Thursday, October 1, 2015
Saturday, September 26, 2015
From Angkor Guide To Author
PHNOM PENH— Hem Sophoan, a former
guide for tourists, has taken his knowledge of Angkor Wat and put it
into writing. He has finished a second book, “Angkor Kingdom Guide
Book,” but the road to its publication was a long one.
Heng Sophoan is the fifth child of six, born in Bek Chan village, Ang Snuol district, Kandal province. He received a bachelor’s degree from a university in Phnom Penh, majoring in tourism and hospitality. He eventually found his way to Siem Reap, but he failed a guide exam in 2007. A year later, he passed. He has taken other training since then, and has begun teaching at a local university. To write, he researches online and reads books.
But the real secret to his success, he says, is that people trust him. He is trusted as a source, including on Facebook, where he has a page for his guidebook. “The reason that many people are interested and supported me is that all the services I have given them never cause them any problems,” he says.
He writes for the next generation, so that they will know more about national and international communities, he says. His first book, a how-to on becoming a tour guide, was published in 2011. He has three more in the works.
“Since I started to be a tourist guide, I faced many difficulties, including the lack of documents related to tourist guide skills,” he says. “Moreover, it’s hard for me to get some answers from old tourists whenever I want to ask them. So I promised myself that when I became a tourist guide with high knowledge and experience, I would write a book for the general public.”
He spent about one year writing his most recent book, which drew from his own experience and his research. This book tells the history of the Angkor kingdom and temples. This book too is meant to help tour guides, not with their own profession but with guiding people through the historic temples.
Pen Sophy, a bookseller at the International Book Center, said most people who buy Heng Sophoan’s books are students and tour guides.
Ho Vandy, co-president of the Government-Private Sector Tourism Working Group and a former guide, said the job can be difficult, so a book that helps guides is good for tourists, too.
“Frankly speaking, tour guides can't please their clients 100 percent of the time,” he said. “I was a tour guide for over 20 years, and it’s not easy to please all the clients. For instance, 10 clients have different minds.”
Nearly 2 million people visited Cambodia from January to May this year. That’s a small increase from last year, and an increasing market for Hem Sophoan, who says he hopes soon to translate his works into English.
Source by :
Heng Sophoan is the fifth child of six, born in Bek Chan village, Ang Snuol district, Kandal province. He received a bachelor’s degree from a university in Phnom Penh, majoring in tourism and hospitality. He eventually found his way to Siem Reap, but he failed a guide exam in 2007. A year later, he passed. He has taken other training since then, and has begun teaching at a local university. To write, he researches online and reads books.
But the real secret to his success, he says, is that people trust him. He is trusted as a source, including on Facebook, where he has a page for his guidebook. “The reason that many people are interested and supported me is that all the services I have given them never cause them any problems,” he says.
He writes for the next generation, so that they will know more about national and international communities, he says. His first book, a how-to on becoming a tour guide, was published in 2011. He has three more in the works.
“Since I started to be a tourist guide, I faced many difficulties, including the lack of documents related to tourist guide skills,” he says. “Moreover, it’s hard for me to get some answers from old tourists whenever I want to ask them. So I promised myself that when I became a tourist guide with high knowledge and experience, I would write a book for the general public.”
He spent about one year writing his most recent book, which drew from his own experience and his research. This book tells the history of the Angkor kingdom and temples. This book too is meant to help tour guides, not with their own profession but with guiding people through the historic temples.
Pen Sophy, a bookseller at the International Book Center, said most people who buy Heng Sophoan’s books are students and tour guides.
Ho Vandy, co-president of the Government-Private Sector Tourism Working Group and a former guide, said the job can be difficult, so a book that helps guides is good for tourists, too.
“Frankly speaking, tour guides can't please their clients 100 percent of the time,” he said. “I was a tour guide for over 20 years, and it’s not easy to please all the clients. For instance, 10 clients have different minds.”
Nearly 2 million people visited Cambodia from January to May this year. That’s a small increase from last year, and an increasing market for Hem Sophoan, who says he hopes soon to translate his works into English.
Source by :
27 August 2015
India Suspends Project for Construction of Angkor Wat Replica
The move comes after Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the Indian government find a way to stop the project.
PHNOM PENH: Indian officials say they
have halted the construction of a $20 million project to build a
replica of the famed temple of Angkor Wat, to maintain good bilateral
relations between the two countries.
Mahavir Mandir Trust, an engineering firm in India, had announced the construction of the 10-year project in 2012, but it has been ordered to suspend its operations, officials said.
