Hindus Across the Oceans · Cambodia

Angkor Wat — The Vishnu Temple of the Khmer Kings अंगकोर वाट

Early 12th century Siem Reap, Cambodia UNESCO World Heritage

Angkor Wat, near Siem Reap in Cambodia, is the largest religious monument in the world. It was built in the first half of the twelfth century by the Khmer king Suryavarman II as a temple to Vishnu, and its galleries are carved with scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas.

History

  1. 9th centuryThe Khmer empire rises; its kings adopt Hindu and Buddhist culture and Sanskrit inscriptions.
  2. c. 1113–1150Suryavarman II builds Angkor Wat, dedicated to Vishnu.
  3. Late 12th centuryJayavarman VII makes Mahayana Buddhism prominent; Angkor Thom is built nearby.
  4. 14th–16th centuriesAngkor Wat becomes a Theravada Buddhist shrine, as it remains.
  5. 1992Angkor is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hindu life today

Angkor Wat faces west, unusually, which some scholars link to Vishnu or to a funerary purpose. Its most famous relief, nearly 50 metres long, shows the Churning of the Ocean of Milk (samudra manthan), with gods and asuras pulling the serpent Vasuki around Mount Mandara.

Today it is a Buddhist shrine and Cambodia's national symbol — it appears on the national flag — and it draws millions of visitors, including many Hindu pilgrims from India. Indian archaeologists took part in its restoration from the 1980s.

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Frequently asked questions

Who built Angkor Wat?

The Khmer king Suryavarman II, in the first half of the 12th century.

To which god was Angkor Wat dedicated?

To Vishnu; it later became a Buddhist shrine.

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Sources & copyright status

  • UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Angkor
  • Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
  • Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.

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