Gopura Pins and Buttons

This is a gopura, or gopuram, located near the Phimeanakas Temple in Angkor Thom, which is very close to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Gopura, of this kind, were typically located at the edge of the grounds of medieval Hindu temples, where they acted as the entrance to the grounds. The Phimeanakas Temple dates from the 10th century, so this gopura may be of a similar age. We look at these incredibly old structures where just the stonework remains. They must surely have had many embellishments during their heydays. But even today, they stand as noble structures, which is what I wanted to capture.

This is one of the "face towers" that adorn the Bayon temple in Angkor Thom. The huge faces, 216 of them, at the various sites in Angkor Thom are grouped in fours around towers. Each of the faces is very similar to any other, Scholars are unsure of who they might represent, a bodhisattva, Brahma, or maybe King Jayavarman VII, who was responsible for the construction of Angkor Thom. All that aside, when capturing the image I was really drawn to the power of the faces that adorn the towers. The faces seems so peaceful with closed eyes and gentle smiles.

This is one of the "face towers" that adorn the Bayon temple in Angkor Thom. The huge faces, 216 of them, at the various sites in Angkor Thom are often grouped in fours around towers. Each of the faces is very similar to any other, Scholars are unsure of who they might represent, a bodhisattva, Brahma, or maybe King Jayavarman VII, who was responsible for the construction of Angkor Thom. All that aside, when capturing the image I was really drawn to the power of these faces as they adorn the towers. The faces seemed so peaceful with closed eyes and gentle smiles.

The remarkable banyan trees that grow in, around, and through the ruins in the medieval temples in Angkor are spectacular to behold. The structures, dating back over 800 years were abandoned at the time of the collapse of Khmer empire, and so, over the centuries, the jungle has retaken possession. These trees, enormous in size, have the most amazing roots, which snake over the old sandstone structures. The tree in the image sits right against the wall of the Banteay Kdei temple, with part of the roots passing through a window in wall.

Angkor Wat isn't just one temple, but a complex of many temples spread over a wide area. The complex is so large that you need to hire a tuk-tuk and driver for the day to be transported around the vast complex. This image is of the Tonle Om gate, which is the south gate into the Angkor Thom temple and its surroundings. The gate, also known as a gopura, straddles the road. Around the gate are four gigantic faces, known as Avalokiteśvara or Padmapani. These faces appear on several other structures within the Angkor Wat complex. When capturing this image, I was really taken with the serene power of the faces; they seemed to embody calm and compassion.