Goddess and Spirit Iconic Photographs of Bakong Temple in Roluos Group , Siem Reap of Cambodia

 One of the iconic photographs form the Angkor Temple in the 1960s was the headless Bakong Triad of Ruluos, Known as Umagangapatisvara- the god Shiva with his two consorts, Uma and Ganga. It appeared in every photo-book at the time before it was removed for safekeeping in January 1970s to the Angkor conservation depot in Siem Reap, where it remains today. Sculpted in the style of the second-half of the ninth century, excavation and reconstruction work in 1939 discovered the trio on the east cause way Prasat Bakong, the state temple of King Indravarman l and the first major mountain-temple built in Angkor. The Umagangapatisvara triad are even mentioned in the temple's foundation stele. Despite that, some scholars have suggested the trio represents the King and his two wives, or the god Vishnu and his consorts, Lakshmi and Bhumidevi, though the stele's insistence that 'Umagangapatisvara, having the small of his back caressed by the reaching arms of Uma and of Ganga's seems to give special credence to the original identification. Here are a series of archive picture of the trio.

#credited to Andy Brouwer

The goddess of Rahu on the lintel of western brick temple depicted to the Goddess power 'Khmer Art at Bakong Temple in Roluos Group in Siem Reap Cambodia. It was built in late 9th century. Photo: Nuon My Cambodia 2024.

Photo of Prasat Bakong Temple with viewing of main tower and brick temples. Photo Nuon My Cambodia 2024.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: George Holton.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: Ancient Cambodia by Mazzeo and Antonini 1970.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: Ancient Cambodia by Mazzeo and Antonini 1970.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: Angkor by Malcolm MacDonald and Loke Wan Tho, 1959.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: EFEO, February 1962 in-situ.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: EFEO, March 1939 in-situ.

Umagangapatisvara - Shiva with his consorts, Uma and Ganga, at Prasat Bakong, the state temple at Roluos, late 9th century, sandstone, H 130 cm. Now at Angkor Conservation Depot in Siem Reap. Photo: EFEO, March 1939 in-situ.

Bakong Temple in Roluos Group - State Temple in late 9th Century. Photo: Nuon My Cambodia 2024.

Bakong Temple in Roluos Group - State Temple in late 9th Century. Photo: Nuon My Cambodia 2024.