Angkor Wat: The Temple of All Temples

Angkor Wat has always been on top of my bucket list (ok- i had to use this overused term). And it did not disappoint.   

Because of its name (wat), I have always thought that it is only one temple.  I was in awe when how huge the temple complex was, and its elaborate details and layout.

From outside, what visitors will see is the enclosure wall.  The complex is surrounded by a man-made lake. The lake serves as a reservoir, and  I cannot imagine how long it took for them to build this lake with the state of technology they had during their time (sometime in the 1200s). 

To get to the main entrance, we had to cross the a naga (seven headed serpent) bridge, a symbolism of crossing from the land of the mortal to the land of the gods.

Causeway leading to Angkor Wat

The wall enclosure

Up close, the Angkor wat is much more than well-preserved stone monuments. It represents an ancient civilization, with very high appreciation for arts, culture and religion The moment i touched it, I instantly regretted why I did not dream to be an archeologist. It would have been a very interesting life discovering ancient relics such as this, digging, looking for clues about how people lived, and trying to figure out what each of the objects found meant,.

The wall enclosure, upclose

We explored the wall enclosure and then entered the complex where we were greeted by another long pathway leading to the central sanctuary. 

Inside the enclosure

Part of the enclosure

The gate to the central sanctuary

To the cental sanctuary

The central sanctuary

We explored the galleries. As compared to the Bayon temple, there are much more bas reliefs carved in the galleries of Angkor Wat, which shows us the ancient Khmer way of life, and their beliefs. There are also intricate carvings which can be found in this area.

There is a corner in the galleries, facing the central sanctuary which is called Halls of Echo. Our guide told us to lean on the wall, and thump our chest lightly.  When we did so, we heard loud echo of the tap.  There is no echo produced when you stamp your feet or talk in loud voices however.  It is a sacred space for the Khmer where they come to pray when they are feeling down or when they needed help.  Thumping the chest with either close or open fist, is way of connecting the heart to their god. 

And then comes the inner or the central sanctuary, which is in the middle of a courtyard. The central sanctuary is a 3-tiered tower with steep staircases.  Three of us went up to the topmost tower where we got a very beautiful view of the courtyard, and of the Angkor Wat Archelogical park. 

The central sanctuary

View from the top

Words escape me whenever I try to describe Angkor Wat, which was made to honor their god Vishnu. Even in ruins, the Angkor Wat remains to be a very beautiful and imposing structure.  It is not only the largest temple in the world- but a very grandiose one at that. I wish there was a way to see how it looked like in its true form.