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Angkor Wat The largest religious structure in the World, a Hindu temple revered by Buddhists!
| Date post: | 15-Jul-2015 |
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Travel |
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Angkor WatThe largest religious structure in the World, a Hindu temple revered by Buddhists!
Angkor Wat, is a Hindu temple in Cambodia
that spreads over 400 hectares, and rises up to
700 feet,
in height; its incredibly huge scale makes it the
world's largest religious structure.
Picture Credits: http://www.pragueangkor.com/
A UNESCO world heritage site,
interestingly, it is sacred to both,
Hindus and Theravada Buddhists alike...
surprising?
Read on to know HOW and WHY?
Established by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu
temple, Angkor Wat, after him,
underwent a series of metamorphosis—changes
that impacted the architecture as much
as the spiritual character of the temple.
Shiva, Vishnu, Devas & Asuras, Avalokiteswara,
Theravada Buddhism, all come together here,
inextricably and organically, to give this temple
its rare religious character, that has no parallel
elsewhere.
Picture Credits: vivevivir.files.wordpress.com
The seamless intertwining that took
place for centuries, between Hinduism and
Buddhism, spiritually and architecturally, make
this temple sacred to both Hindus and
Theravada Buddhists. More earthly reasons for
the temple's fame -- The engineering marvel
that Angkor Wat is...
Picture Credits: travelingCanucks.com
The five towers of Angkor Wat represent the
five peaks of Mount Meru, the home of God
Vishnu,
and like many other elements within the whole
temple complex, are distinctly Hindu in
character.
Yet all over the complex there are also ample
examples of Khmer influence, making this
temple a very rare, and perhaps the only one of
its kind---a brilliant example of Kalinga-Khmer
architectural synthesis.
Picture Credits: http://indochinaleisure.com/
It is customary for Hindu temples to be built
facing the east, the auspicious direction for the
Hindus,
Angkor Wat, however breaks away from the
tradition and faces west, the direction of the
setting sun.
Picture Credits: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/
Have you seen the famous
Angkor Wat ground plan?
The ground plan of the Angkor complex mirrors
the stars in the constellation of Draco at the
time of the spring equinox in 10,500 BC.
It presents a striking aerial view and is a
beautiful layout that brings in every element of
the temple complex, into its clear geometrical
framework---
it is also one of the most readily and widely
recognized temple layouts in the world.
Picture Credits: http://bopha.files.wordpress.com/
The largest religious structure in the world,
Angkor Wat, was estimated to have taken about
300,000 million tonnes of sandstone and
laterite and over 35 years to be built.
Picture Credits: Wikipedia
The temple's appeal though, stems from more
than just this brick and mortar fact— it is an
awe inspiring religious edifice and a great
spiritual experience... and there is actually much
more to the temple, than what can be put
down in a presentation...
Picture Credits:
http://static8.therichestimages.com/
Planning a visit...?
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