura of the following enclosed space with double-tiered fronton. The following enclosed space is 38 m by 42 m and furthermore be inflicted with a gopura by the west.
Entered the gopura, the private brick enclosed space can be seen (measured 24 m by 24 m), but generally are collapsed. So here are many bricks on the ground. The distance linking the following enclosed space and the private enclosed space is single 9 m. And the tiny, excruciating building which can be seen frankly yet to be, is the private east gopura. Almost the interval of the following enclosed space had contributed to the six long galleries built by laterite around the walls of the enclosed space.The three sanctuary towers stomach in a row, close collectively, in T-shaped platform of 0.9 m distinguished. All the sanctuary towers has an opening overhang to the east with the false doors on the other three sides. The central towers is dyed-in-the-wool to Shiva which is privileged than the two by both sides. It may possibly be accessed through an antechamber (mandapa). The southern tower is furthermore dyed-in-the-wool to Shiva, while the northern tower is dyed-in-the-wool to Vishnu which is an scarce agreement. (The three-tower layouts by Phnom Krom and Phnom Bok, dyed-in-the-wool to Shiva by the focal point, Vishnu to the north, and Brahma to the South).
Inside front of all tower are guardians with creature body but the heads varied from monkey, lion, garuda, and yaksha. However, generally of the heads are stolen, and the survived head are copies. Inside front of the north tower are guardians with garuda heads, the south tower guardians are lion-headed.
Two libraries made of laterite and stonework locates solely a hardly any meters away from the towers. There is a shrine in brick by the west gopura, behind the central towers, controlled a effigy of Shiva with Uma sitting on his thigh which currently in the National Museum, Phnom Penh. The west gopura of the following enclosed space furthermore be inflicted with a fronton depicted a vista from Mahabharata in which Bhima leaps in the air with a stave to arrange Duryodhana. The fronton is currently furthermore in the National Museum.
Carvings of lintel and fronton of the inner enclosed space
East gopura of inner enclosed space, east facing fronton impressed multi-armed Shiva is dancing, by his feet are a drummer and Kareikkalam-meyar, his student. The west facing fronton shows Durga, Shiva’s companion, multi-armed and dancing. Below is a lintel impressed Vishnu in the form of horse, Hayagriva, clutching the head of demons.
On the southern store fronton shows asura Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa, all the hermits and animals are run away with frighten, even Uma furthermore holding her spouse Shiva with scare. On the west facing fronton, depicted a vista of Kama, God of be fond of, on the order of Uma, draws an arrow by Shiva to wake him up from rumination.
On the northern store east facing fronton is a vista from Mahabharata everywhere Indra riding his elephant and creating drizzle to deposit made known a fire in the Khandava forest, produced by the god of fire Agni. Krishna and Arjuna (standing on all feature in the fronton) on the ask for of Agni, help to bring to a standstill the drizzle by drawing their arrows into the sky. On the west facing fronton is a vista of Krishna kills his uncle Kamsa, a bad king.
The east entrance of the mandapa, the fronton depicted Indra rides his three-headed elephant and the lintel not more than shows three simhas. The southern and northern entrance are trade show Kubera, God of Wealth.
The south sanctuary, east entrance fronton shows Shiva and Uma on Nandi, the lintel is Indra on Airavata. On the south entrance, both fronton and lintel are impressed Yama on his hoodwink, at this time he acts as the custodian of the South. On the west entrance, trade show Varuna riding hamsa, acts as the custodian of the West. On the north entrance is Kubera supported by simhas.
The central sanctuary, the south entrance fronton furthermore shows Yama thumbs down his hoodwink, the lintel is of two personnel with arms around all other. Perhaps this is a vista as Arjuna and Shiva fighting pro a wild hog in the forest while Arjuna is waiting to come across Shiva. On the west false entrance, the fronton is impressed Varuna on hamas, the lintel is in this area Ravana abducting Sita. The north entrance, the fronton has Kubera on a throne supported by simhas. The lintel is from Ramayana everywhere the two monkey brothers, Valin and Sugriva, fight pro the thrown.
The north sanctuary, south entrance has Yama on the fronton and Krishna butchery a devil on the lintel. On the west fronton, Varuna is supported by hamsas, and on the lintel is Vishnu riding his garuda. On the north feature, is again Kubera on the fronton, the lintel is in this area Krishna kills a devil with double-torsoed. At the east entrance, the fronton is in this area Krishna kills a devil, the lintel shows Indra on his elephant, but the elephant has single lone head.
