Cambodia: CITY OF THE GODS (5of6) [EN]

ANGKOR Wat's narrative reliefs clearly refer to popular events from the Epics - The Ramayana and The Mahabharata and the Puranas, visually narrated in a way which is generally faithful to the original Sanskrit texts in terms of the plot - even down to the last detail. Ramayana The story of Rama is the most widely diffused tale in South and Southeast Asia. In Cambodia of the Angkorean period, it seems that the Ramayana in use pertained to Valmiki's tradition.

The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit word 'nagara' meaning 'holy city'. