Ta Prohm Temple
Rajavihara
- Date: 1186 A.D.
- Reign of construction: Jayavarman VII (1181-1218)
- Cult: Buddhist temple
- Art Style: Bayon
- Clearance work: G. Commaille 1908-1911)
The
outside enclosure of the temple consists of a large laterite
wall about 1000m long by 700m wide with four entrances on
the every axis. The central block is about 400m from the
east or west entrance and is among the largest of the
monument in the Angkor Complex. The inscription gives an
idea of the size of the temple. The complex include 260
statues or idols, 39 towers with pinnacles and 566 groups of
residences.
It was dedicated in 1186 to
shelter the image of the queen mother in the likeness of
Prajnaparamita "the perfection of wisdom" and 260 other
images including the master or spiritual father of the king.
The great stele gives us much information about the number
of personnel in the temple, its property and all supplies
needed for the cult. The stele says that the temple owned:
The
Property:
-
A set of golden dishes weighing more than 5,000kg
-
A set of silver dishes weighing more than 5,000kg
-
35 diamonds
40,620 pearls
4,540precious stones
An enormous golden bowl
876 veils from China
512 silk beds
523 parasols.
The list of supplies needed for daily offerings: rice, butter, milk, molasses, oil, seeds.
The amount needed for special feasts and list of goods furnished each year by the Royal treasury: seeds, milk, honey, oil, wax sandal, camphor, 2,387 sets of clothing to adorn the statues.
The inscription ends: "Doing these good deeds, the king with extreme devotion to his mother, made this prayer: that because of the virtue of the good deeds I have accomplished, my mother, once delivered from the ocean of transmigration, may enjoy the state of Buddha".
The mystery of the jungle mingle with the mystery of the ancient galleries and halls. The lack of care in construction particularly at the end of the 12th century is one of the causes of the ruined state of the monuments. The chaotic condition of some of them, has sometimes been attributed to a systematic destruction, the consequences of a total war perhaps. The motive was pure vandalism or religious fanaticism that is the search under the pedestals and around the bases of the towers for treasury-- included some gold-leaf and some gems. The reach these relies, treasure-hunters did not hesitate to knock over the statue, break the pedestal set fire when necessary, dig holes in the bases and split open the stones to get out the T-irons.
Other causes were natural forces which operated silently but all the same effectively. In tropical countries where the climate is wet, an abandoned building laid open to the rain and termites, is promptly overgrown with vegetation and is destined to speedy destruction.
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