Going Off Cambodia’s Beaten Path to Find the ‘Pink Lady’ Temple

Simon Marcus Gower | December 12, 2012

Banteay Srei Temple [Citadel of the Women]

 “You must see the pink lady temple. It is my favorite,” our guide Lon Chhin insisted repeatedly. He went on, almost apologetically: “but it is quite far from Siem Reap, it will take us a bit longer to get there.”

This apologetic tone was due to the fact that most of the temples in this region of Cambodia do lie very close to the town of Siem Reap, and many visitors to the area are happy just to hire bicycles and take a comfortable ride around the temples closest to the town.

The guide was right. The “pink lady temple” was a bit farther afield.

This temple, formally known as Banteay Srei, lies about 35 kilometers north of the great temple of Angkor Wat, so getting to it from Siem Reap will take about an hour.

The journey, however, is pleasant and allows you to see a more rustic side of Cambodia. The roads are quiet with few cars and little or no chance of suffering traffic problems, and the wide open spaces of the Cambodian countryside are good to the eye.

The land here is mostly flat with only modest hills interrupting the views far into distance. Houses do line the road, but the development is sparse and you are far from city-dwelling here. Many of the houses are built on stilts with the living space on the first floor.

The ground floor beneath the actual house is used for keeping livestock, usually a cow or two, or for providing cool shade for family members. 

The electricity supply is variable out here and televisions are few and far between. Perhaps because of this the people seem quick with a smile and a wave — sociable and friendly.

The journey to the Banteay Srei is pleasant enough and is soon found to be well worth it. As we arrive at the temple area, we find ample parking available and Lon Chhin breathes a sigh of relief.

“We have missed the Korean buses,” he says, somewhat mysteriously.

What he means is that Korean tourists generally travel in big groups with their tour organizers and bus around in large cohorts that are liable to romp around. Lon Chhin is relieved because the car park is almost entirely empty. That means that the visit will be quiet and relaxed.

As with all temples in this area, the management and conservation of the area is done well and thoughtfully. The parking lot is well removed from the temple building and so a modest walk is required. This is good, though, as it helps preserve the serenity of the temples and Banteay Srei has the feel of one of the most serene temple complexes in the region. It is modest in scale but significant in its impact and beauty.

Banteay Srei may be translated as “Citadel of Women” or “Citadel of Beauty,” and this gives a hint at why my guide insisted upon calling it the “pink lady temple.”

You can see another reason when you first get a sight of the stone structures of this temple. The stone used throughout is red sandstone and in the brilliant Southeast Asian sunlight the stone can look pink. The final clue comes when you see the exquisite decoration that can be found carved into the stones — delicate and beautiful ladies are in abundance.

The beauty of the carving here and the delicacy of touch that must have been used in its execution has led some to claim that this temple could only have been carved by women. It’s difficult to know of the claim’s truth, but it is immediately evident that this temple contains some of the most beautiful examples of Angkorian artwork.

This is a special temple on so many levels. It was created as a Hindu temple more than a thousand years ago — it is generally dated as having been completed in 967 A.D. The relief carving on the central buildings, including four stunning library buildings, depicts scenes from ancient Hindu stories. The decoration is intense and hugely skilled. Practically every surface is covered with beautifully executed carvings.

Another element that adds to the distinguished nature is its apparent origin. All the other major temples in this region were commissioned and constructed at the behest of local kings. Banteay Srei, however, was built by a member of the royal court, Yajnavaraha, who worked with monks to create this most beautiful of temples of Angkor.

There was an expansion of the temple that took place in the 11th century when it came under royal control. It seems that the temple was actively used through to the 14th century, then fell largely idle before being “rediscovered” in the early 20th century.

Banteay Srei is remote, but it is a true wonder to behold.

Compared to other temples, it seems tiny, almost as if a model of the larger temples, but this makes it all the more intimate. And the detail and intricacy of the carved decoration is near mind-blowing.

The delicacy of the place does make it feel vulnerable. All of those wonderful carvings remain exposed to the heat and monsoon rains of the Cambodian climate. There is then a sense of fragile beauty to this, perhaps the most exquisite of Cambodia’s ancient temples.