Tourists go for real-life 'Temple Run' in Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, experts express concern

A new trend of real-life running in Cambodia’s historic Angkor Wat and other temples has gone viral, inspired by the popular video game 'Temple Run'. This has left conservationists concerned about the place.

Conservationistshave said that such running is denigrating the almost 900-year-old sculptures and also increasing the risk of irreparable damage.

People have been sharing their videos of running down narrow stone pathways, with sounds from theTemple Run video game overlapping the video, across TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms.

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Some of these videos have got more than two million views.

Conservationists not happy with people running in temples

Expressing concern over the growing trend, conservationist Simon Warrack said that the nearly millennia-old ruins at Angkor can face potential damage and added that this also portrays cultural and religious insensitivities.

“You wouldn’t run through St Peters in Rome or any Western church, so why is it OK to do it in Cambodia?” Warrack said, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

“It’s not just potential damage to the stones by people bumping into them and falling or knocking things over – which is real – but it’s also damage to the spiritual and cultural value of the temples," he added.

Warrack said he has discussed the issue with Cambodian counterparts and officials who look after the complex.

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“Angkor Wat is still deeply revered by the people. Every stone is considered to contain the spirits of the ancestors," he said.

Meanwhile, Cambodia country director of the World Monuments Fund Ginevra Boatto said, “While the trend has temporarily boosted online interest in Angkor, it’s essential to promote safe access, educational visitation, and respect for the local religious, spiritual and social significance of the sites.

She added that trends of the new visitors should be “carefully managed to prevent any negative impact."

Hans Leisen, who once headed a German government-funded conservation project, said, “It’s nonsense. If you’re running through the temple, you will not see the beauty of the carvings. And if you fall or stumble, you’ll touch a wall to stabilise yourself and endanger the fragile carvings.”

(With inputs from agencies)