The move comes after Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the Indian government find a way to stop the project, which could have angered many Cambodians, who see Angkor Wat as a powerful national symbol.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastara on Tuesday, after which officials announced a halt to the project.
The Indian government has suggested that the company “revise its structure, to avoid copying the Cambodian Angkor Wat temple,” said Chum Sounry, a spokesman for the ministry.
India’s ambassador “acknowledged that the Angkor Wat temple is the Khmer’s soul and priceless heritage, representing the Cambodian nation, and they promised they would not do any thing that would affect the soul and impact the good relations of both countries,” he said.
Cambodian historian Ros Chantrabot applauded India for its decision, which he said would maintain positive relations between the countries. Had the structure been built, it would have “degraded” the reputation of the company involved and of “Indian culture and civilization.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, meanwhile, the Indian government pledged $4 million to help renovate Preah Vihear temple, which sits on a high escarpment near the Thai border.
Source by :
Mahavir Mandir Trust, an engineering firm in India, had announced the construction of the 10-year project in 2012, but it has been ordered to suspend its operations, officials said.
The move comes after Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the Indian government find a way to stop the project, which could have angered many Cambodians, who see Angkor Wat as a powerful national symbol.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastara on Tuesday, after which officials announced a halt to the project.
The Indian government has suggested that the company “revise its structure, to avoid copying the Cambodian Angkor Wat temple,” said Chum Sounry, a spokesman for the ministry.
India’s ambassador “acknowledged that the Angkor Wat temple is the Khmer’s soul and priceless heritage, representing the Cambodian nation, and they promised they would not do any thing that would affect the soul and impact the good relations of both countries,” he said.
Cambodian historian Ros Chantrabot applauded India for its decision, which he said would maintain positive relations between the countries. Had the structure been built, it would have “degraded” the reputation of the company involved and of “Indian culture and civilization.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, meanwhile, the Indian government pledged $4 million to help renovate Preah Vihear temple, which sits on a high escarpment near the Thai border.
Source by :
08 September 2015
Phimeanakas Temple
Constructed : Late 10th/Early 11th century
Religion: Hindu
Style : Kleang
King : Jayavarman V 968 – 1001
Location : Phimeanakas is located in Angkor Thom, in the centre of the royal city, behind the Terrace of the elephants.
Comment : The small stairway pyramid type temple which is inside the court of Angkor Thom. It is the small temple because the king does the ceremony, it is located on the center of the court. The fact that Pimeanakas is not aligned perfectly compared to Victory Gate lets suppose that it would have been initially built at the time of Phnom Bakheng with which it is aligned, then rebuilt then.
Religion: Hindu
Style : Kleang
King : Jayavarman V 968 – 1001
Location : Phimeanakas is located in Angkor Thom, in the centre of the royal city, behind the Terrace of the elephants.
Comment : The small stairway pyramid type temple which is inside the court of Angkor Thom. It is the small temple because the king does the ceremony, it is located on the center of the court. The fact that Pimeanakas is not aligned perfectly compared to Victory Gate lets suppose that it would have been initially built at the time of Phnom Bakheng with which it is aligned, then rebuilt then.
Unfortunately, this Royal temple presents only very few sculptures
having survived and is not very interesting from this point of view. On
the other hand, of the top, the sight on Angkor Thom is particularly
interesting. But to reach it, you will have to use with many precautions
the western staircase, on our photograph, only staircase practicable
but nevertheless very abrupt, which makes the descent rather perilous.
This temple is associated with a curious legend according to which it
was inhabited by the spirit of a giant snake with nine heads which
appeared every evening under the features of beautiful young woman with
which the King was to couple himself under sorrow that a serious
misfortune does not occur with its people or himself. The scandalmongers
claim that the King would have imagined this legend to give himself
more freedom.
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| Phimeanakas Temple |
Baphuon Temple
Constructed : Mid 11th century , ???-1060
Religion : Hindu
Style : Baphuon
King : Udayadityavarman II 1050 – 1066
Location : Angkor Thom, by leaving Bayon, On the left before arriving at the terrace of the elephants.
Description : Baphuon temple built by Udayadityarvarman II was the most poorly constructed of all the temples in Angkor. From the remaining ruins, it is possible to see how imposing it was. This temple hill was dedicated to Shiva, but in its reliefs many motives from the Vishnu epic can be seen. Restoration work continues to be carried out on the Baphuon.
