Travel tale: Egypt – Abu Simbel (RO/EN)

Templele lui Ramses al-II-lea si ale lui Nefertari, sotia sa

Egipt, tara pe care am visat de mult sa o vizitez, deoarece sunt atrasa de cultura si istoria ei. Odata ajunsa acolo, pentru o vacanta de 10 zile, am hotarat impreuna cu prietena mea sa vizitam, pe langa templele si alte puncte turistice din Egipt, prevazute in circuitul turistic, si Templele de la Abu Simbel. Insa, dorinta noastra de a vedea aceste locuri era insa atat mare, incat nu conta absolut deloc faptul ca vom plati in plus pentru aceasta vizita mult asteptata. Stiam ca Templele de la Abu Simbel au fost mutate bucata cu bucata din locul unde au fost construite initial, pe un deal artificial, deoarece integritatea acestora ar fi fost amenintata de cresterea nivelului apelor Nilului, in urma constructiei barajului de la Assuan, in anii '60. 

Astfel, printr-un model de cooperare internationala a UNESCO, siturile arheologice au fost cercetate, dezmembrate si reasamblate in acelasi mod, dar cu 200 de metri mai sus, in spatele locatiei originale, locatie acoperita de apele lacului Nasser. Cum spuneam, nu ar fi putut sa ne mai opreasca nimic, exceptand faptul ca, pentru a putea organiza excursia, era necesar sa se constituie un grup de cel putin 5-6 persoane. Cum ne-a comunicat ghidul acest lucru, am si inceput sa cautam doritori in tot grupul de romani, sperand sa avem argumente suficient de convingatoare, pentru a strange numarul minim necesar acestei deplasari. Ce iluzie!!!! Cum am putut sa ne gandim ca templele cu statui monumentale, pe care UNESCO se chinuise sa le mute cu pretul multor milioane de dolari, ar fi putut sa-i convinga????!!!! Am primit doar raspunsuri de genul “prefer sa stau la plaja pe vapor” sau “prefer sa merg la shopping”! Nici macar o persoana nu se aratase interesata! Data fiind situatia, ne cam resemnaseram cu gandul ca nu vom avea parte sa vedem acele temple minunate construite pe vremea faraonului Ramses al-II-lea, in sec al XIII lea i.e.n si, dezamagite, am mers la ghid sa ii spunem ca nu mai doreste nimeni din grupul nostru sa mearga si ca din pacate nu vom putea vizita una din locatiile pe care doream atat de mult sa le vedem. Vazand dezamagirea pe chipurile noastre, ghidul ne-a intrebat daca nu am dori sa mergem cu un grup de unguri, care erau si ei cu noi pe vapor. In acele momente a aparut fericirea pe chipurile noastre si amandoua in acelasi glas am raspuns ca da. Am platit excursia, urmand ca a doua zi dis-de-dimineata (adica in jurul orelor 3-4) sa pornim la drum, deoarece aveam de mers vreo 5-6 ore cu autocarul. Dimineata cu ochii injectati de prea putin somn, dar nespus de fericite, ne-am indreptat spre autocar pentru marea aventura. Cum era si de asteptat, nici nu ne-am urcat bine in autocar, ca ne-am “parcat” si am adormit. Pe la jumatea drumului am facut ochi, ca si trei sferturi din oamenii din autocar, si am inceput sa ne imaginam cum o sa fie cand ajungem la destinatia mult asteptata. Timpul a trecut parca foarte repede, deoarece emotiile si dorinta erau foarte mari. In sfarsit, a sosit si momentul cand ghidul ne-a spus ca am ajuns si ca avem 3 ore la dispozitie sa vizitam templele si zona minunata in care acestea erau amplasate. Insa, spre surprinderea noastra, cand am coborat din autocar, am vazut doar un deal…?!?!?....si ne intrebam…helloooo…. Unde sunt templele? Ca sa aflam ulterior ca trebuia sa ocolim putin dealul si… pe partea cealalta….iate-le! In toata splendoarea si grandoarea lor acele temple minunate.

Am trait o senzatie extraordinara in momentul in care am dat cu ochii de acele monumente colosale! Aveam senzatia ca visez si de asemena aveam senzatia ca parca am mai fost acolo, iar acum imi reveneau in minte imagini din trecut: caldura insuportabila a desertului, nisipul care invada totul, zgomotul facut de uneltele pietrarilor, sudoarea, efortul, munca titanica. Nu pot descrie in cuvinte ce am simtit, atat eu cat si prietena mea, in acele momente. Era ca o intoarcere intr-o epoca de aur a umanitatii, in care oameni exceptionali cladeau in mijlocul desertului monumente milenare.

