Saving Angkor: M. C. Joshi

Saving Angkor, by C.M. Bhandari.

Bangkok: White Orchid Press,

1995; xv+ 155pp. illustration, bibliography.

Reviewed by

M.C. Joshi

‘Saving Angkor’ by C.M. Bhandari, India’s former Ambassador to Cambodia (1991-94) is perhaps the latest monograph on Angkor Wat, the vast medieval temple complex in Cambodia. Built as the glorious shrine of Hindu God Vishnu by the Khmer king Suryavarman II (1130-1190). Angkor Wat reveals the grandest of the South-East Asian architectural expressions. Bhandari’s interest in the study of Angkor Wat complex as an official representative of India was basically inspired by the involvement of the Government of India in the conservation of this great medieval monument.

The writer deserves our thanks primarily for the reason that in spite of his heavy diplomatic duties as Indian Ambassador to Cambodia, he could produce this well-written and well-illustrated book which would serve as a lasting medium to bind together the two nations, viz., Cambodia and India. The author has not only recalled the pleasant memories of Indo-Cambodia cultural links centuries ago but also provided details of India’s efforts to preserve the Cambodia’s most outstanding monument in Angkor Wat.

It goes to the credit of Bhandari that he could receive the appreciation for his work from no other personality than His Majesty King Norodam Sihanuk himself, the Head of the Cambodian State, who has contributed the ‘Foreword’ to this publication.

The archaeological conservation and preservation of Angkor Wat, taken up by the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) at the instance of India’s celebrated Prime Minister, late Mrs. Indira Gandhi who, unfortunately, did not survive to see the actual commencement of the repairs. The work continued for nearly seven consecutive years till May, 1993. The conservation of Angkor Wat mainly comprised resetting dislocated pillars, restoration of missing members of the monument, its dislodged galleries, damaged pavilions and embankment including parts of superstructures besides chemical cleaning and preservation of affected stone surfaces, especially the dirty sculptured panels sucessfully.

The cultural links, between Cambodia or the ancient Kambuja and India are stated to have begun from the early centuries of the Christian era. The local tradition speaks of the first arrival of an Indian named Kaundinya, in that country in the remote past, who is also believed to have become the ruler of the land following his marriage with a local princess. By about the beginning of the fifth centry A.D., when Srutavarman occupied the royal throne of Kambuja, it developed a unique and colourful cultural blend of the original Cambodian and imported Indian elements. This is amply reflected in the ancient Cambodian art with its two distinct phases, the pre-Khmer and Khmer. The early phase covering the time span from fifth to seventh centry A.D. bears conspicuous Indian impress whereas the classic Khmer phase, dating between the ninth and twelfth century A.D., manifest well developed tradition of the Cambodian art exemplified by characterstic local features as could also be noticed in Angkor Wat.

What is most interesting, is that Cambodia maintained contacts both with the northern and the southern regions of India and it is on this account that we notice here, the Sanskrit inscriptions in Pallava script and north Indian structual types in developed forms. Many other elements appear to have been drawn commonly from epic and Puranic traditions of India as a whole.

Through the preliminary pages of his book the author, Mr. Bhandari, introduces the subject touching briefly the historical and cultural background of Angkor Wat, which he rightly styles as the ‘Soul of Cambodian Nation’. He then tries to highlight the contribution of the ASI in saving this historic structural complex maintaining other associated aspects.

Bhandari further discusses the political developments in Cambodia following the second World War including the Khmer Rouge takeover, Vietnamese Intervention, Paris Peace Agreements, 1993 elections, and establishment of new Government in the country. The second chapter of the book deals with the political and cultural antiquity and history of Cambodia particularly stresses its ancient relations with south India. Although brief, there are references to the construction of various important Cambodian shrines. What is notable in Bhandari’s narration is the close genealogical links between a royal house of ancient Kambuja and that of Pallavas of Kanchi as a result of which following the death of Pallava King Paramesvara Varman II (728-32), a prince from Cambodia also named as Paramesvara (alias Pallavamalla) was brought to south India and installed on the Pallava throne under the title of Nandivarman II. The writer has also recorded a note on the famous Cambodian royal cult of Devaraja and on the concept of Meru as a structural form available at Angkor Wat.

In the next two Chapters, Bhandari briefly mentions the contents of the great Indian Epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and thereafter explaines the architecture of Angkor Wat in the light of illustrations incorporated in the book and the thematic elements of the bas reliefs and other sculptures, including carved renderings of the exploits of the author of this mighty structural undertaking, Suryavarman.

In the last Chapter i.e. V, he covers the whole history of archaeological conservation of Angkor Wat specifying the achievements of the Archaeological Survey of India in safeguarding the great Khmer architectural heritage.

Bhandari concludes the monograph with short but significant notes on future international co-operation and preventing the illicit traffic in Cambodian antiquities and adds useful appendices at the end.

Perhaps, it may be relevant in the general context of Angkor Wat as a structure to point out, that ‘Meru’ as a divine abode is actually associated with Siva and not with Vishnu in the Hindu traditions. Vishnu’s Supreme Loka (world), i.e. Vaikuntha, is believed in the Milky Ocean and not a hill top. It is on this account that the great Siva shrine built by Chola ruler Rajaraja, Brhadisvara at Thanjavur (Tamilnadu), has been called as Daksina or southern ‘Meru’. The earliest available temple presenting the concept of Meru in India in the architectural form is large terraced structure at Ahichchhatra (Dist. Bareilly, U.P.) with Siva-linga at the top. It has been dated to circa fifth century AD.

The terraced architectural form as a shrine appears to have travelled to South-East Asia through eastern India and reached its artistic culmination at Barobudur (Indonesia) and Angkor Wat, respectively, as a Budddhist Stupa and Hindu temple.What is interesting here is that the older terraced-shrines in Cambodia , simulating a sacred hill, were mainly Sivite in character, and Suryavaraman II, who was a great devotee of Vishnu preferred the Meru structural model for his own favourite Lord (Vishnu) as an exception, probably due to the grandeur of its architectural format.

The term Angkor has been explained by the present writer as Nagara i.e. city in Sanskrit but then what could be Wat. In our view it may be a derivation from the Sanskrit term, Vata or Vataka, meaning a pavilion or a mandapa within an enclosure,. Angkor Wat, therefore, may mean ‘pavilion within a city’. In this connection, we may like to cite an important expression ‘Narayana Vataka’ used in Ghosundi inscription (Distt. Chittor, Rajasthan), of about second century B.C. in the sense of a Vishnu temple with a vast enclosure.

Similarly, the Cambodian royal concept of ‘Devaraja’ i.e. ‘King defied’, may have its roots in the Indian monarchical ideal propounded by the early Gupta rulers who often compared themselves with lords of four quarters and conquerors of heaven. Besides, at least one Gupta ruler i.e., Chandragupta II also used the title ‘Devaraja’ for himself.

On the whole we would like to record that C.M. Bhandari’s present monograph, ‘Saving Angkor’ is a lucidly written book with excellent and well produced illustrations. While analysing various aspects of the topic under reference, the author shows remarkable clarity and precision of a historian, objectivity of an archaeologist, insight of an art critic and cultural awareness of a diplomat. We congratulate him for authoring such a fine work which is useful to both a scholar and a lay reader for its intrinsic merit.

 

 

 

[ Newsletter | List of Newsletter ]