There's more from Phimai

The central prang, or tower and mandapa at Prasat Phimai

More from Prasat Phimai in Isaan. There were few people at Phimai during the time of my visit, so I was able to appreciate the temple in its peaceful and well-appointed surroundings. Outside the walls of the temple lies the city of Phimai and closeby is the Phimai museum. These are just a small selection of my photographs. For starters, you can see other pictures here, here, here and here.

A defaced lintel on the west face that in its original form showed the building of the causeway to Lanka with monkeys carrying stones and other characters

A lintel from the east side of the mandapa at Prasat Phimai showing Rama crossing the river Gunga

A lintel and pediment combination from the central mandapa at Prasat Phimai. The pediment shows Shiva receiving tributes from the gods.

Rama has been captured by the coils of a snake and his monkey followers below are suitably distressed by his predicament

A series of cross-legged wise men or rishis in the top level, with hamsas underneath

The central tower, or prang, in the main sanctuary of the prasat

A weathered lintel above the south-east gallery of enclosure 1 showing a 10-armed Trailokyavijaya and followers

An inner lintel with a seated Buddha surrounded by worshippers and hamsas underneath

An unfinished lintel in the surrounding gallery, giving you some idea of how these wonderful pieces were carved