Nu stiam ce sa vizitam mai intai, ce sa imortalizam mai intai cu aparatele foto. Am decis sa incepem vizita cu Marele Templu. Marele Templu este considerat cel mai frumos templu ridicat de faraonul Ramses al-II-lea. Fatada templului are 33 m inaltime si 38 m latime, fiind pazit de patru statui ale lui Rameses al-II-lea. Toate statuile il reprezinta pe faraon stand pe tron si purtand coroana dubla – simbol al Egiptului de Sus si de Jos. Tot pe fatada, sus, este sculptat un sir de babuini, zambind rasaritului. Deasupra intrarii, este inscriptionat numele regelui - Ser-Ma'at-Ra, iar intre picioarele giganticelor statui, se gasesc mai multe sculpturi mai mici ale familiei lui Ramses al-II-lea: mama sa, Mut-tuy, sotia sa, Nefertari, precum si fii si fiicele lui. Pe peretii templului, este descrisa batalia de la Kadesh, purtata de Ramses cu hititii. Este un templu unic si datorita modului in care Soarele lumineaza interiorul templului. Se crede ca axa templului a fost pozitionata de vechii arhitecti egipteni in asa fel incat la data de 22 octombrie, ziua incoronarii sale, si 21 februarie, ziua regelui, razele soarelui sa penetreze sanctuarul si sa lumineze sculpturile de pe peretele din spate, cu exceptia statuii lui Ptah, zeul ce avea legatura cu Intunericul/ Lumea de dincolo, si care intotdeauna a ramas in intuneric. 

Dupa ce am vizitat tot ce era de vizitat si am admirat tot ce era de admirat la Marele Templu, ne-am indreptat pasii si privirile asupra Micului Templu. Micul Templu este situat mai la nord fata de Templul Mare, fiind dedicat de Ramses al-II-lea, zeitei Hathor, zeita frumusetii si dragostei, si prin aceasta, frumoasei sale sotii, Nefertari. In bogata si indelungata istorie a Egiptului Antic, se intampla pentru a doua oara ca un faraon sa dedice un templu reginei sale! Prima oara, faraonul Akhenaton, tatal lui Tuthankamon, a dedicat un templu reginei sale, Nefertiti. Fatada este strajuita de sase statui, patru ale lui Rameses al-II-lea si doua ale lui Nefertari. Interesant este faptul ca cele sase statui sunt egale ca inaltime, lucru neobisnuit pentru Egipt si semn al respectului pentru Nefertari. 

Ca si la Marele Templu, am poposit si la Micul Templu suficient timp cat sa vedem tot ce era de vazut si de admirat. Bineinteles ca aparatele foto erau schimbate de la una la alta, uneori si pe la alti turisti pe care ii opream si pe care ii rugam sa ne ajute sa imortalizam acele clipe de vis. Nici nu ne daduseram seama cand trecusera cele 3 ore pe care le avusesem la dispozitie! Cu o ultima privire, ne-am indreptat catre autocar, ca sa plecam spre vaporul ancorat, care ne astepta pe Nil, pentru a ne continua circuitul turistic prin lumea de vis a monumentelor, templelor si situ-urilor din Egiptului Antic.

