Immortalizing the Apsara Dancers at the Temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Engraved on the walls of important temples inside the Angkor Archaeological Park are the figures of the Apsara dancers.

The Apsara carvings prominently appear on the walls of Angkot Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm – temples found inside the more than 40,000-hectare Angkor Archaeological Park, a park that contains the architectural achievements of the Khmer Empire dating back from the 9th to the 15th century.

From afar, the Apsara engravings may appear to be carved on one whole block of wall, if you look closer though, the engravings were done on separate blocks neatly placed together.
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In Indian mythology, the Apsara dancers are celestial female dancers who inhabit the heaven of the god Indra.

In Cambodia, the Apsaras are considered as the kings’ messengers to the gods and to the ancestors. The people in Cambodia further immortalize the Apsara dancers through the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, also known as Khmer Classical Dance or Apsara Dance. In 2003, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the Apsara dance as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.

The Apsara dance preserves the legends of the origins of the Khmer (Cambodian) people. The dance is characterized by distinctive costumes, makeup, poses and gestures that express a wide range of human emotions like rage, fear and joy.

The Apsara dance performances were performed during royal ceremonies, marriages, funerals or Khmer holidays. According to UNESCO, the Apsara dance narrowly escaped extinction when under the rule of the Khmer Rouge all master Apsara dancers were eliminated.

After the defeat of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, the Apsara dance troupes emerged again and performances of this ancient tradition resumed.

Photos by EllenR
Camera used: Sony Xperia