On a temple run in Angkor Wat

For many, the lure of watching pink dawn skies light up the turrets of 12th C Angkor Wat ranks high on their bucket list — alongside hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia or driving on Route 66 in Arizona, writes Aarushi Saxena

As an agnostic, even my visit to Angkor Wat was hardly an undertaking of faith. Rather, it was curiosity in the common thread weaving its way across our countries, nuances in myths of Hindu deities and exploring temples obscured by overgrown jungles.

The latter of my expectations was busted immediately. A century after the French discovered Angkor Wat in the 1860s, Japanese and Indian governments began restorative work on the temple ruins. Branches of centennial trees were untwined from carved pillars, vegetation plucked out from cracks in stone slabs, and moss scraped away; though its evidentiary green stains remain. Only few temples
are still ensconced in some degree of nature — their splendour expounded by their ruin.

No sarcasm, the reclaim of the wild strengthens the temples’ enchantment. But for Wat, our Cambodian guide, the temples’ gilded glory was their height of beauty. He regaled us with imaginations of rows of pure gold sculptures and carvings adorned with the choicest gemstones, befitting a thriving Khmer empire.

Wat told us that originally, ‘Angkor Wat’ was dedicated to Vishnu. But within decades, it became a Buddhist temple. This pattern of alternating allegiance transpired once again in the 13th C. Exploring the architecture, I could feel the evidence of a bygone religious tug of war: carvings from Ramayana, Linga sculptures — all juxtaposed with headless statues of Bodhisattvas.

At Siem Reap, a real-life manifestation of the game Temple Run sans being chased by demonic monkeys — isn’t too far-fetched. Five AM is officially rush hour. Motorbike-led tuk-tuks queue along the east entrance of Angkor Wat. Groggy tourists laden with camera equipment walk along a paved path, crossing manicured lawns. They reach a moat, where surreal reflections of a pink dawn sky behind the temple turrets can be seen in the murky water. This experience is simultaneously overrated and absolutely worth it.

In these early hours, Angkor Wat is at its peaceful best, as neither temperatures nor crowds have peaked yet. While this main temple’s restoration shows how impressively it withstood the ravages of time, French colonisation, and the Khmer Rouge civil war, temples within the ‘small’ and ‘grand circuits’ are more authentic in form.

In the small circuit, the fortified city of Angkor Thom with Bayon and Baphuon temples, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper king, are key ruins. The south gate to Angkor Thom, called Tonle Om, is lined with statues of Gods, demons, depicting the myth of churning an ocean with the giant snake Vasuki. At Bayon temple, 54 towers are capstoned with 300 smiling faces of Bodhisattva. Their faces carved only after the large stone blocks were stacked together, almost like an ancient 3D jigsaw. The highlight of the small circuit is Ta Prohm, which translates into ‘Grandpa Brahma’ — a temple still in ruins, layered with debris and giant-sized, senior citizen trees holding court.

In the grand circuit, Preah Khan’s faded red walls and long corridors pull you into their past, while Neak Pean’s serene lake is a respite from the heat. Ta Som and East Mebon make for quick pit-stops. But my personal favourite is the pyramid-like Pre Rup. The distance between temples is farther than it seems on the map. Many choose to hike or cycle, but a tuk-tuk with a guide is the ideal choice. There’s so much to glean from conversations with the locals. But a sojourn in Cambodia is more than temples.

I spent five days in Siem Reap, clad mostly in loose linen co-ords, temple-hopping in the early AM, belly-full with a decadent breakfast. Noon was dedicated to siestas. In the evening, smells and sounds of Cambodia waft through the culturally vibrant Pub Street and adjoining artisan night market. Bars sell cocktails at $2, street vendors offer a seat on miniature furniture, serenading you with spicy seaweed salads or brightly marinated meat on skewers. The most gourmet street food on display is insects — impaled tarantulas, scorpions and crickets. Even a photo with them is in the local business model, $2 for a click.

The city’s fresh take on local Khmer cuisine is made for adventurous palates like mine. I sampled Amok fish curry, chilli pork with crispy red ants, meat loklak, pandan leaf ice cream rolls, and even frog legs. At local markets, I tasted egg fruits, durians, santol, longan – the stuff of tropical dreams! Like many travellers, I too gravitated towards the medieval pull of Cambodia’s temples, and as they leave pleasantly surprised at how much the surrounding city of Siem Reap has to offer, so did I. Religious drama, delicious cuisine and a ‘detoxivacation’ like no other.