Alrighty, folks! Welcome to stop number 7, Preah Pithu! Get ready to explore a group of five temples that, although not designed as a group originally, still have a lot to offer. Even in their ruined state, these temples have some pretty impressive carvings and a peaceful, semi-wooded setting.
Located in Angkor Thom, just northeast of the famous Bayon temple, these temples may be close to each other, but they weren't all built at the same time. Two of them were built in the same period, while the others were separate. So, there's no apparent order to this temple mash-up!
Now, let's meet these temples individually. We've got T, U, V, W, and X. "X" is our cool Buddhist temple, but it's actually unfinished and probably the latest addition to the group. The other four are Hindu temples. Although these temples may be in bad shape, with the upper levels all ruined, their carvings are still quite interesting. And hey, the site is pretty peaceful and not too crowded, so that's a plus!
Oh, and let's not forget the moat! Well, when it's not dry, that is. Some of these temples are surrounded by a moat that adds an extra touch of allure. It's like a big, watery hug around the temple. How nice!
Wait, did I mention that these temples were cleaned not once, but twice? Yep, Jean Commaille was the first to give them a good scrub in 1908, and then Henri Marchal took over from 1918 to 1920. Gotta keep those temples looking spiffy!
Now, let's dive into the details of each temple. Temple "T" has a sandstone enclosure and a main axis with two gopuras. Inside, there's a sanctuary with a large linga on its pedestal. You'll find fragments of the western door lintel on the ground that show a stylized depiction of the "Churning of the Sea of Milk" - sounds like a fancy milkshake, doesn't it? The walls are full of lovely devatas and floral motifs, all done in the Bayon style.
Moving on to temple "U," it's similar to "T" but smaller and simpler. No gopura for this one! The west door lintel shows the Trimurti, with Shiva having a dance-off atop a kala-head, sandwiched between Vishnu and Brahma. So much talent in one carving!
Now, temple "X" sits on a large terrace, about a hundred meters east of temple "U." You can easily reach it if the moat isn't full of water. It's got a similar design to the others, but it's larger and unfinished in terms of decorations. And guess what? "X" is our funky Buddhist temple! Sculpted Buddhas and Buddhist motifs can be found on the walls of the sanctuary chamber - it's like a mini-Buddha museum.
Once we're outside the moat, we discover temple "V," which is oriented to the east. It has a double vestibule, no enclosure, and a long causeway on the west side that leads right into the northeast corner of the Royal Square. Inside the sanctuary chamber, there's a big ol' linga that measures 1.5 meters - now that's one mighty linga!
Last but not least, we have temple "Y." This temple doesn't have a fancy basement or any stairways; it just stands proudly on an earthen platform, north of temple "V." It's kind of like the rebel of the group! And get this - it's dated between Angkor Wat and Bayon. Talk about being in the middle of two big popular kids! So, "Y" is oriented to the east and boasts a long mandapa as its entrance, along with a sanctuary chamber hosting a linga. This chamber may have mostly collapsed, but it's got two pretty remarkable half-frontons that depict the defeat of the asura Bana by Krishna and the three giant steps of Vamana. These carvings really give you a sense of the epic stories behind them!
So there you have it, folks - the Preah Pithu group of temples. Even though they may not have been designed as a squad, they sure know how to make an impression! Ready to move on to our next stop? Let's go!
