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    Saturday, April 7, 2007

    Preah Vihear

    Building date: Early 10th century.
    Religion: Hindu (god Shiva)
    Style: Banteay Srei
    King: Suryavarman I & II From 1002 To 1050
    Location: In Svay Chrum Village, Kan Tout Commune, Choam Khsant District of Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia. The temple is 140 km from Angkor Wat and 320 km from Phnom Penh.



    Building of the first temple on this spot started in the early 9th century; and over the next centuries it was devoted to the Hindu lord Shiva in his manifestation as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. The primary remaining portions of the temple, however, date from the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century, when the empire's capital was the city of that name.




    Today, components of the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century are visible, but many of the temples had been built during the reigns of the Khmer kings Suryavarman I (1002 - 1050) and Suryavarman II (1113 - 1150). An inscription located at the temple offers a in depth profile of Suryavarman II learning holy rituals, honoring spiritual celebrations, and making gifts, such as white parasols, golden bowls and elephants, to his religious consultant, the aged Brahmin Divakarapandita.




    The Brahmin himself was quite involved in the temple, depending on the inscriptions, donating to it a golden sculpture of the dancing Shiva called "Nataraja". In the wake of the decline of Hinduism in the area, the site became to be used by Buddhists.



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