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Inside the west (main) entrance gate (gopura) in the outer wall of Angkor Wat is an eight-armed statue of Vishnu (known locally as Ta Reach, literally “Royal Ancestor”), the Hindu divinity to whom Angkor Wat was originally dedicated. Because Angkor Wat is now a Buddhist temple, this statue is relegated to the outer edge of the site but nevertheless attracts many worshippers. Some revere it as Neak Ta, an animistic deity of the local community.
[Note also that one of the most popular figures in Buddhism is the eight-armed Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva (“buddha-to-be”) of infinite compassion and mercy.]
King Suryavarman II, who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1113 CE until his death c. 1150 CE, built Angkor Wat as his state temple in the empire’s capital, Yaśodharapura (present-day Angkor). Construction began in 1122 CE and was left with some of the decoration unfinished upon his death. Although previous kings had dedicated their temples to Shiva, Suryavarman dedicated his to Vishnu.
Angkor Wat’s design is typical of Hindu temples. It is oriented to the four cardinal directions. The site layout is repeating squares, the perfect (divine) shape. The five spires symbolize Mount Meru, the sacred five-peaked mountain at the center of the universe in Hindu (and Buddhist and Jain) cosmology. The architectural style is a prime example of classical Khmer. The primary material is sandstone.
In 1177 CE and then again in 1178 CE the Chams, who collectively formed the Champa in southern Vietnam and were traditional enemies of the Khmer, attacked the Khmer Empire and killed the king. The empire was restored by King Jayavarman VII who led the army that ousted the invaders in 1178 CE before becoming king in 1181 CE and ruling until his death in 1218 CE at around 95 years of age. His wife was a devout Mahayana Buddhist who convinced him to convert. He dedicated his new capital (Angkor Thom) and state temple (the Bayon) to Buddhism. Angkor Wat also transitioned to Buddhism as it remains today. [‘Wat’ is a Buddhist temple complex.]
Angkor Wat has undergone extensive restoration and conservation starting with the French in 1908 but especially beginning in the 1960s continuing to the present with multi-national involvement. Guinness World Records recognizes it as the largest religious structure in the world at 162.6 hectares/402 acres.
Angkor was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
On Google Earth:
Angkor Wat west entrance gate 13°24'45.12"N, 103°51'42.62"E
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Burns Supper at the Rainy Hall. Copyright © 2015 Yao Hui. All rights reserved. This photograph should not be used without permission from Yao Hui.
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Divinity Convocation and Building Dedication - Benton Chapel and New Building - on web and in promotional materials for recruitment. web and in promotional materials for recruitment. (Joe Howell/Vanderbilt University)