- ENGLISH VERSION - 

Egypt, the land that I’ve always dreamed to visit, because I’m very attracted by its culture and history. Once there, for a 10 days holiday, together with my friend I have decided to visit, besides the temples and other touristic sights in Egypt, provided in the package tour, also the temples of Abu Simbel. But our desire to see these sights, however, was so ardent that it did not matter at all that we had to pay more for this long-awaited visit. We knew that the temples from Abu Simbel were moved piece by piece on an artificial hill from where they were originally built, because their integrity would have been threatened by rising level of the Nile waters, after the construction of the Aswan Dam, in years' 60. So, through a model of international cooperation of UNESCO, the archaeological sites have been investigated, dismantled and reassembled in the same way, but with 200 meters above, behind the original location, which is now covered by the waters of Lake Nasser. Like I said, nothing could stop us, except that it was necessary to set up at least a 5-6 persons group, in order to organize the trip. As soon as this tourist guide announced us this condition, we began to look for other willing persons from the Romanian group, hoping to have enough strong arguments to raise the minimum required number for such trip. What an illusion!!!! Or should I say disillusion!!! How could we think that temples with monumental statues, which UNESCO was struggling to move them at the cost of several million dollars, would convinced them???? !!!! We just got answers like "I prefer to stay and to get a tan on the boat" or "I prefer to go shopping!" Not one single person seemed to be interested! Given the situation, we kinda had resigned ourselves thinking that after all we will not see those wonderful temples, built during the pharaoh Ramses-II in the XIII century BC. And disappointed, we went to the guide to tell him that not one of our group wanted to go and that unfortunately we cannot go visit one of the sights that we wanted so much to see. Seeing the disappointment on our faces, the guide asked us if we would like to go with a group of Hungarians, who were traveling also on the same boat. Instantly, the happiness appeared on our faces and both of us, like one voice, said yes. We paid for the trip, following the next day, early in the morning (i.e. at around 3-4 A.M.) to hit the road as the trip should last around 5-6 hours by bus. Thus, early in the morning, with red eyes from too little sleep, but really excited, we went to the bus for the great adventure. As it was expected, the moment we got on the bus, we "parked" ourselves and fell asleep. At halfway, we woke up as three quarters of the other travelers, and we began to imagine what it will be when we will get to the expected destination. The time passed very quickly though, because the anticipation and desire to get there were very high. Finally, the moment arrived when the guide told us that we arrived and that we have 3 hours to visit the temples and beautiful area in which they were located. But to our great surprise, when we got off the bus, we saw only a hill ...?!?!? .... and we wondering ... helloooo!!! .... Where are the temples? Just to find out later that we had to go around the hill a little and on the other side ... ... .here they were! In all their splendor and grandeur - those beautiful temples.

We have experienced a great feeling when we laid our eyes on those colossal monuments! I really had the feeling that I was dreaming but also the feeling as if I had been there before, and now images of the past were coming back to mind: the unbearable heat of the desert, the all invading sand, the noise made by masons tools, the sweat, the effort, the titanic work. I cannot describe in words this feeling, both me and my friend in those moments. It was like a return to a golden age of humanity, where exceptional people were building, in the middle of the desert, millennial monuments.

In our enthusiasm, we did not know what to visit first, what to capture first with our cameras. We decided to start the visit with the Great Temple. The Great Temple is considered the most beautiful temple of pharaoh Ramesses II. The facade of the temple is 33 m high and 38 m wide, and is guarded by four statues of Ramesses II. All the statues represent the pharaoh sitting on the throne and wearing the double crown - a symbol of Upper and Lower Egypt. Also on the front side, on the top, there is carved a row of baboons, smiling to the sunrise. Above the entrance there is inscribed the name of the King - Ser-Ma'at-Ra and between the legs of the gigantic statues, there are many smaller sculptures of Ramesses’s II family: his mother, Mut-Tuy, his wife, Nefertari, and also his sons and daughters. On the walls of the temple it is described the Battle of Kadesh, that Ramesses II took against the Hittites. This temple is unique because of the way the sun shines in the interior. It is believed that the axis of the temple was positioned by the ancient architects Egyptians so that on the 22nd of October, the day of his coronation, and the 21st of February, the birthday of the king, the sunlight to penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the sculpture on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god related to the darkness/underworld, and who always remained in the dark. After we visited everything that was there to be visited and admired all that was there to be admired at the Great Temple, our steps and eyes headed us to the Small temple. The Small Temple is located further to the north of the Great Temple and is dedicated by Ramesses II to the goddess Hathor, the goddess of beauty and love, and thus, to his beautiful wife, Nefertari. During the long and rich history of Ancient Egypt, it happened for the second time as a pharaoh to dedicate a temple to his queen! The first time, the pharaoh Akhenaten, father of Tuthankamon, dedicated a temple to his queen, Nefertiti. The facade is surrounded by six statues, four of Ramesses II and two of Nefertari. Interestingly, the six statues are equal in height, an unusual thing for Egypt and a sign of great respect for Nefertari. As at the Great Temple, we stopped also at the Small Temple long enough to see everything there was to see and admire. Of course, the cameras were switched from one to another, sometimes at other tourists who we stopped and asked to help us capture those dream moments. We did not even realize when the 3 available hours passed by!!! With a last look back to these miracles of the art and architecture, we went to the bus, to return to the boat anchored on the Nile, in order to continue our touristic tour through the dream world of monuments, temples and sites of the Ancient Egypt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Simbel_temples