Sabineyoga: TombRaider

I have to admit to never having seen TombRaider, but of course one can’t help but know about it – Angelina Jolie, computer game, action hero.  Another admission is my lack of fore knowledge about Siem Reap, Cambodia.  That’s where Angkor Wat is.  For anyone who’s not making the connection here, let me elaborate.

Angkor Wat was first a Hindu, then later a Buddhist, temple built in the early 12th century by the Khmer King Suryavarman II – as in Surya Namaskar, he of salute to the sun – and it’s the largest religious monument in the world.  In the 16th century it was abandoned to the jungle until being rediscovered and restored as an important archaeological, architectural and artistic site, in the 20th century.  It’s not really just about one temple, but rather a whole collection of temples and buildings, laced with moats and pathways, decorating the jungle just 5 kilometres outside of Siem Reap.

And it is spectacular, for all the trappings of tourism, but take a walk in Angelina’s footsteps and you will be at La Prohm – the TombRaider temple.  This is the one with great boulders scattered around the grounds.  Centuries old trees, with roots lifting structures out of their earthbound foundations, as their branches scale huge heights into the sky.  The energetic presence of history oozes from every crack.

Travelling around South East Asia, it’s easy to become complacent about yet another wat, and the idea of a day visiting all of these was ominous.  First stop in the beating sun was Angkor.  Traffic banked up.  Photograph for entrance ticket.  Dropped off at the main entrance.  Walk across the stone slab bridge to the impending majesty of this iconic silhouette.  The challenge for me is always getting those pictures that make it look untouched by human hands; no wires, plumbing, signs or people.  And even with the mass of people there on that Sunday in January, it was still possible.  It’s impossible to describe the grandeur, or even see it all.  Rather it’s one of those places maybe best for a less is more experience: the stone wall carvings along the breezeways, the devas flanking the stairs to the harem wing, even just the stairs.  So many yoga pose opportunities.

Wandering back out along the causeway, it’s hard not to feel something – small, awed.  But wait, there’s more.  Another temple before lunch.

As established, I had no preconceptions about La Promh.  My only thinking was to find a spot to do a suitable superhero pose, worthy of Lara Croft.  I’d even picked out the as yet untested asana.  The entrance to La Prohm is through a stone arch; an elephant access sized stone arch.  From here it is quite a walk along a sandy path through semi jungle until the boulders strewn haphazardly around begin to pile themselves into forms and then structures, leading to the compound of this truly ancient but living temple.  Step off the well trodden path of the swarming Korean and Chinese tour groups and be blessed by a tiny hunched Buddhist nun.  Find a wall on an outbuilding and strike a pose.  Walk back through the avenue of trees and be serenaded by the music of a Khmer Traditional Mahori Band, the syncopated rhythms matching footsteps historic and present.

After a tourist lunch – Argh!  There was one more temple; Bayon Temple the most tumble down.  I was by this time templed out and chose yoga on the grass out the front instead.  For me this was an authentic temple experience, and I no doubt have appeared in the background of many Facebook photos.  And you can see my Temple Yoga Goddess day on Instragram:  sabineyoga

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