The first day in Cambodia
It was November 29th, 1972, my first day in Cambodia. I had arrived in Sisophon the night before. I knew that the Khmer Rouge had occupied Angkor, so it was not a good idea to go there. However, I’d heard there was another large temple about 63 kms. north of Sisophon named Banteay Chhmar, which could be reached. I found a man with a motorbike and a big smile who would take me there for a few dollars, and we set off early in the morning. The road was rough and the trip took over five hours. Near our destination we reached a checkpoint where the soldiers told us it was too dangerous to continue. I was determined not to give up, so I told tall stories in French to the effect that I was an archaeologist on an important research mission, and that M. Coedes (author of the guide to Angkor) was my favourite uncle. The soldier in command (Mao Gim Hong, with two pens in his pocket) was suitably impressed, and decided I could proceed, but only with a military escort. And so it was that I arrived at Banteay Chhmar with an entourage of six.
I was mildly impressed by the ruined building, but I also thought “Is that all?” Then the guardian, a reggae-looking gentleman, told us that was just the gatehouse, and led us into the forest. We clambered over huge slabs of fallen stone and towers began to appear through the trees… then faces, huge faces, were suddenly looming over us and the foliage cleared to reveal a vista of towers and galleries beyond.
Banteay Chhmar is a huge sprawling edifice, second in size only to Angkor Wat. It was built by Jayavarman VII, whose crowning achievement is the Bayon, and features similar characteristics. There are fewer bas reliefs however, and a less integrated architectural structure. The most outstanding bas reliefs depict Avalokitesvara, the Mahayana Buddhist God of Compassion. There were originally 8 of these, but now only two remain at the site. Of the wall that I photographed, only half remains. In 1998, looters stole 30 metres of the south wall, and in 1999 Thai police recovered 117 pieces of sandstone carving which were being moved by truck towards Bangkok. These carvings were returned and are now in the National Museum in Phnom Penh.
Approaching Storm (near Poipet)