ANGKOR WAT

Angkor Wat is the largest and the most impressive of the monuments of Angkor . It is also the best preserved and never fails to reward repeat visitors with previously unnoticed details. Most
probably it was constructed as a funerary temple for Suryavarman II (ruled 1112-52) to honor Vishnu, the Hindu deity who the king identified with.

There is much about Angkor Wat that is unique among the temples of Angkor. The most significant point is its westward orientation. West is symbolically the direction of death, which once led many scholars to conclude that Angkor Wat was primarily a tomb. This was supported by the fact that the magnificent bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat were designed to be viewed in an anticlockwise direction, a practice which has
antecedents in Hindu funerary rites. Vishnu, however, is often associated with the west, and it is commonly accepted nowadays that Angkor Wat was probably both a temple and a mausoleum for

Symbolism of Angkor Wat
Architectural Layout
Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs
Battle of Kurukshetra
Army of Suryavarman II
Heaven & Hell
Churning of the Ocean of Milk
Elephant Gate
Vishnu Conquers the Demons
Krishna & the Demon King
Battle of the Gods & the Demons
Battle of Lanka