South-facing facade of the south sanctuary tower
South-facing facade of the south sanctuary tower
The south sanctuary tower is one of the three sanctuary towers situated inside the inner enclosure of the Banteay Srei Temple, about 16 miles northeast of Siem Reap in Cambodia.
The image shows the west-facing facade of the north sanctuary tower, a squarish structure resting on a star-shaped platform. At the center of this facade is a false door, carved only for decorative purposes. Behind this door is the inner sanctum, the entrance to which is on the east-facing facade. The design of this facade is symmetrical about the vertical axis centered at the middle of the door.
As you can see from the image, the false door is flanked on either side by a devata (demi-goddess) carried by three hamsas (swans). Most of the carvings on this facade are intact. Above the door, the structure is cone-shaped and has five levels, each with a finely-carved pediment. Because of the cone shape, the higher the level, the narrower the pediment.
The theme of the bas-reliefs in the lintel and pediments is Yama, the god of death and justice in Hindu mythology. However, the primary reason for Yama‘s carving in the south-facing facade is because he is the dikpala (guardian) of the south direction.
The lintel above the false door depicts the front view of Yama seated on a buffalo, his vehicle, and is carried by two lions. Yama is flanked on either side by an unknown deity seated on Kaala, who is on top of an elephant. Note: Kaala is the time demon often associated with Shiva, who, according to Hindu mythology, is the timekeeper of the universe and controls the time cycles by creation, preservation, and destruction.
The bottom most pediment depicts the side view of Yama seated on a buffalo and is carried by three lions. Behind this pediment is part of another false door, and above that is the second-level pediment depicting an unknown deity riding an elephant. The pediments in the two upper levels contain the reliefs of the Kaala monster.
Structures of the Innermost Enclosure
– A View from the Northwest
– A View from the Southwest
– A View from the Northeast
Sanctuary Towers
– North Sanctuary Tower – North facing facade
– North Sanctuary Tower – West facing facade
– North Sanctuary Tower – East Facing Facade
– South Sanctuary Tower – East Facing Facade
– South Sanctuary Tower – South Facing Facade
Related Pages
– Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei
– Phnom Kulen, Tonlé Sap, Cambodia
– Bali, Prambanan, Prambanan Bas-Reliefs, Borobudur, Indonesia
– Hampi Virupaksha Temple Murals: Ashta Dikpalas (Guardians of the Eight Directions)
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