The Vishnu temple of Angkor Vat itself is 4 times the size of Vatican City !!
Agar ye bhi India mai hota toh sab sanskriti ko dafn kr k idher bhi masjid khadi kar di gyi hoti🙏
Angkor Wat (in Khmer language temple of the capital) is a Khmer temple, located in the archaeological site of Angkor, Cambodia, near the city of Siem Reap. 'Angkor' is the dialectal form of the word 'nokor' which derives from the Sanskrit 'nagara' (capital), while 'wat' is the Khmer term for temple.
Angkor Wat temple
The temple was built by King Suryavarman II (1113-1150). The king ordered the gigantic construction to start from 4 sides at the same time, so that it was completed in less than 40 years. The most likely hypothesis is that it is a mausoleum, a place where the king could have been venerated after his death. In fact, the main entrance is located to the west, as in the funerary temples, and not to the east, as is customary for Hindu temples. The temple is in the shape of a rectangle, about 1.5 km long from west to east and 1.3 km from north to south; inside the moat that completely surrounds the perimeter wall there are three rectangular galleries, built one above the other. In the center of the temple there are five towers. Angkor Wat is made up of two main features of Cambodian architecture: the hill temple that stands inside a moat and symbolizes Meru (the mountain of the gods in the Hindu religion, and in fact the temple is consecrated to Vishnu), and the later gallery temples. It has become the symbol of Cambodia, appears on the national flag and is today the most visited place in the country by tourists. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the largest religious site in the world.
HISTORY
The first construction of the temple began in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (about 1113-1150), and it was dedicated to Vishnu. No inscriptions from the foundation period were found, so the original name is unknown today. It is located 5.5 km north of today's city of Siem Reap, and southeast of the former capital, which was in Baphuon. It seems that at the death of the king the works have stopped, and some bas-reliefs
Detail of a "Khmer smile"
have remained unfinished. In 1177 Angkor was sacked by the Cham, traditional enemies of the Khmer. The empire was re-founded by the new king, Jayavarman VII, who established the new capital and the state temple at Angkor Thom and Bayon respectively, a few kilometers to the north.
In the 14th or 15th century the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Angkor Wat differs from the other temples of Angkor because it has never been completely abandoned, and also the outer moat has protected it from the advance of the jungle. Until the sixteenth century the temple was known as 'Preah Pisnulok', from the name given to Suryavarman after his death; later the complex became known with its present name.
One of the first Western visitors to the temple was Antonio da Magdalena, a Portuguese monk who visited it in 1586. However, the temple only became popular in the West in the mid-nineteenth century, after Henri Mouhot (a French explorer) published his travel notes. . Mouhot, like other Western visitors, did not believe that the Khmer could have built the temple, and he wrongly dated it by judging that it was contemporary with the Romans. The true history of Angkor Wat was discovered only after long stylistic and epigraphic studies that were carried out with the arrangement and restoration of the sites of the entire Angkor area.
Angkor Wat required considerable restoration work during the twentieth century, most notably the removal of land and vegetation. The works were interrupted during the civil war in the 70s and 80s, and during this period the temple suffered, despite everything, little damage, if, however, the thefts are not to be considered.
The temple has become the symbol of Cambodia, and Cambodians are very proud of it. A representation of Angkor Wat has been placed in the flag of Cambodia since its inception (in 1863) and is the only building to appear on a national flag.
STYLE
Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture, from which the 'Angkor Wat style' got its name. During the twelfth century, Khmer architects acquired considerable skill in using sandstone (replacing it with bricks) as the main material for the construction of buildings. Angkor Wat was especially praised for the harmony of its design, which was compared to the architecture of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The architectural elements that characterize it include: ogival towers in the shape of lotus buds, semi-galleries and wide corridors, cruciform terraces that appear along the main axis of the temple. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks, while laterite was used for the outer wall and hidden structural parts. The binder used to join the blocks has not yet been identified, but natural resins or dry lime are thought to be. Other elements of the project have been lost due to theft and time, including the gilded stucco on the towers, some gilded figures in the bas-reliefs, and the wood paneling of the ceilings and doors. The typical decorative elements are bas-reliefs representing narrative scenes, the apsara (dancing nymphs) and floral motifs on the pediments.
