Is Ta Prohm being restored to death?

Ta Prohm is the only temple that remains in many parts still overrun by the jungle that conquered all of the temples when the Angkorian civilisiation collapsed around 600 years ago. Ta Prohm is a perfect fusion of man made ruins with towering native trees.

And over the decades, there seemed to be a consensus that Ta Prohm was best left that way.

Ta Prohm was the temple chosen as a location in Angelina Jolie's film Tombraider. Travellers have long loved its atmosphere and the sense of discovery that awaits visitors when it's not too congested.

So I got quite a surprise on my most recent visit to discover significant "restoration" work under way. In fact this was very much reconstruction work. Brand new balustrades are being added to the causeway and whole cloisters are being rebuilt in a decision that will only diminish the beauty and appeal of the place. Ta Prohm's beauty is very much in its ruined state and any work that does anything other than preserve its ruined state diminishes its beauty.

A great deal of work is required to keep Ta Prohm from collapsing altogether - and that should be the only work at Ta Prohm.

It's a bit like the Greeks deciding to clear away the Acropolis ruin to build a new one. The ruin itself is the treasure to be preserved.

It's hard to know what's driving these decisions. We can only hope it's not a sign of what lies ahead for the rest of Ta Prohm and other temples.