Religion : Hindu
Style : Baphuon
King : Udayadityavarman II 1050 – 1066
Location : Angkor Thom, by leaving Bayon, On the left before arriving at the terrace of the elephants.
Description : Baphuon temple built by Udayadityarvarman II was the most poorly constructed of all the temples in Angkor. From the remaining ruins, it is possible to see how imposing it was. This temple hill was dedicated to Shiva, but in its reliefs many motives from the Vishnu epic can be seen. Restoration work continues to be carried out on the Baphuon.
Baphuon is a little frustrating to pass in front of such a monument
and not to be able to visit it. One of the center pieces of Angkor Thom,
Baphuon is currently closed with the public for restoration and surely
still for a long time. You can just make the turn of it. It is about an
enormous work: a puzzle of more than 300.000 stones scattered on several
hectares and of which some weigh several tons! Each stone is numbered
and recorded in files burned during the war! The work which was stopped
in 1970 consists today with all to reconstitute and the result should
be equal to the challenge to be judged some by what is already visible.
It will thus be necessary to wait a certain time to have to be able
to admire gigantic Buddha lying which is inside. This temple-mountain of
which the sight in its top is, appears it, exceptional, was to be the
central temple of second Angkor, intermediate stage between Phnom
Bakheng and Bayon. What is presented today as an immense building site
should become a major temple to visit after the end of work.
Temple Detail : The big temple where the court is
located immediately on south side. Presently, France undertaking
restoration, the large-sized crane is moving. As for being possible to
visit, entering from Toumon, to the point of the aerial
going/participating road ending. The inner part from that, it has become
off limit. Because of that, walking outer circle generally, the back
(west side) it turns, it means to return looking at the sleeping form of
the explanation/releasing.
Banteay Samre Temple
Constructed : Mid 12th century
Religion: Hindu
Style : Angkor Wat
King : Suryavarman II 1113 – 1150
Location : Outside of the large circuit, one finds Banteay Samre three kilometers in the East of East Mebon.
Comment : Banteay Samre is associated with a tasty legend which connects three temples: Eastern Mebon, Pre Rup and Banteay Srey, the legend of the king to soft cucumbers. Samres were large warriors, supposed to be mercenaries, shaven, tattooed and very impressive. It is said that the inhabitants of the village of Pradak, located beside this temple, are their downward. One of them, a gardener had inherited a divine soft cucumber seed that the king adored at the point to have condemned to died any person who would enter the cucumber field to steal them.
Religion: Hindu
Style : Angkor Wat
King : Suryavarman II 1113 – 1150
Location : Outside of the large circuit, one finds Banteay Samre three kilometers in the East of East Mebon.
Comment : Banteay Samre is associated with a tasty legend which connects three temples: Eastern Mebon, Pre Rup and Banteay Srey, the legend of the king to soft cucumbers. Samres were large warriors, supposed to be mercenaries, shaven, tattooed and very impressive. It is said that the inhabitants of the village of Pradak, located beside this temple, are their downward. One of them, a gardener had inherited a divine soft cucumber seed that the king adored at the point to have condemned to died any person who would enter the cucumber field to steal them.
By greediness, it penetrated during the night in the field and was
killed by the gardener. Not having a descent, one called upon “the
elephant of the victory” of Mebon Oriental to appoint the future king,
and it appointed the gardener. The late king was buried in Pre Rup, but
its subjects refused to recognize the gardener for king and this one
went to be locked up in Banteay Samre to protect himself. Enormous work
of anastylose made possible to emphasize a splendid unit and well
preserved. The visit of Banteay Samre is to be combined with that of
Banteay Srey.
Temple Detail : The Banteay Samre temple with the
Angkor Wat style which has feature in the central hall which places the
tower of conical condition on top, has the unique atmosphere like the
fortress. As for the cause of that the high peripheral wall and, there
is constitution inside the inside perimeter kind of wall where quite
the central hall stands in the bath pond. The temple is surrounded in
the wall where the laterite is high, the corridor and the hall, two
scripture houses are crowded in the space where the inside of that is
narrow relatively.
As for the construct density with other things it is something which
is not felt excessively. The stylobate section was a height, in
order to be able to stretch the water inside. The lattice window of the
corridor condition is good, also shape is beautiful. The temple itself
is small relatively, but it has the long going/participating road on
east west. As for the length on east going road 200 meters, on west
going road 350 meters. As for the east going road being similar to the
Angkor Wat west going road, the style which lays the sandstone on the
stylobate of the laterite.
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| Banteay Samre Suryavarman II 1113 – 1150 |
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