| When king Jayavarman II (802-850) returned
around 795 from captivity in Indonesia at the court of the Sailendras,
he first founded his capital at Indrapura. He moved his capital several times, in search of better sources of
food. Hariharalaya
(the abode of Hari-Hara, a fusion of Shiva and Vishnu), now known
as Ruluos, was one of his capitals. Even after being abandoned as capital, Hariharalaya
remained an important centre of ancestral veneration,
emphasizing the legitimacy of Jayavarman II's successors.
At the beginning of the 9th
century, he moved his capital again to Mount Mahendrapura, today
Phnom Kulen, 40 kilometres northeast of Angkor city, where in 802 he
proclaimed himself universal ruler, God-king, thus marking the beginning
of the Angkor period. Soon afterwards he moved his capital back to Ruluos.
Ruluos includes 3 temples: Preah Kor, Bakong and Lolei. They are among the
first temples built in brick and stone. The bas-reliefs are among the
first examples of Khmer art.
The Preah Kor temple (temple of the sacred ox) was built in the
9th century by king Indravarman I (877-889), dedicated
to Shiva Brahmanism. It is also a funerary temple for the kings parents
and grand parents and for his predecessor Jayavarman II and his
wife who were incinerated here. Originally square in plan, it was surrounded by three ramparts. The
outer rampart is 400 metres by 500 metres with gopuras on the east
and west sides. |
The Bakong temple, south of the Preah Kor temple was also built
by king Indravarman I in 881. It was the first major sandstone
temple-pyramid, symbolic of mount Sumeru (mount Meru of
the Hindu mythology). The temple was the centre of the Hariharalaya city and was the state temple of king Indravarman I.
The five superposed terraces symbolise Mount Sumeru. This temple, the
nicest one of Ruluos has been completely restored stone by stone.
The Lolei temple resembles Preah Kor and was built in 893 by
king Yasovarman I (889-900+) in memory of the king's father. It was
located in the middle of a great baray, the Indratataka, which has
long since dried up. According to an inscription in the temple, the water
in the pond was used for the capital of Hariharalaya and for
irrigation of the plains in the area.
The Lolei temple is worth a visit for its exquisite carvings and
inscriptions which are the finest of the Ruluos group |
