Prasat Sikhoraphum ( th, ปราสาทศีขรภูมิ) is a Khmer temple located in Thailand, located between the cities of Surin and

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. It was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II for Hindu worship. The temple is composed of five

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

and brick towers, on a base made of

laterite Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...

. There are sandstone bas-reliefs on the main tower depicting

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

and

Uma Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi in ...

. The door frames have sets of

apsaras An apsaras or apsara ( sa, अप्सरा ' lso ' pi, अक्चरा, translit=accharā) is a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hinduism and Buddhist culture. They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, litera ...

devatas ''Devata'' (pl: ''devatas'', meaning 'the gods') ( Devanagari: देवता; Khmer: ទេវតា (''tevoda''); Thai: เทวดา (''tevada''); Javanese, Balinese, Sundanese, Malay: ''dewata''; Batak languages: ''debata'' (Toba ...

and

dvarapalas A Dvarapala or Dvarapalaka (Sanskrit, "door guard"; IAST: ' ) is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon - the most common being the ''gada'' (mace). The dvarapala statue is a wide ...

. The temple was converted for use by

Buddhists Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

in the 16th century. Architectural contributions influenced by Laos are evident on the tower roofs. The name comes from the Sanskrit word of South India ''shikhara'', meaning tower sanctuary.

Gallery

Prasat Sikhoraphum Detail 1 - Sikhoraphum.jpg Dragons Prasat Sikhoraphum.jpg Prasat Sikhoraphum Detail 2 - Sikhoraphum.jpg Prasat Sikhoraphum-pano-1.jpg

References

*Michael Freeman, ''A guide to Khmer temples in Thailand & Laos'', Rivers Books, 1996 *Michael Freeman, ''Palaces of the Gods: Khmer Art & Architecture in Thailand'', River Books, 2001 *Yoshiaki Ishizawa, ''Along The Royal Roads To Angkor'', Weatherhill, 1999 *Claude Jacques and Philippe Lafond, ''The Khmer Empire'', River Books, 2007 *Vittorio Roveda, ''Images of the gods: khmer mythology in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos'', River Books, 2005 *Betty Gosling, ''Origins of thai art'', River Books, 2004
Carte animée de l'empire khmer de 100 à 1500 AD

External links

* {{Angkorian sites Angkorian sites in Thailand Buildings and structures in Surin province