Ba Kong Temple

Location: Ba Kong is located at the “Rolous Group” south of Preah Ko temple.
Access: Enter and leave the temple from the east entrance & west entrance.
Date: Late 9th century (881).
Religion: Hinduism “dedicated to Siva”.
King: Indravarman 1st (877-889) posthumous name “Isvaraloka”.
Art-style: Preah Ko.
-Clearance work by Mr. Hemri Marchal (1916-1933) “1935”.
-Restoration by Mr. Maurice Glaize (1936-1945) “1936-1943”
-Posthumous name: Isvaraloka.
1, Background
Ba Kong temple was the center of the town “Hari-Hara laya” the name devived from the Gods Hari & Hara “Visnu & Siva”.It is a temple mountain representing the cosmic “Mountain Meru” the residence of the Gods. The five levels leading to the central sanctuary correspond to the world of mythical beings are (Naga, Garuda, Raksasak, yaksa and Maharaja).
2, Layout
The temple Ba Kong was built on an artificial mountain and enclosed by 3 walls made of laterite. It had a square base (65 meters for each side) with 5 tiers (15 meters high). The first wall is (700 meters wide by 900 meters long) but nothing left. In the courtyard of the first wall there were 22 bricks towers 6 bricks towers on the west 4 brick towers on the others three side (north, south and east) and the other 4 at corners. During the restoration they found some lingas statues of (Vsnu & Siva). Today those towers are in poor-conditioned state. The second wall is (310 meters wide by 350 meters long) or (300 meters wide by 400 meters long) which had 4 entry towers but we are only accessible the temple from the east and the west because they had causeways crossing the moat and formerly on the both side of each entrance was flanked by low Naga balustrades with 7 heads but today is in a poor-conditioned state. The moat is (60 meters wide 6.7 meters in depth) and a vast rectangular around the temple. The third wall is (115 meters wide by 150 meters long) or (120 meters wide by 160 meters long) which had 4 entry towers are in the shape of across. During the excavation they found 2 big statues of standing Visnu with 4 arms in Bayon style inside the east entry tower of the third wall but it was moved to Siem Reap Conservation Department. In the courtyard of this wall we can see 2 long laterite halls parallel to the eastern wall. They were probably used as rest houses for pilgrims and there are 4 square brick buildings 2 buildings located at the southeast and other 2 located at the northeast corners. They distinguished by rows of holes for ventilation and ach one of which opened to the west they were served as the hall for meditation by the priests. On each side of the causeway just beyond the hall there are 2 square structures with 4 doors. The inscription was found in the one on the right in the year 1935 by Mr. George Trouvé (1933-1935). It talks about the erection of the Linga (Sri-Indresvara) in the year 881. Further along the causeway there are 2 long sandstone buildings covered by timber-roof but which was completely perished. They may have been as the storehouses or libraries (Pustakasrama). There are 8 brick towers around the base of the pyramid but 2 brick towers on each of the 4 side of the base the decoration on the towers with a heavy coating of stucco. The towers decorated with one door opening to the east and had 3 false-doors have a stairway on each of the 4 side and are decorated with crouching lions at the base. The 2 towers at the east have a unique feature because each on of which had a double sandstone base the decoration on the false-doors is fine and especially that one on the right hand (in the front row) the false-door has remarkable Kala handles. All 8 brick towers are decorated with female and guardians in niches but the lintels were partly derived from the style of Ku Len. One of the eight brick towers on the northeast they found the statue of Siva and his two wives (Uma & Ganga) “Uma-ganga-patisvara”. It was kept in ‘Angkor Conservation Office’ in the year 1965 by Mr. Bernard Philippe Groslier (1959-1972).
3, Central Area “Base & Tower”
The square-shaped base has 5 tiers with a stairway on each of the 4 sides. Elephants stand at the corners of the first 3 tiers of the base 12 small sandstone towers identify the 4th tier each on of which originally contained a Linga. The 5th tier is framed by a mould-base decorated with the Bas-reliefs but are mostly eroded except the south part still reasonably intact say about Visnu prostrated 5 brothers of the demons are (Kandaka, Ukrayana, Kandara, Asoumachak and Virearkahangka).
4, Central Sanctuary
It is visible from each of the 5 levels because of the unusual width of the tiers. The tower was made of brick 2.70 meters high but demolished down and at a later date was rebuilt during Baphuon style (second half of the 11th century). The tower was made of sandstone with one door opening to the east and other 3 doors are false-doors and on the top decorated with a lotus-shaped top. The tower kept the Linga of Devaraja (God-King) “Sri-indresvara”.
*East Lintel: Siva dancing under the name “Nataraja”.
*West Lintel: Visnu was sleeping on “Sesa” serpent.
*North Lintel: Lakshmana among the monkeys was entwined by Indralit’s arrow in the form of the serpent.
*South Lintel: The Churning, The Ocean of Milk. At the corners of this tower depicted some scenes from the life of Krishna.
- (Krishna prostrated Kesin) horse.
- (Krishna-Simha) lion.
- (Krishna-Dhenuka) bull.
- (Krishna-Kuvalayapida) elephant.
The main tower was excavated by Mr. Henri Marchal (1935) 20 meters below the surface of the tower but he found nothing.
(Writing by kealy e-mail: kealy.driver@gmail.com)