In the 1920s, the Bapuon, originally a 43-meter tall, three tiered pyramid
representing the mythical Mount Meru, suffered a series of collapses.
In 1943, half the north face of the second and third tiers also suddenly
crumbled.
 In
the 1950s, Royere's Paris-based oriental studies institute, Ecole Francais
d'Extreme Orient, decided to dismantle large parts of the Bapuon stone
by stone to make essential internal structural repairs. By 1971, some
300,000 stones had been removed and carefully placed in the jungle face
down to hide magnificent base relief carving from plunderers.
But then disaster struck. War came to Angkor and the restorers were forced
to leave. The following year, another major collapse occurred, wiping
out the northwest quadrant of the two upper tiers.
Worse, in 1975, the detailed records the team had kept of where the stones
fitted disappeared in the chaos of the Khmer Rouge takeover. From then
on, assembling the Bapoun would be like doing a massive jigsaw puzzle
without the picture on the box.
The French returned in 1992 after Angkor was declared a UNESCO world
heritage site and they have used every means at their disposal, including
massive construction cranes and a computerized three-dimensional mapping
of each stone, to securely rebuild what their predecessors and time took
down.
Crucial to any lasting restoration has been the insertion of an internal
drainage system which the original builders in the reign of King Udayadityavarman
11 ( 1050-65 ) failed to see the need for.
This is mainly why the Bapuon failed to survive the ravages of the elements
as well as Angkor Wat, the Bayon and so many other temples including Ta
Prom.
The French team now believe they are on target to finish the reconstruction
job by 2004.
 For
visitors to Angkor, that date cannot come soon. Apart from its exquisite
bias relief, the Bapuon has another unique attraction. Though built as
a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, it was continually modified
over the years and in the late 15th century, after Buddhism had reached
Angkor, a massive reclining Buddha figure was constructed on the western
face of the pyramid. Royere describes it as "no doubt the greatest
exercise in recycling ever undertaken on an Angkor monument."
That Buddha image, one of the largest of its kind in the world, has mostly
survived the Bapuon decline and fall. Soon the Bapuon will once again
stand alongside Angkor Thom as one of Southeast Asia's most magnificent
archeological treasures.
|
