51
Presenting the past
Farewell, sweet prince
All this work has yet to solve the
mystery of Banteay Chhmar’s cloudy
origins. As we continue to walk along
the western wall, tantalizing clues crop
up that appear to reveal more about
the life of crown prince Indravarman.
A section of the western wall features
Indravarman prominently in a scene
that seems more fantastic than real-
life. The Hindu monster Rahu, bringer
of eclipses, can be seen twice, battling
Indravarman and devouring a beast of
burden hitched to a cart. Could this be a
metaphor for Indravarman’s successful
battle against a pretender with designs
on the throne? And did the prince die in
the process?
It’s possible that Indravarman
himself did not survive the battles
depicted on Banteay Chhmar’s walls.
The inscriptions in PhnomPenh reveal
that he was honored in a sanctuary
within Banteay Chhmar, along
with four lieutenants who had died
saving his life. Perhaps a distraught
King Jayavarman VII ordered the
construction of Banteay Chhmar to
memorialize the prince. Perhaps the
remote temple site marks the spot
where the prince fought one of his
many running battles against the
Cham. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. Out
of the 50 “face towers” that once stood
in Banteay Chhmar, only Tower 18
survives.
If the towers could talk
Constructed in the Bayon style
pioneered during the reign of King
Jayavarman VII, Tower 18 retains each
of its four original faces, which look
out to the cardinal points. This is the
last stop on our Banteay Chhmar grand
Glamp it up
Khiri Travel offers a pricier two-day
“glamping” package that lets guests
stay right on the Banteay Chhmar
temple grounds (pictured here). The
package includes transport to and
from Siem Reap, guided tours of
the temple and of surrounding sites,
and charming al fresco meals in the
shadow of the area’s Khmer ruins.
It’s all so luxe. Guests sleep in
waterproof Gore-tex tents equipped
with the creature comforts typical
of hotels: wooden beds with thick
mattresses and clean linens; thick
carpeting; en suite bathrooms with
toilet and rainshower and round-the-
clock electricity.
In the evening of the first day,
weather permitting, you’ll watch
the sun set over Pol Pot Baray and
have dinner with Khmer wedding-
song accompaniment provided
by musicians who play traditional
instruments. In the morning, you’ll
wake to breakfast with a view of
Banteay Chhmar’s western wall before
setting off to explore the other ruins
in the area. Khiri Travel, tel: +855 23
215970;
Camping, albeit
in comfort and
style, heightens
the experience
of discovery and
outdoor adventure
ON CHANEL: DRESS BY AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS; BOHEME DRESS, HAT AND BRACELET BY PROMOD; BAG BY THE LOST NOMAD
