Cambodia, Angkor Thom - Smiling Stone Faces
Visiting sites of ancient and past civilisations is a fascinating journey into the history of humankind. From these sites and the artefacts found there, we gained insights into how people of the past lived and worked. In the ancient ruins of Angkor Thom, I came face-to-face, literally, with hundreds of smiling stone faces. Said by some to represent the bodhisattva of compassion Avalokitesvara (or Lokesvara), the 216 stone faces engraved onto the towers of Bayon stood smiling serenely, as they had for more than 700 years, silent witness to the history of humankind. Bayon was built as the Buddhist temple of the Khmer at Angkor Thom. Located near present-day Siem Reap, Angkor Thom was the capital of King Jayavarman VII. Infused with both historical and mythological wonder, Angkor Thom is one of the most visited sites for visitors to Siem Reap. And when one mentions Angkor Thom, the images of Bayon will undoubtedly flashed through the minds of almost everyone who had visited thi...