Sunday, August 12, 2012

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Angkor Wat


Angkor Wat was a well-know temple that located in Sime Reap provincial town. Angkor Wat is a simple name to refer to this holy place. Khmer people, especially the people who living around Sime Reap, often refer to Angkor Toch. However, European authors decided on a common name, Angkor Wat.

The evolution of the name Angkor Wat can be dreause by histroy, the original name of this temple was called Prasat Paramavishnuloka. Nevertheless its original name has not been forgetten and is knowen by many people. Accordingto the 16th century inscription, its name was Preah Mohanokor Indrabrat Preah Visnuloka. In a 17th century inscription it was called Indrabratnokor Sreisodhara Visnuloka.

Some people believed Angkor Wat was designed by Divakarapandita, the chief adviser and minister of the king, dedicating to Vishnu Brahmanism, the khmer attribute the building of Angkor Wat to the divine architect Viscakarman. There has been considerable debate amongst scholars as to whether Angkor Wat was built as a temple or a tomb. But according to codes, Angkor is a replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.

Angkor Wat was believed to have been built by gods rather than by human, because it was covers a rectangular area of about 200 hectares and defined by a late rite rampart which is sumounded by a moat that is 200 meters wide. The perimeter of the rampart measures 5.5 km, the moat is crossed by a hage causeway was built of sandstone blocks 250 meters long and 12 meters wide. The temple is 65 meters high, with it massive size and splendour, Angkor Wat was well-know all around the world since today.

The temple begins with a sandstone terrace in the shape of a cross. Giant stone lions on each side of the terrace guard the monument. End of the causeways at the gopura with 3 towers of varying heights, of which much of the upper sections have collapsed. A long, covered gallery with square columns and a vaulted roof extends along the moat to the left and right of the gopura. The causeway leads to the cruciform gopura or entry tower. The gateways at ground level on each end of the gallery probably served as passages for elephants, horses and carts, whereas the other entrances are accessed by steps and lead onto the central promenade. From the central entrance turn right and walk along the columned gallery coming to the end, where the quality of carving and intricacy of decoration on the false door is of exceptional beauty.

Angkor Wat, forming a rectangle of about 1500 by 1300 meters, covers an area including its 190 meters wide moats of nearly 200 hectares. The external enclosure wall defines an expanse of 1025 meters by 80 or 82 hectares. It is the largest monument of the Angkor group.

The gallery of 1000 Buddhas, on the right, once contained many images dating from the period when Angkor Wat was Buddhist, but only a few of these figures remain today. The Hall of Echoes, on the left, is so named because of its unusual acoustics. Return to the centre of the cruciform-shaped galleries and continue walking eastward toward the central towers. The outer wall of the gallery of the second level, closest, is solid and undecorated, probably to create an environment for meditation by the priests and the king. The starkness of the exterior of the second level gallery is offset by the decoration of the interior. Over 1500 apsaras line the walls of the gallery, offering endless visual the spiritual enchantment.

The upper or third level of Angkor Wat were allowed only the king and the high priest. This level looks the stately covered galleries of the other two, but as the base of the five central towers. One of which contains the most sacred image of the temple it has an equally important role in the architectural scheme.

Here are the bas-relief's at Angkor Wat galleries. Its were designed for viewing from left to right, visitors should follow this convention this convention for maximum appreciation. Enter the gallery of bas-relief's at the middle of the west side, turn right into the gallery and continue walking counter-clockwise. visitors who start from another point should keep the monument on their left.

1. West Gallery (South): Battle of Kurukshetra (Scene from the epic Mahabharata)

2. Corner Pavilion (Southwest): Scene from the epic Ream Ke

3. South Gallery (West): Army of King Suryavarman II

4. South Gallery (East): Judgment by Yama/Heaven and Hell

5. East Gallery (South): Churning of the Ocean of Milk

6. East Gallery (Near the Entrance): Inscription

7. East Gallery (North): Victory of Vishnu over the Demons

8. North Gallery (East): Victory of Krishna over Bana

9. North Gallery (West): Battle between the Gods and the Demons

10. Corner Pavilion (Northwest): Scene from the epic Ream Ke

11. West Gallery (North): Battle of Lanka (Scene from the epic Ream Ke)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Kep's Background


Kep is a seaside tourist city located 173 Kilometers south west of Phnom Penh. Visitors from Phnom Penh take National Road 3 via Kampot province or National Road 2 via Takeo province. In addition, the train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville stops at Damnak Chang Eur Station, about 7 Kilometers from the city. Foreigners coming from Vietnam can enter Cambodia via the Ha Teang Prek Chak border checkpoint, about 40 Kilometers from Kep, or they can travel by boat from Vietnam or Sihanoukville to the Kep City Port.

