Ta Prohm: A Glorious Era in Angkor Civilization

Bangkok: White Lotus Co Ltd. 2007. Trade paperback. Fine.. 208 p., illustrations, bibliography. . This book offers a new look at the biography of Jayavarman VII, focusing on the ideology of abnegation followed by this Angkorian monarch. With his well-developed policy of public welfare, the king surpassed the contemporary European kings. The monograph shows how Ta Prohm was intricately connected with the royal welfare programs, since its foundation stele describes in detail the assistance given to the hospitals from the royal treasury. The monograph presents the temple of Ta Prohm in the context of Cambodian history, as the first dated temple of the reign of Jayavarman VII (1186) symbolizing the perfect wisdom in Khmer civilization with the mother of the king represented as Prajnaparamita, the mother of the Buddha. The monastic and spiritual life at the temple has been graphically reconstructed through a closer study of the inscriptions of Ta Prohm. Impressive annual and daily grants offered by the royal treasury to sustain the spiritual life of the kingdom have been meticulously detailed. A systematic study of restoration policy has been made in the context of over a hundred years of practical experience at the sites of Angkor. It has been argued that Ta Prohm can be a useful test case for the refinement of ideology and techniques of restoration based on the criteria of authenticity. This first monograph-length study of the most enigmatic temple of Angkor complex offers an indispensable reading both for visitors and specialists interested in unlocking the puzzles of Angkor art.