The Centre of the Universe ; According to Hindu Mythology, the Uppermost Temple of Three at Angkor Wat in Cambodia Is the Hub of Everything That Exists. Perhaps That Explains Why This Magnificent Complex Has Survived the Depredations of War, the Khmer Rouge and Creeping Jungle

Jessel, Stephen, The Independent (London, England)

At dusk, when the noise of the cicadas on the temple mountain of Phnom Bakheng fuses into a single screeching whistle, you can see, a mile away, the five towers of Angkor Wat vanishing into the shadows. It's as if the surrounding jungle which had swallowed the stupendous building for hundreds of years is once again invading the ruins.

It's a good way to end a day at Angkor, especially if earlier you have climbed one of the vertiginous 70-degree staircases which lead to the topmost of the three levels of the wat (or temple); by so doing, you have scaled a copy of the Mount Meru of Hindu mythology and reached the centre of the universe. As night falls you can contemplate …

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Publication information: Article title: The Centre of the Universe ; According to Hindu Mythology, the Uppermost Temple of Three at Angkor Wat in Cambodia Is the Hub of Everything That Exists. Perhaps That Explains Why This Magnificent Complex Has Survived the Depredations of War, the Khmer Rouge and Creeping Jungle. Contributors: Jessel, Stephen - Author. Newspaper title: The Independent (London, England). Publication date: December 11, 1999. Page number: 1,3. © 2009 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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