Vat Phu-Champasak-Laos

Principal complex of Vat Phu

Coming easterly from the plain one first meets two large barays, artificial lakes of religious and practical use (they represent the ocean surrounding the earth and also serve as a reservoir). Next there is a terrace built of sandstone blocks.

From here, a central pathway lined with roofed galleries (now in ruins) leads to the first staircase. On the left, one can see the remains of a small building (middle of C.XI) said to be dedicated to Nandin, the sacred bull and Shiva's stead. Here an ancient elevated road leads to the small temple of Nang Sida, then to Ban That (3 Khmer chapels, 30 km south), and extends as far as Angkor.

The terraces

The first staircase leads to an elongated terrace supported by tiers. At the end is the second staircase, where two small buildings (C.XIII, now collapsed) stood, each contained a Dvarapala (door-keeper). The northern one is still standing. He holds a mace in one hand and puts the other on his heart to show respect. Local history identifies him as the legendary king Kammatha, to whom the construction of Vat Phu is ascribed. From the top of the second staircase a gently sloping pathway, made of sandstone slabs, leads to a third. This staircase gives access to the penultimate terrace which supports six ruined brick towers (beginning C.XI). They contained Shiva's representations in the shape of a Linga.

Finally, an imposing architectural mass of sandstone blocks constructed in seven tiers (it is climbed by a central staircase of seven flights each of eleven steps) supports the upper terrace, on which the main sanctuary is built (middle C.XI, Baphuon style). As in all Khmer sanctuaries, it is flanked on the southern side by a small edifice traditionally called the "library", though it certainly never contained books. It is bordered on the west by a large stepped portico, partly seated on the bedrock, and pierced with two doors which give access to the sacred spring area. Carved in the rock supporting the portico, behind the sanctuary, is a low relief representing the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity : Shiva, principal god of the sanctuary, in the centre, Brahma on the right, Vishnu on the left.

the sanctuary

The sanctuary is composed of a front part (hypostyle room) of sandstone, with three doors (south, east, and north), and a back part in brick, the cella (the sanctuary itself), which sheltered the Linga. Which was, at least during a certain period, permanently dowsed with water conveyed from the sacred spring. The water entered through an orifice pierced in the western wall and was channelled away through an outlet of stone (somasutra) in the northern wall. Though the watering of the Linga and the somasutra are regular features of the Khmer Hindu religion, the permanent watering is unique and gives Vat Phu its exceptional character.
There are Dvarapala (door keepers) and Devata or Apsaras (minor female divinities) carved on the exterior of the sandstone walls (front part).
The doors are surmounted with carved frontons and lintels. Krishna (an avatar of Vishnu) is the main character but Indra, Vishnu, ascetic Shiva, and scenes from the Ramayana  can also be seen.

The sacred spring

Behind the stepped portico is a closed precinct limited on the south by a wall, on the north by a chaos of rocks, and on the west by the foot of the cliff (where the sacred springs drip from the ceiling of the rock shelter). Recent excavations (P.R.A.L. 1991 - 1993) revealed several successive and innovative architectural adaptations of this area (the excavation trenches have been refilled for protection). This closed precinct was totally occupied by architectural structures related to the  management of the spring, water collecting, and supplying of the sanctuary.
Such a water complex, unknown in any other Khmer sanctuary, gives Vat Phu its uniqueness.A small temple built in sandstone and bricks (C.XI), wedged below the cliff, would sanctify the water from the southern spring and would probably have contained a Linga. Behind this temple, under the cliff, small bronze Khmer statues of Vishnu and a female divinity, and some much later Buddha representations were found. The water from the northern spring was collected in green sandstone and brick basins under the cliff and conveyed (at least during the last architectural stage) to the sanctuary through a green sandstone waterduct supported on small columns. The water conduit led down the slope on the right side of a monumental roofed and stepped sandstone gallery, past the southern door of the portico through an orifice pierced in the door jamb, to reach the terrace where it turned north to arrive at the back of the main sanctuary, in front of the inlet to the cella and the Linga. Many pedestals found around the spring suggest the presence of statues (probably effigies of Shiva or Linga). Many carved stones of pre-Angkorian style were found, reused in the area of the water complex, providing evidence for the ancient establishment of the area.

To the North

North of the sanctuary are some modern Buddhist buildings (in the course of removal).

Further on, in a chaos of rocks, one can see carved blocks (elephant, crocodile, staircase framed with two snakes) dating from after the C.XIII.

The story of human sacrifice being performed on the crocodile is far from being proved.