The renovation of the West Gate of Angkor Thom, known as Ta Kav Gate, began in December 2019 and has now been completed. The icing on the cake will be the rehabilitation of the Deva gods and Asura demons that line the outer causeway as you approach the city of Angkor Thom. The conservation team have done a fantastic job with the main gate, whilst digging deep in the moat and surrounding area to recover heads and bodies of the 108 statues that once stood proud when the building teams of King Jayavarman VII originally constructed the five entrances to the city in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. When I visited the West Gate in March, only a handful of Devas and Asuras had been re-positioned, with many more to come. You can see on my pictures that the white-grey stone is new sandstone that has been added in place of missing pieces, while the original heads and upper bodies and arms have been cleaned and look almost new. As for the Gate itself, the renovation of the four massive faces, the towers above those faces and the four gorgeous three-headed elephants that stand beside the doorway, has been a great success. The elephants, known as Airavata, with their massive trunks reaching down and pulling up lotus flowers from the water below, signified by boats and sea creatures, are mounted by the rain-god Indra and two praying female divinities, where they still exist. Above them are a row of larger devata in prayer as well as hooded Nagas, also damaged over the centuries. The identity of the semi-smiling faces that give the five gates of the ancient capital their air of mystery is still up for debate, as to whether it’s the image of the king responsible for their construction or the Lord of compassion, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or even Brahma. Identifying the non-committal smile and conical chignon of the Deva gods or the bulging grimace of the menacing Asura demons with their flame-topped headdress is much easier, though managing to find all 108 (54 on each side) of the heads is definitely a tall order for the conservation team. I’m convinced many of them have been removed from the causeway and may be found in museums and private collections overseas. The renovation work continues, though a newly-sealed road now allows easier access through the West Gate for locals and tourists alike.