THE SITE
Angkor Wat's site is a unique combination of the hill temple, that is, the standard project for the national temples of the Empire, and the subsequent plan of concentric galleries. The temple is the representation of Mount Meru, the house of the gods: the five central towers symbolize the five peaks of the mountain, while the walls and moat symbolize the mountains and the ocean that surrounds them. The highest areas were the most exclusive, and therefore the people belonging to not excessively high social classes were allowed only in the lowest level.
Unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west instead of east. This led many people to conclude that Suryavarman wanted to use it as a funeral temple. Other testimonies of this are provided by some bas -reliefs, which proceed in an anti -eral sense (called Prasavya in Hindi), that is, on the contrary, with respect to normal. During the Brahminic funeral, in fact, the rites proceed in reverse order. Another test that could support this thesis is a crate discovered in the central tower that could be a cinerary urn. However, some archeologists point out that many other Angkor temples do not have the typical east orientation, and suggest that Angkor Wat's orientation is due to its consecration to Vishnu, which is associated with the west.
The external courtyard
Centuries of abandonment have favored the advance
of the forest
The outermost wall, 1025 m long for 802 m width and 4.5 m high, is surrounded by a free soil band and a moat. At each cardinal point there are gopura (cross -plan inputs) of which the largest is the one in the west with three ruined towers. Under the southern tower there is a statue of Vishnu, which probably previously occupied the central part of the Sacrario. Among the towers run galleries that reach the two entrances on the sides of the Gopura, also called "elephants doors", because they are large enough to let one pass through. These galleries have square columns on the outside (west) and are closed by walls on the inside (east). The ceiling between the columns is decorated with lotus flowers,
The outermost wall contains an area of about 820,000 square meters, which originally, in addition to the real temple, was also occupied by the city and the royal palace north of the temple. These buildings, like all the common buildings of Angkor, were built in perishable and not in stone material, and this is why nothing remains today if the road pattern does not remain. Most of this area are now invaded by the forest. A 350 m paved avenue unites the western GoPura with the actual temple, with Naga in Balaustra and six groups of steps that on both sides lead to the city. On each side there is a library with an entrance for each cardinal point, with the third group of stairs from the entrance, and a pond between the library and the temple itself.
The central structure
The real temple rises on a raised terrace above the city level. It is essentially composed of three galleries that are dedicated respectively to the king, to Brahma and the Moon, and Vishnu. Each gallery has a GoPura at each cardinal point, and the two internal galleries have towers at the corners, and form a quincunx (which symbolizes the 5 peaks of Mount Meru) with the central tower. Since the temple is oriented towards the west, the whole whole is moved back to the east, leaving more free space in every courtyard or gallery on the western side; For the same reason in the west, the steps are less steep than on the other side. The outermost gallery measures 187 for 215 m, with the pavilions corners instead of the towers. The gallery is open to the outside of the temple, With semi-galleries with columns that stretch and reinforce the structure. The internal walls contain a series of bas -reliefs with large -scale scenes, mainly from Ramayana and Mahābhārata. Starting from the north-west corner, the most western gallery shows the battle of Lanka (taken from Ramayana, where Rama defeats Ravana) and the battle of Kurukshetra (taken from Mahābhārata, which shows the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava clans and Pandava). Then follow historical scenes in the southernmost gallery, a procession in honor of Suryavarman II, and then the 32 hells and the 37 paradises of Hindu mythology. North-west corner counterclockwise, the westernmost gallery shows the battle of Lanka (taken from Ramayana, where Rama defeats Ravana) and the battle of Kurukshetra (taken from Mahābhārata, which shows the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans)) Then follow historical scenes in the southernmost gallery, a procession in honor of Suryavarman II, and then the 32 hells and the 37 paradises of Hindu mythology. North-west corner counterclockwise, the westernmost gallery shows the battle of Lanka (taken from Ramayana, where Rama defeats Ravana) and the battle of Kurukshetra (taken from Mahābhārata, which shows the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans)) Then follow historical scenes in the southernmost gallery, a procession in honor of Suryavarman II, and then the 32 hells and the 37 paradises of Hindu mythology.
