Wat Ek Phnom
The site
An enormous white-stone sitting Buddha statue leads to the modern Buddhist pagoda Ek Phnom surrounded by 18 Bodhi Trees. The site is deemed as a very popular picnic and pilgrimage destination for Khmers at celebration times. The pagoda opens the way to the ruins of the ancient hinduist temple. The ancient temple, built of sandstone blocks and enclosed by the remains of a laterite outer wall and a Baray, consists of small temples or prasats on a platform and measures 52m by 49m. Mostly reduced to ruins today only the main towers of the temple remain standing whose upper flanks hold some fine bas-reliefs.
Bas-reliefs
The bas-reliefs depict events of Hindu mythology mostly referring to Krishna. In the same way as Krishna, Suryavarman I carried out institutional reforms of the state
Images of Wat Ek Phnom
-
Buddha statue
-
modern Wat Ek Phnom
Images of the ancient Ek Phnom temple
-
Lintel of the central tower: Krishna, lifting Govardhana hill and fighting the Kaliya snake, whilst standing on a kala
-
Lintel above the north door: Krishna taming horses whilst standing on kala
-
Lintel with pediment
References
- ^ "History of Ek Phnom". 4 May 2008.
- ^ "Buddhism in the Numbers".
- ^ "Ek Phnom Temple". 30 March 2015.
- ^ Chandler, p.48-51.
- ^ "Krishna and horses in Indian mythology".
Bibliography
- Chandler, David. A History of Cambodia. Silkworm Books Thailand 4th edition 2008. ISBN 978-974-9511-57-2.