Faith - Hope - Belief

Hello, Pantip users.

I'm not very good at writing, so my language may not be very smooth. Please give me some advice.

I have always had questions in my head when I hear news about problems and conflicts with neighboring countries.

Journalists frequently report shootings at Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Prasat Ta Prohm. I initially believed that Prasat Sdok Kak Thom and Prasat Ta Prohm were the same location due to my lack of attention and the similar ending of "Thom".

He reported that it was a stone castle. I immediately had a question in my head: what is a stone castle?

"Are all the structures of the stone castle made of stone?"

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

Please provide the text you want me to translate.

Is the roof made of stone, or is it just a frame?

I have always been curious about ancient ruins, and today, while on business in Sa Kaeo, I saw a sign for Prasat Sdok Kok Thom. I thought to myself, "This is my chance to finally see what a real castle looks like!" (I have never visited a stone castle in my life.)

Biography

Two inscriptions in ancient Khmer script were discovered, providing crucial evidence for the age of Prasat Sdok Kok Thom. The second inscription reveals that King Udayadityavarman II renovated the temple in 1152 CE. The Khmer kings were patrons of religion, with Brahmin priests serving as religious leaders, advisors, and intermediaries between gods and kings. Brahmins also oversaw royal rituals, religious practices, and the construction of villages. The inscriptions are currently housed in the National Library of Thailand.

Castle plan

The castle is built of sandstone and laterite in the Khmer style of the Kulen-Baphuon period, 15th-16th centuries CE. The outer wall of the castle is made of red laterite and is about 127 meters long. The main entrance is the gopura, or gatehouse, on the east side, built of sandstone. Passing through the gopura, one encounters a U-shaped moat surrounding the castle, about 20 meters wide. Further inward is a covered walkway encircling the castle, about 42.5 meters long, with a gopura in the middle of each wall. The central area of the walkway houses the main sanctuary, with two libraries at the corners of the walkway in front of the sanctuary, presumably for storing scriptures. Like other Khmer temples, this castle faces east, reflecting the Khmer belief that the east is the direction of light, energy, and good fortune, while the west is the direction of death. Moreover, the layout of the castle reflects the Hindu belief in the universe, with Mount Meru at the center surrounded by a vast ocean. Walking through the east gopura of the outer wall, across the moat and the covered walkway, is akin to entering the center of the universe. The main sanctuary represents Mount Meru, surrounded by pillars that mark it as the holiest area. Inside the main sanctuary, there was originally a Shiva lingam, representing the god Shiva, one of the three supreme deities of Hinduism, indicating that the castle was a place of worship for the Shaivite sect of Hinduism, which worships Shiva as the supreme deity. Today, only the base of the yoni remains.

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

I embarked on a solo road trip from Chonburi to Watthana Nakhon District.

This is an empty paragraph.

Take bus route 304.

The road is good and comfortable to drive on, although there may be some traffic jams around Chachoengsao.

The view is beautiful. It's a great way to relax and enjoy the scenery while driving.

Let's continue on to Watthana Nakhon.

How's the view in the countryside?

The provided text is empty. Please provide the text you would like me to translate.

We continued driving, with our destination being Kok Sung district.

"Wow, to own this car, you must have your own pump (just kidding)."

And here we are, Prasat Sdok Kok Thom 30396. It's starting to rain a little, and there's not much light today. Let's hope it doesn't rain too much.

It seems like a lucky day. The rain has stopped and the ground is a bit damp, making it a cool evening.

Castle plan.

This is the first time I have seen a stone castle. This is what I found. I found greatness, I found amazing architecture.

An encounter with something that should not exist, a void that has vanished from this world.

The restoration of the walkway involves the integration of new stones, using the same type of stone as the original. This type of restoration is called "anastylosis," which involves dismantling the original structure, marking the stones, creating a new and stronger foundation, and then reassembling the dismantled and collapsed pieces in their original positions using modern techniques.

The castle, after restoration, is magnificent and exudes a mystical aura.

The image clearly shows that the new stone has been placed on the old base, but it will take time for the color to match.

The grandeur of the castle's facade leaves one wondering about the level of sophistication that existed in the past.

The castle's pediment has been renovated, with the new sections lacking any visible decorative carvings.

This is the inner castle, the atmosphere is very pleasant. There are very few people, so you can walk around comfortably.

This image provides an immediate answer to my question.

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

Library, left and right

The President of the Privy Council, Sivlieng.

On top of the main castle

The rocks outside are those whose origin the Fine Arts Department could not identify, so they were placed outside.

Blueprint of the castle

Before returning, I became fascinated by the history of the castle and bought another book to read.

You can go home now.

Thank you. Please let me know if you have any feedback. For the next trip, I plan to visit the Phanom Rung Stone Castle. Please give me some advice.

There is no text to translate in the provided HTML code. Please provide the text you want translated.

BY: KritPacker