In the gallery to the east there is one of the best known and visited scenes, the great creation of the sea of milk, and shows 92 Asure and 88 device that use the snake Vasuki (one of the most important Naga) to produce the sea under the direction of Vishnu. The gallery in the north shows Krishna's victory over Banasura and a battle between the Hindus and Asure. The pavilions on the north-west and south-west corner contain both reduced scale scenes from Ramayana or Krishna's life by him.
As a connection between the outermost gallery and the second courtyard there is a cross -shaped cloister, called Prea Poan today (the "Salone dei Mille Buddha"). For centuries the images of Buddha have been left in the cloister by the pilgrims, although most today they were removed. This area has many inscriptions related to the good works of the pilgrims, most of them written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese. The four small courtyards outlined by the cloister seems to have once been filled with water. To the north and south of the cloister there are libraries.
Glimpse of the Temple
Further on, the most internal galleries immediately following are connected to each other connected and with two libraries flanked by another cross terrace, also added later. Going up from the second level onwards, the goddess, individually or in groups of four, abound on the walls. The courtyard on the second level is 100 by 115 m, and it may be originally flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru. Three groups of steps on each side lead up to the towers on the corners and the goopura in the innermost galleries. The very steep staircase represents the difficulty of climbing the kingdom of the gods. The innermost gallery, called Bakan, is a square of 60 m side with tunnels that connect the goopura with the central sacraory, and other secondary sacraments are located under the corner towers. The ceilings of the galleries are decorated with snake bodies ending in Leone or Garuda heads (a sort of eagle represented with a crowned head). Some sculpted pediments decorate the entrances of the galleries and sacraments.
The tower above the central sacraory rises for a total height of 65 meters from the ground floor; Unlike the previous Templi-Montagna, the central tower rises above the four towers that surround it. The Sacrario himself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and opened on each side, was walled inside when the temple was converted to Buddhism Theravada, with buddhas drawn on the new walls. In 1934 the superintendent George Trouvé dug the cavity under the central sacraory: filled with sand and water, he had already been robbed of all his treasures di lui, but found a deposit of gold leaves just two meters above the ground level
AND TODAY?
View of the majestic pinnacles overlooking the temple
Since 1990 Angkor Wat has seen the efforts for conservation and a huge increase in tourists reborn. The Temple is part of the Angkor site, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1992; This led to the allocation of some funds and encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. The German project for the conservation of the Apsara (Gapc) is working to protect the others that decorate the temple. The organization's findings found that about 20% of the goddess were in poor condition, mainly due to natural erosion and the deterioration of the stone, but also in part due to previous restoration attempts. Another work includes the repair of the collapsed structures, and the prevention of future collapses: the west facade of the upper level, for example,
Angkor Wat has become one of the major tourist destinations: the number of entrances to the temple are not known, but in 2004 the country welcomed more than one million international passengers coming, of which 57% (according to the Ministry of Tourism), They had planned to visit the temple. The influx of tourism has so far caused relatively few damage, if not some graffiti; To protect the bas -reliefs and the floors, special balustrades and wooden steps were built. Tourism also provided additional funds for maintenance (about 28% of the gains from the entrance tickets for the whole Angkor site are spent in the temple), but most of the work comes from groups paid by foreign governments rather than that by the Cambodian authorities.
The Vishnu temple of Angkor Vat itself is 4 times the size of Vatican City !!
