Siem Reap - Apsaras

And once again Cambodia. After a short flight from Bangkok we are in Siem Reap.

When visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, you will encounter hundreds of beautiful reliefs of half-naked female figures. One should consider what role Apsaras played in the functioning of the Empire of Angkor.

Everyone is amazed by the power of the old empire, which I described quite boringly on this blog.

This time I want to say a few words about those female characters.

"Apsara inhabit the divine sky. They play the role of singers and dancers, and courtesans. With their dance they delight people as well as gods. They provide them with sensual pleasures.

They are beautiful and seductive. Their poses and gestures are full of grace. They have airy, golden dresses. Do not wear underwear. When the wind blows their clothes, you can see them in "all the glory".

They are also full on the earth, where they play the role of water nymphs. They take care of springs, lakes or rivers. Watch out, because sometimes a fish swimming in a river may be an apsara cursed by the gods.

Although they are definitely good, they can be insensitive to people - seduce them and abandon them.

Apsara are in many respects similar to Tolkien's elves and so should be imagined. "

In the evening we went for dinner with the show of folk dances from Siem Reap region and those of Apsaras’.

Despite the special atmosphere among 1,500 tourists watching the spectacle and at the same time quickly eating the dishes gatherer on the plates fro the buffet, the Apsara dances are impressive.

The beauty of those girls is undeniable.

Apsara, known since the early era of Hinduism, were also present in the life of the rulers of Angkor throughout all religious periods including Buddhism.