Apsara Model Defies Heat for Tourists
Mao Chanchakriya poses for photo with foreign tourists at Angkor Wat. Photo: Zul Rorvy
- By Zul Rorvy
- April 5, 2024 9:50 AM
SIEM REAP – Under the scorching sun, Mao Chanchakriya still managed to smile and pose for tourists visiting Angkor Wat despite hours wearing a heavy Apsara costume.
Chakriya was wearing the costume for a photo shoot inside the temple but she became an instant attraction, especially for foreigners who asked for a photo.
She said she was happy to endure the heat so that foreign tourists could take a photo with her.
“I was there to take photos to promote the temple. But when tourists asked for a photo, I didn’t deny them and stood there,” she said.
“I wanted them to know Apsara and the beauty.”
She said that it was not often that someone wore an Apsara costume at Angkor Wat, so she wanted to promote the culture and to allow others to understand this valuable treasure.
It was the first time she had worn the suit and spent two hours in it. The costume had been sewn without zippers by a professional in the province.
Chakriya said the crown was heavy and other decorative items were made of metal which affected her skin.
She said people taking photos admired the costume and many told her that she looked so beautiful.
“Some tourist said this is my first time seeing Apsara,” she said.
Apsara is a revered figure in Khmer culture and the term could be roughly translated as heavenly woman. The Apsara can be found at temples in Angkor Archaeological Park which was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1992.
The Apsara dance, formally known as Royal Ballet of Cambodia, was listed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2003. The dance is well known for its delicate hand movements and exquisite costumes and has been linked to the Khmer monarchy for centuries.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Torn Chanritheara for Cambodianess.
