Ta Som

The Buddhist temple Ta Som was built in the late 12th – early 13th century under the patronage of Jayavarman VII, who was also responsible for both Preah Khan and Neak Poan, which lie to the west, upon a nearly straight axis. The approach to the temple is from the west, near the eastern edge of the now dry Jayatataka, or northern baray.

The first gopura, cruciform in design with interior antechambers, is capped with the smiling faces of Lokesvara and the doorways are flanked by beautiful guardian devatas. Beyond the first gopura is a now dry moat, lending credence to the theory that the exterior enclosure and gopuras (both east and west) were later additions. The second gopura, just beyond the moat lacks the Ta Phrom style faces, but features exquisitely carved devatas on both eastern and western facing walls.

Once inside the second enclosure, walk around the central temple complex, past the reconstructed, freestanding frontons, towards the eastern gopuras, the final one of which is draped with the roots of a strangler fig. The smiling faces, Devatas, and tree combine for a great photo opportunity. Returning back through the eastern gopuras, note that the eastern facing entrances are flanked by both male dvarapalas and female Devatas.

The central, inner enclosure has entrances from four cruciform gopuras at each of the cardinal directions that lead via corridors to the central shrine. While several of the ancillary towers have yoni receptacles for linga statues, within the central shrine is a yoni that once housed an octagonal based lingha, which represented the Hindu Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva.

Several passages within the interior of the temple are partially or completely collapsed, and the maze of interconnecting corridors and clearings that including massive piles of stones both plain and covered in bas-relief, scattered in disarray and partially reconstructed on the ground, makes the temple an enjoyable one to explore.

Those who wish to take photographs will find that the best time to visit Ta Som is in the afternoon. Although this pretty temple is not worth traveling to in and of itself, those who are in the area will want to stop here and take the time to explore a while.