Damrei Temple (ប្រាសាទដំរី)

Damrei Temple © National Authority of Preah Vihear

Damrei Temple (ប្រាសាទដំរី) is one of the temples in the Koh Ker temple complex. An elephant sculpture with a large sandstone pedestal stands about 2 meter in height, and can be found inside this temple. The temple was built in the 10^th century (928-942) of the Angkorain era in the reign of King Jayavarman IV and is dedicated to Hindu god Brahma.

Located in Koh Ker village, Sraryorng commune of Kulen District, the Koh ker style temple was built in the 10^th century during the reign of King Jayavarman IV, dedicated to Hinduism. Today, the temple is located 3 km southeast of Koh Ker village, 1.8 kilometers sout of the southeast corner of Rohal, and 200 meters north of Trapeang Khnar.

Prasat Damrei is the official name of this temple because it has the large adorned sandstone elephants, facing outward at four corners of the foundation of the central terrace, almost 2 meters high. While, some people call it Prasat Damrei Chong Kandoeung (ប្រាសាទដំរីចងកណ្តឹង) because there are carvings of elephants with decorative carvings bells on the neck, and were placed at the corners of the temple. The elephant is a vehicle for the Indra, the king of the devas, who is in the upper classes like the king, the royal family, the high officials, and is considered a symbol of prosperity and growth, a symbol of the rain and used as a transport vehicle and Warrior elephant. Prasat Damrey has a square brick tower like Prasat Baksey Chamkrong.

The temple has one-open door and three false doors on the north, south and west, and has an east door on the east, as the direction of creating the universe. The tower is built on a 2.5-meter-high sandstone floor with sandstone pavement. Temple built on a 12-meter square with a four-way staircase on each side (five steps in a staircase), adorned by fine seated lions which are very impressive. Presently, only one of the eight stone lions is still at the original place. The main door (open door) is made of sandstone, decorated with octagonal sandstone pillars, decorated with art of rings (ក្បាច់ចិញ្ជៀន), while the lintel has a series of garlands (កម្រងមាលា) with the image of Indra mounting on the Airavata “a divine three-headed elephant” (ដំរីឯរាវ័ណ ឬដំរីក្បាលបី), was born from the churning of the ocean of milk. Above the elephant, there are 10 statues of deities in rows with the salute manner (in the Khmer way by placing the palms together and raising the hands up from the chest to the forehead). Two brick north and south libraries of rectangular shape, facing west; adorned with false doors on the east side completely collapsed, leaving only a few walls.

The Elephant Temple is surrounded by a rectangular brick rampart, measuring 60 by 55 meters. Detached by a brick gopura (gate) from the east only, but today there is a collapse, only the main door made of sandstone with inscriptions on both sides. To the east of the temple has a large pond. According to a new research report, it is speculated that there may be lost wooden structures in the area; in addition, there are brick or stone buildings.

Inscription of the Elephant Temple No. K-677 records that Jayavarman IV erected a Shiva Linga shrine in the central tower of the Elephant Temple in honor of Preah Chetha (brother) from the same mother, named Rajendravarman. According to the Inventory of Inscriptions in Cambodia by Mr. George Cœdès, the Elephant temple Inscription No. K-677 is located at the original location on the south gate, with 48 lines in Sanskrit and 36 lines in the north gate in Ancient Khmer, without a date. The north plate of the inscription is located on the west gopura of the north main door of the Elephant Temple, registered by George Cœdès with 36 lines. Its eastern Gopura has inscriptions telling the installation of Tribhuvaneshvara on Prasat Prang in Prasat Thom complex.

Gallery