The Vishnu temple of Angkor Vat itself is 4 times the size of Vatican City !! It takes a week to see the temple fully !! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the world ?? Angkor’s most impressive and best known temple, Angkor Wat is the best preserved of all the Angkor monuments. The temple is an object of pride for Cambodia, its depiction appears on the national flag. It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (Khmer: យសោធរបុរៈ, present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu.
It is a richly decorated, very large temple; the total temple area including the moat measures 1.5 kilometers long by 1.3 kilometers wide, or a total of about 2 square kilometers. Angkor Wat is the biggest Hindu temple in Cambodia. Height of architectural skills of the Khmer. The temple represents the height of architectural skills of the Khmer builders. Its very detailed carved bas reliefs that cover much of the temple shows impressive craftsmanship. Unlike other Angkor temples, Angkor Wat is oriented towards the West and dedicated to Vishnu, where previous temples face East and are dedicated to Shiva.
Angkor Wat was the state temple of King Suryavarman II, who built the temple during the first half of the 12th century. He was one of Angkor’s greatest Kings who ruled for almost 40 years and expanded the Khmer empire. Some historians believe that the temple also served as a funerary temple for the King. This could explain its orientation to the West; the setting sun (in the West) symbolizes the end of the cycle of life.
Mount Meru, the center of Hindu cosmology : Angkor Wat is a mountain temple build to represent Mount Meru, the center of the world in Hindu cosmology. The temple’s five presets or sanctuary towers represent the peaks of the sacred mountain, while the moats represent the oceans that surround Mount Meru. The temple’s three tiers are surrounded by large galleries, that were introduced in earlier temples like the Ta Keo. One of Angkor Wat’s major attractions are the many intricate and well preserved bas reliefs with depictions of scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as many hundreds of statues of female devatas (Devis, Female Hindu Deities)
Surrounding the temple complex is a 190 meter wide moat. At the Western end is a 12 meter wide bridge, in front of which is a terrace where lions and Naga snakes guard the temple. Crossing the bridge the visitor approaches the impressive Western gate, which was build to resemble the front view of the temple itself. The structure consists of long galleries with a three part gopura topped by towers that have partly collapsed. At both ends of the structure is a pavilion, large enough to enable elephants to go through. The Western gate contains Apsaras and devatas as well as magnificent carvings on its lintels showing Vishnu, Garuda, warriors and scenes from the epic Ramayana. Only after passing the Western gate, the Angkor Wat temple comes in sight.
Bas reliefs galleries of the third tier : The third tier is surrounded by long concentric galleries. Its walls contain some of the finest and best preserved bas reliefs of Angkor Wat, including: The battle of Lanka, a story from the epic Ramayana, where Rama fights Ravana who abducted his wife Sita. The battle of Kurukshetra from the epic Mahabharata, between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, depicting soldiers and commanders on elephants or riding chariots. A 90 meter panel of the Royal Procession. Two sections depict King Suryavarman II and a procession of court ladies, another section shows a procession of soldiers on foot or on horses and elephants and a parade of Brahmin priests.
Behind the Western gate is a 350 meter long processional walkway elevated about 1½ meters above the ground towards the temple. On either side of the walkway is a library building. Past the libraries are two lakes, reflecting the silhouette of the of Angkor Wat’s towers. The temple itself is build on raised platform about 330 meters long and 255 meters wide. The structure comprises of three rectangular tiers each higher one smaller than the one below it encircled by long galleries with corner towers and a gopura in the center of its sides.
The Heavens and Hells and the Judgement of Sinners by Yama, the Hindu God of Death. Depictions of the 37 heavens with palaces with servants and the 32 hells and the punishments and tortures received there, each one for a specific sin committed. The churning of the ocean of milk, a 50 meter long panel. This story from the Mahabharata tells how an elixir of immortality over which the Gods and the demons fight is produced by churning the ocean with Mount Meru used as the churning rod. Vishnu and his incarnation Krishna. The victory of Vishnu over the asuras. The abduction of Sita by Ravana. Other scenes from the Ramayana.
