Admiring her beauty

The 12th century prasat of Ta Prohm at Tonle Bati, 30kms south of Phnom Penh has quite a few unusual carvings that you rarely find anywhere else amongst the thousands of Angkorean temples that once flourished throughout the kingdom. Take the devata - heavenly goddess - above, in a niche of the main sanctuary. There's a faint trace of red lipstick on her full smiling lips but its the mirror that she's holding in her right hand, to admire her face which is adorned with a jewel in her forehead that is so unusual. Her head-dress is extravagant and her demeanour is of a refined elegance. Each of the devatas of Ta Prohm is unique.