Other "Temples" around Siem Reap

Although the temples around Siem Reap that were the highlights for me I covered in previous blog entries, there are still many more.

One of the best was Kbal Spean. Not only did it involve 90 minutes of peaceful travel in a tuktuk through rural Cambodia, this was then followed by a 1.5 kilometre walk through the jungle. The destination is very different- carved figures in rocks beside a stream and above a small waterfall. Some looked like bells, other were people (or gods) plus there were lingas carved into rocks in the base of the stream. These resembled a checkerboard of round circles on top of the rocks, often hard to see because of a covering of mud. Many locals come here for picnics and to splash in the stream, while a couple of saffron-clad monks were also there when I was. Here are some photos.

This is Sras Srang, what today looks like a large lake but was actually once the Royal Baths. Its shores make a popular place on the weekends. Here I met the girl below in the pink, who talked to me - well actually tried to get me to buy something from her - while playing on the boat. She eventually left to head off for English lessons.

Bakong Temple shown below is part of the Rolous group. These structures were built prior to those closer to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. It is believed to be the first temple with the pyramidal structure. It looks better in black and white than in colour.

The feet of a statue in front of Chou Say Thevoda, a small structure that was under heavy renovation when I visited.

Also part of the Roluos group is Neak Pean, another very different structure. Resembling a Buddhist stupa, the temple is surrounded by pools with stone stairs leading down to its shore. The photo below shows the detail of a statue depicting a horse rescuing drowning sailors.

Back to Dhamrai

Today since I had a van I went back to Dhamrai, the brass village after first going to the International Trade Fair here in Dhaka, which cost a whole 12 Tk entry (20c). The Trade Fair was an exhibition of Bangladeshi companies//businesses and what they produce plus a few exhibits from surrounding Asian countries. There was shop after shop with saris and fabric for Salwar Kameez: scarlet, bright orange, pink, buttercup yellow, green with embroidery, sparkles, block printing . . . . . Some in silk, some in cotton and some synthetic but it all gets a bit over-powering in the end. Although you can get most of the same stuff in the shops around Gulshan anyway. I just bought a silk scarf for a gift for 250 Tk (about $4 Australian).

Then it was off to Dhamrai, along the mostly empty roads due to it being Friday, the day or rest here. Compared to last time it was very different. The vast swathes of water either side of the road have been replaced by rice paddies: a field of green. In some people were bent over planting the small plants in the water-covered mud.

Once in Dhamrai it was back to Dhamrai Metal Crafts located in a beautiful old house. This time I got to see of the more of the the steps in the traditional "Lost Wax" process they use. Plus I also got the hear the beautiful "Singing bowls" again.

The steps:
1. A rough shape of the statue is made out of clay.

2.This clay shape is covered by about 1 cm of grey-streaked black wax into which the intricate details of the outside of the statues are carved.

3.This is then covered by a further layer of clay. The whole thing is then fired, melting and burning the wax to produce the mould into which brass is then poured. The clay is then removed and "voila" there is a statue. The statue is then fine-tuned with trimming, polishing and the addition of any fine decoration.

This is the end product.

Again I didn't buy any brass, this time just a DVD of theprocess that I still have to watch. But there were five lovely frogs each playing a different musical instrument for 9500 Tk, a small but heavy cobra for 1500 Tk and the singing bowls, well they are upwards of 3000 Tk. Maybe next time.

Dhamrai - The brass village

Today I got to go sightseeing outside Dhaka, well 2o kilometres or so outside. It did take just over an hour to get to the village of Dhamrai, known as the brass village. Here Sukanta Banik and his family are maintaining the "Lost Wax" method, which is more than 2000 years old, to produce stunning pieces in brass and bronze. His shop and workshop are located in the beautiful house on the mainstreet of Dhamrai; mind you I think there really is only 1 street!

In the "lost wax" method a wax figure is made that has the identical design to the final brass product, often a statue, that is required. Then the wax figure is covered with layers of clay to look like those below.

Then the clay-covered wax model is fired and the wax "disappears", actually igniting on exposure to the heat. After bronze or brass is then poured into the now empty mould, it solidifies then the clay is broken leaving a unique piece. A piece is shown below.
This piece below I suspect was done using one of the other methods that the workshop uses.
Many of the figures made are related to the Hindu religion with the figures beng made out 8 metals - copper, zinc, tin, iron, lead, mercury, silver and gold; which are believed to have an auspicious link to the planets. The business also bolds old brass and bronze pieces that are usually plain on the outside. Craftsmen then etch designs into the surface creating a new artifact. One of these products is the "singing bowl", which after having its rim stroked by a wooden wand it begins to hum ("sing"). Absolutely beautiful. Chloe practises here:

There was lots of beautiful pieces there - a chess set, the bowls, Hindu statues, bracelets, animal statues and ornaments to hang on the walls. But talk about heavy and expensive. I hope to go back to visit the village sometime, maybe then I will buy something. I just looked today.