In the middle stands the 42 meter high central sanctuary on each side opening to a vestibule in which Buddha statues are found. The walls of the tower are decorated with well preserved devatas. Inside is the cellar, a chamber that enshrined a large statue of Vishnu. The classic Seven Wonders of the Ancient World list includes only monuments around the Mediterranean Sea. There are several other wonders of the world lists, among them wonders of nature, engineering and the industrial world. Although not on any of these lists, Angkor Wat is often considered “the 8th Wonder of the World”.
Within the third enclosure, right after passing the main entrance on the West end are galleries that delimit four courtyards. Its walls are decorated with devatas, Apsaras and rishis, while the pediments contain carvings of Vishnu and Krishna, one of Vishnu’s incarnations. The galleries also contain a number of Buddha images, placed there after Angkor Wat was converted into a Buddhist temple. The platform with 5 lotus bud shaped towers. The second tier measuring 100 by 115 meters is enclosed by galleries. On each of its four corners are towers that have partly collapsed. On top of the structure is a square platform about 55 meters wide that contains five towers shaped like lotus buds. The platform is surrounded by galleries, with a sanctuary tower on each if its corners.
We also know that famous Kailash Temple of Ellora and other temples there have been painfully carved over a century out of Huge Boulders !! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the world ??
Rani ka Vav is the finest and one of the largest examples of its kind and designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, the stepwell is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels; more than 500 principal sculptures of Bhagwan Vishnu and over 1000 minor ones combine religious and legendary imagery !! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ?? Just the ruins of Hampi have over 500 monuments spread around hills and valleys. These include alluring temples, ruins of palaces, royal pavilions, bastions, historical treasures, archaeological relics of aquatic structures & ancient markets. Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ??
Airavateshwara temple in Kumbakonam has such intricate carvings at every inch of the temple !! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the world ?? Brihadeshwara temple in Thanjavur has a 120 tonne Gopuram lifted over a 60 km ramp !! Temple is full of intricate carvings !! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ?? Sun Temple of Konark 24 intricately designed wheels, 12 ft in diameter which are seen drawn by horses. These seven horses represent the week, the wheels stand for the 12 months while the day-cycle is symbolised by the eight spokes in the wheels. And this whole depiction tells how the time is controlled by the Sun!! Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of of the world ??
Modhera Sun Temple is an exquisitely carved temple complex and the magnificently sculpted kund are jewels in the art of masonry of the Solanki period which was also known as the Golden Age of Gujarat. The design element of the temple follows the tenets of Vastu - Shilpa. The kund (reservoir) and the entrance passageway face east welcoming the rays of the sun, and the entire structure floats on a plinth resembling a flowering lotus as an ablution to the sun god. The main complex is divided into three parts, the entrance which is the ‘Sabha Mandap’, ‘Antaral’ the connecting passage and the ‘Garbagruha’, the sanctum sanctorum. Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ??
Ratneshwar Temple, nestled near Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, leans by around 9 degrees while Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at around 4 degrees . As per some reports, the temple has a height of 74 metres, which is around 20 metres higher than the Pisa tower. The historic Ratneshwar Temple dates back to centuries and is one of the most photographed temples in Varanasi. So why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ?? Ans : Because we don't care to even know !! Others take special pride in foisting their architectural marvels while we do not even know that these marvels exist. Think about it!
Pattadakal was not only popular for Chalukyan architectural activities but also a holy place for the royal coronation, 'Pattadakisuvolal'. Temples here are a perfect blend of the Rekha, Nagara, Prasada and the Dravida Vimana styles of temple architecture. The oldest temple at Pattadakal is Sangamesvara built by Vijayaditya Satyasraya (AD 697-733). Why is it not one of the 7 wonders of the wonders of the world ??
