Ta Prohm Temple: A state of beauty in a power of trees

October 15, 2015

Ta Prohm locates southwest of the East Mebon temple and East of Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Its state of ruin is a state of beauty, which is investigated with delight and left with regret. It is especially peaceful and beautiful in the early morning. A torch and an area are useful for visiting this temple at all times.

Ta Prohm was built about mid-12th century to early 13th century (1186) by the King Jayavarman VII, dedicated to the mother of the king imitation to Bayon style of art. It is the capital of the kingdom of the trees left untouched by archaeologists except for the clearing path for visitors and structural strengthening to stave off further deterioration. 

Image Credit: siemreaptaxi
Shrouded in solid jungle, the temple of Ta Prohm is fragile in aspect and conjures up a romantic aura. The banyan and kapok trees spread their gigantic roots over stones, probing walls and porches apart, as their branches and leaves link to form a roof over the structures.

Ta Prohm is one of the largest of the monuments in the Angkor complex, the engraving gives an idea of the size of the temple. The complex included 260 statues of gods, and 39 towers with pinnacles. Ta Prohm covers a series of long low buildings standing on one level, which are bounded by laterite wall (600 by 1,000 meters, 1,959 by 3,281 feet).

Image Credit: acgfromhereon
The temple is held in a stranglehold of trees. Stone and wood press-stud each other in grim opposition; yet all is noiseless and stagnant, without any visible movement to indicate their struggle as if they were combatants suddenly alarmed, struck still in the middle of a fight, the rounds in this fight were not measured by minutes, but by eras.

Image Credit: icenslice