Female & male power in Angkor - an overall view

The founding of the Kingdom of Cambodia by a legend

Kaundinya (or by the Chinese version: Wen Tian) was a brahmin who came to the land of Cambodia from India, armed with a sacred javelin (a symbol of male royal power). On arrival, he planted the javelin in the ground to mark the centre of his kingdom. He married the the princess Soma, the daughter of the Naga king, and started a royal dynasty. The dowry her father provided was to swallow all the waters covering the land of the Khmer, transforming the muddy soil into fertile land.
In this relief of Angkor Wat (click to enlarge) we see an army of woman-warriors. They are led by Soma, wearing a crown, ridng a horse-driven chariot, and holding a bow and arrows. The only male figure is eroded, but clearly in fighting position: Kaundinya.
Though invincible by his magic weapon, he surrendered himself to the female superiority, and became king in his spouse's land. (Ref.:ROVEDA 2003, p. 200.)

International Women's Day, March 8, 2010

"'Being a woman is a kind of double-edged sword,' Ms [Chea] Vannath [a political analyst] said. 'In Cambodian society she is considered the leader of the family... At the same time there is a discrimination.'"
(The Cambodia Daily, 08.03.2010, p. 24)

Zhenla era

Cambodia in the 7th century is stamped by

• impressive statues of Durga,
• autonomous queens, &
• the legend of the Naga queen Soma. See page NAGA & GARUDA - a conflict-ridden relationship.

How Jayavarman II unified Cambodia/Kambuja

After marrying seven queens, who symbolized their territories (Jacobsen, p. 28), Jayavarman II had performed a ceremony in 802, by which "there should be in this country, one sole sovereign, who should be chakravartin (ruler of the world)." (Briggs, p. 89.)

He became 'sovereign', whilst his wifes kept the ownership of their territories. (Till to present time, Cambodian women own the rice fields.). Anyhow, by this act of state the status of the queens was diminished.

With this goes the legend of the Apsara Mera. See page NAGA & GARUDA - a conflict-ridden relationship.

Legitimation of kings

"Indravarman I [877-889] erected six temples, dedicated to three pairs of ancestors, at the Preah Ko monument. These were Prthivindradevi and Prthivindravarman, his parents, Rajendradevi and Rudravarman, his mother's parents, and Dharaindradevi and Jayavarman II, his mother's sister and her husband." (Jacobsen, p. 31.)

"Yasovarman I (889-912) demonstrated his right to rule bilaterally, as repsresented in the Lolei monument, built in 893. [...] The [other] four towers are dedicated to Indradevi and Indravarman I, his parents, and Rajendradevi and Mahipatesvara, his mothr's parents. Like his predecessors, Yasovarman I maintained the tradition of honouring his relatives from his mother's side." (Jacobsen, p. 49 f.)

A prince became king because he was the son if a queen.

Heyday & crisis of Angkor

Structural strands

• Devata and Apsara reliefs appear at the walls of temples. See page DEVATA - The beautiful Goddesses of Angkor.
• Subjugating natural resources by blowing up the system of irrigation, the city of Angkor became the by far biggest pre-industrial metropolis in the world. (Evans, Pottier)
• The myths of Vishnu/Krishna/Garuda subduing the Naga, and the Naga balustrades. See page NAGA & GARUDA - a conflict-ridden relationship.

Decline of Angkor

After the breakdown of the irrigation system and of male power, Angkor was abandoned. The jungle returned and took over the places. Now roots are destroying what men have constructed.

Devata celebrate their triumphal come back of the Goddesses. See page TEMPLES of the DEVATA.

Recover Angkor!

This text isn’t a lesson in history, but maybe it can help to open your eyes and to recognize the true treasures of Angkor:

• Goddesses willing to bless us after we have approached them respectfully.
• Apsara enjoying us with their celestial dancing.

References

• Briggs, Lawrence Palmer, The Ancient Khmer Empire, Bangkok, 1999, p. 14 ff.
• Jean Boisselier, Jean, Studies on the art of ancient Cambodia, Phnom Penh, 2008.
• Brugier, Bruno & Lacroix, Juliette, , Phnom Penh, 2009.
• Dalsheimer, Nadine, Les collections du musée national du Phnom Penh, Paris, 2001.
• Freeman, Michael & Jacques, Claude, Ancient Angkor, Bangkok, 1999, 2005.
• Glaize, Maurice, Les monuments du groupe d'Angkor, Saigon, 1944, Paris, 1951.
• Jacobsen, Trude, Lost goddesses: the denial of female power in Cambodian history. Copenhagen, 2008
• Krása, Miloslav & Cifra, Ján; Das Lächeln von Angkor, Hanau/Main, Germany, 1963.
• Lewis, Norman, A Dragon Apparent, Travels in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam, London, New York, 1951.
• Mouhot, Henri, Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos, during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860, Volume I, London, 1864, reprint 2005.
• Pottier, Christophe, cited in: GEO [German magazine], December 2008.
• Roveda, Vittorio, Khmer Mythology, Bangkok, 1997, 2003.
• Roveda, Vittorio, Sacred Angkor, The Carved Reliefs of Angkor Wat, Bangkok, 2003.
• Roveda, Vittorio, Images of the Gods, Khmer mythology in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand , Bangkok, 2005
• World Monuments Fund, Prasat Ta Som (flyer).
• Zimmer, Heinrich, Indische Mythen und Symbole, Düsseldorf, 1972.
• Zhou Daguan, A record of Cambodia [1296-97], Chiang Mai, 2007.

Download

Devata, Apsara, Naga, Garuda,and Royal Power in Angkor

Links

NAGA & GARUDA - a conflict-ridden relationship
page

DEVATA - The beautiful Goddesses of Angkor
page

Devata & Apsara
page

Devata at Phnom Bok
page
album

Devata at Angkor Wat
page
album

Devata at the top level of Angkor Wat
album

Srei krup leakkhana at Preah Khan
page

KHMER KINGS AND THEIR GODS
page

External Link

Angkor Wat Apsara & Devata: Khmer Women in Divine Context
page

http://www.phalikan.com/queenstory/index_3.html