Prasat Bei Temple

Hello and welcome again to Forgotten Temples Cambodia with myself Mr. B. Now today I'm at Prasat Bir and he is quite the gentleman isn't he? In that opening shot there what you saw was the moat around Angkor Thom and it's absolutely serene. We're right next to it. It's literally just there and this temple has a couple of chaps I'd like to introduce to you. One is my favourite God from Hindu mythology and the other is a magical elephant. It won't be a long tour around but why not join me? Let's head on up. This will only be a brief video. There's only a couple of things I wish to show you. We go up these mighty stairs with a central treat in the corner but I'm gonna dash over here first because I've never been to this temple. It is in the Angkor Wat complex but I've never visited it and it has been restored very well indeed. Here there would have certainly have been a plinth and there would have been some form of statue and what's quite interesting is right in the centre there, I don't know if you can see, someone's placed I believe a single lotus flower which is very important in the religion as is in the Hindu religion I believe. Now going this way we do have another tower at the end because we're saving this one until last because that's where the tale, the story line lays. But we need to catalogue these things don't we? And we're seeing very much a similar sort of picture. It has been restored to such an extent. All this I would imagine has been rebuilt. Not so much with this one because we can see the patterning on these bricks which I believe is from some kind of moss. It looks like burn marks doesn't it? But it's not, I absolutely assure you. It's some sort of moss or something decaying that's caused that and we can see that it's very uniform. So this one certainly hasn't been built up again. And it is round here that I want to introduce you to a magical elephant and my favourite God. And here is where the story lays and as always it's in the beautifully carved lintel. Now what we're going to look at are the two elephants here who go by the name of Aravata. I just don't know and do you know why I don't know? Because no one's ever said it to me out loud. I've only ever read it. So I will have to find out how to pronounce that correctly. And the other chap is on top of the elephants. I don't know how well you can see. You can see the elephants now can't you? He is just at top of the elephants, just there. And that is my favourite God Indra. Now Aravata or however you pronounce it. I'm so sorry to those more educated than I. I am just learning. That elephant is quite incredible because what he did was he sucked up the water from the underworld and then shot it into the sky. And the reason Indra is sitting atop of them because he is the God of the heavens you see. And he's the one that's responsible for the thunder, the lightning and the chaos in the skies. So he's quite a remarkable chap and he is my favourite God. And you know why? Because in the Vedas, the ancient Indian text, he gets himself in a spot of bother occasionally with his cavorting, his drinking and his love of a hedonistic life. And that's something you've really got to enjoy when looking into these tales of these ancient Hindu religions. Because they've got a God for everyone. But it doesn't end there. Because in the heart of this temple, we've got yet more. As we step forward, there's the powerful aroma of ammonia because bats dwell here. But look at this. This plinth is huge. And just to remind, those cans and bottles there are not rubbish. They are in fact offerings because people still worship here, which is wonderful. But the tragedy is, and it's always the same sadness, is right here, there should have been a huge statue. But alas, he was taken away in the night. Now there's the temple we've just left. And it's very rare. In fact, I don't believe I've ever done this before. I'm taking you away from the temple for a little extra. Because up here is the calling birds. Yes. But it's not just the birds that dwell amongst these woods. Oh no. What we have is lions. And my goodness, are they magnificent. I mean, just wow. Have a look at this. I'm sure your heart will skip a beat when you see these beauties. For this was a stairway, you see, going up. For there's another temple up there. And these mighty chaps, and believe me, they are huge, that guard this are still intact. And it's absolutely incredible, isn't it? I've driven through the jungle in this complex. And I bumped into one of these that's just sitting in the middle of nowhere by himself. And my goodness, what a wonderful day that was. But there's another couple here. And I know there's others. But these are so beautifully placed. And the reason they're still here is they were just too big to steal. So Mr. Lion head and all, it is complete. Which is so very rare. I couldn't go past without showing you this. So there you go. Another fantastic temple that doesn't only have a god, it has an elephant that creates the rain. And if that isn't enough, we have two of these simply amazing lions. I mean, this is as good as anything you'll get in the British Museum, the Smithsonian, or anywhere in the whole wide world. And they're here due to their might. They just could not be carted away by man. And my goodness, it is an absolute delight to meet them. I hope you've enjoyed this short trip around. As always, like, subscribe, but above all, please comment. And until next time, as always, I wish you absolutely nothing but the very best. Do take good care.