Kep is a small city. The beach, which is suitable for swimming; it only 1,000 meters long, and the sand is not white as in Sihanoukville. However, Kep is a big seafood market.

Kep beach

Kep Beach is a famous seaside resort with twelve months of sunshine, which is 1,000 metters long. The beach is diffrerent from the beach of Sihanouk Ville because it has black sand.

Visitors can see attractive Rocky Mountains and winding lanes toward the beach. A sightseeing tour of the city is very popular with them. Additionally, they can sunbath, swim, and picnic there.

From Kep, it takes 30 minutes to reach the nine other islands located on its opposite side by boat. Over there, one can enjoy splendid mountainous scenery and beautiful sea birds.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Khmer Language Study Guide

Cambodia: the LIFE is pleased to bring you a Khmer language guide. Every issue includes a different lesson, so make sure to collect the set! These are some lessons about necessary categories of Khmer for everyday life.

Day

Sunday------------------Ingay ah-dtue
Monday-----------------Ingay jahn
Tuesday-----------------Ingay ong-kia
Wednesday--------------Ingay bput
Thursday----------------Ingay bproh-hoes
Friday-------------------Ingay sohk
Saturday-----------------Ingay saov

Months

January------------------Mak-k’rah
February-----------------Kom-piak
March--------------------Mi-mah
April----------------------Meh-sah
May----------------------Us-spia
June----------------------Mi-toh-nah
July-----------------------Kah-kah-dah
August--------------------Sey-hah
September----------------Kanh-nhah
October-------------------Dtoh-lah
November-----------------Vi-cheh-kah
December-----------------T’nu

Telling the Time

Night----------------------Yu-p
Day------------------------Tngay
Noon-----------------------Tngay dtrong
Midnight-------------------Ah-triat
Morning--------------------Bpruek
Afternoon------------------Roh-sial
Evening--------------------L’ngiai
Dark-----------------------Bproh-lu-p
Dawn----------------------Bproh-luew-plue

Directions

East------------------------Kaang gart
West-----------------------Kaang lecch
North----------------------Kaang jerng
South----------------------Kaang t’boang
Inside----------------------Kaang k’nong
Outside--------------------Kaang grao
Behind---------------------Kaang grao-ee(y)
In front, ahead-------------Kaang mook

Sickness

Ache-----------------------Chue
Stomachache---------------Cheu bpoo-ah
Headache------------------Cheu g’baal
Toothache------------------Cheu t’mayn

Drinks

Water-----------------------Dteuk
Tea-------------------------Dteuk dtai
Ice--------------------------Dteuk gork
Fruit juice-------------------Dteuk plai cher
Milk-------------------------Dteuk doh koo
Coconut juice----------------Dteuk dohng
Drink water-----------------Peuk dteuk
Bathe-----------------------Ngoot dteuk
Sleepy----------------------Ngor-ngoo-see dayk

Numbers

0---------------------------Sohn
1---------------------------Moouy
2---------------------------Bpi
3---------------------------Bey
4---------------------------Booun
5---------------------------Bprahm
6---------------------------Bprahm moouy
7---------------------------Bprahm bpi
8---------------------------Bprahm bey
9---------------------------Bprahm booun
10--------------------------Dop
11--------------------------Dop moouy
12--------------------------Dop bpi
13--------------------------Dop bey
14--------------------------Dop booun
15--------------------------Dop bprahm
16--------------------------Dop bprahm moouy
17--------------------------Dop bprahm bpi
18--------------------------Dop bprahm bey
19--------------------------Dop bprahm booun
20--------------------------M’pey
30--------------------------Sahm-seu-p
40--------------------------Saeh-seu-p
50--------------------------Hah seu-p
60--------------------------Hoh-k-seu-p
70--------------------------Jeu-t-seu-p
80--------------------------Bpeaht-seu-p
90--------------------------Kaow-seu-p
100-------------------------Moouy-rohy
101-------------------------Moouy-rohy moouy
110-------------------------Moouy-rohy do!p
200-------------------------Bpi-rohy
300-------------------------Bey-rohy
1,000-----------------------Moouy-bpoe-n
2,000-----------------------Bey-bpoe-n
5,000-----------------------Bprah-m-bpoe-n
10,000----------------------Moouy-meoun
100,000---------------------Moouy-saehn
1 million---------------------Moouy-lein
Decimal----------------------Kbia’s
Positive----------------------Bohk
Negative---------------------Dok