Lintels from Ek Phnom

This lintel, inside the central sanctuaryat Ek Phnom, depicts the Churning of the Sea of Milk with Vishnu holding onto the pole. Some of the devas and asuras have been badly defaced

Last weekend we arrived at Ek Phnom just as a thunderstorm broke overhead, drenching us and the temple in a cloudburst accompanied by ear-splitting thunder and bolts of lightning that sent my Khmer colleagues cowering into the corners of the temple's inner sanctum. In fact we spent the majority of our 45-minute stop at the site sheltering from the downpour. Its 13kms from Battambang and is usually a nice peaceful place to visit, unless like us, you get caught in a spot of bad weather which sent the vendors running for cover, but strangely didn't stop the tourist policeman collecting my $2 foreigner entrance fee. The photos here show some of the main lintels to be found at the 11th century site alongwith suitable descriptions.

This pediment directly above the Sea of Milk lintel shows Sita (left) receiving the visit of Hanuman who is bearing Rama's ring and an offer of passage to safety

This lintel from the central tower shows Krishna with one arm raised lifting Mount Govardhana and fighting a snake, whilst standing on a kala eating a small elephant

This lintel shows Shiva and his consort Uma riding the bull Nandin on top of the ever-present kala - another of the popular depictions on lintels to be found in Cambodia

Above: This lintel depicts Krishna fighting two rearing horses above the north door, whilst standing on kala

The lintel above the east access to the central tower shows a common scene of Indra on the three-headed Airavata elephant, atop a fearsome kala