Angkor Wat is located in Cambodia and is the largest religious monument, built in the first
half of the 12th century by King Suryavarman and was originally a Hindu temple dedicated
to Lord Vishnu, Preserver of the Universe. Hindu temples are built as a dwelling place
for the Gods, so Angkor Wat’s architecture mirrors Mount Meru. The five central towers
represent the peaks of Mount Meru while the moat represents the surrounding ocean and
the world beyond. After being invaded in 1177, King Jayavarman decided that the Hindu Gods
had failed him and built another temple near Angkor Wat dedicated to Buddhism. Soon after,
Angkor Wat became a Buddhist shrine, and the Hindu art was accompanied with Buddhist art.
So, let’s take a look at the Angkor Wat’s cultural and historical significance.
Built during the Angkor period of the Khmer Empire between 1110 to 1150, the Angkor Watt
represents Khmer architecture, also referred to as Angkorian architecture. Khmer architecture
was largely inspired by religious Indian temples and sculptures. When Angkor Wat operated as
a Hindu shrine, bas-reliefs and sculptures of Indian mythological scenes were formed
into the walls, columns, and friezes. The reliefs illustrate a variety of animals, lotuses,
and garlands with extra attention given to the headdresses, hair, garments, postures,
and jewelry on the Devatas and human figures. The southern gallery holds a representation
of the 27 heavens and 32 hells of Hindu mythology, and the eastern gallery houses an infamous
frieze featuring Vishnu showing 88 Devas and 92 Asuras, called ‘Churning of the Sea of Milk’.
Many of the musical ensembles, like the pin peat, carved on Angkor Wat thousands of years
ago are nearly identical to the ensembles that still exist today, indicating the continuity
and strength of music in Cambodian culture. Angkor Wat is a breathtaking temple filled
with the rich art and musical history of Ancient Cambodia, the Khmer Civilization, and Dharmic
religions.
It reads like a book itself, visually representing the morals found in the tales of Vishnu and
of his other forms as Krishna, Brahma, and Shiva. Texts like the Bhagavad-Gita are illustrated
to reference Lord Vishnu’s kindness towards humans. Popular tales such as the ‘Battle
of Kurukshetra’ from the Bhagavad-Gita and the ‘Battle of Lanka’ from the notorious
Ramayana are also displayed on the structure.
Angkor Wat used architectural principles to meet the needs of environmental and social
factors. An axial and concentric composition was used instead of traditional compositions
to unify the building elevation. Additionally, grinding the stone block edges together helped
create seamless connections. The environment and weather conditions were also considered
in the design; for example, the moat accommodated the rainy season by maintaining a constant
level of water and preventing change in land height. Also, the use of canal roof tiles
on the curved roofs allowed rainwater to run off the building, like modern-day gutters
preventing leaks into the interior. The primary building materials during the Angkor Period
included brick, sandstone, laterite, and wood. Laterite was used in the foundation, base
layers, and outer wall of Angkor Wat because it absorbs water well, promoting stability.
The intricate form coupled with the imposing height of Angkor Wat draws the eye upwards
to read the great stories of the Gods, myths, and history carved in stone across the walls
and up the columns of Angkor Wat. The extremely steep stairs symbolize the difficulty and
exclusivity of ascending to the kingdom of the Gods.
Angkor Wat borrows the Gopura, a monumental tower often built at the entrances of South
Indian temples; each of the Angkor Wat galleries has a Gopura at its entrance. However, the
pyramidal quincunx is a unique to Khmer architecture. The quincunx is a geometric pattern consisting
of five points, with four of the points forming a quadrilateral and the fifth at the center.
Its representation of Mount Meru blends Hindu cosmology and Indian influence in Khmer architecture
and Cambodian culture.
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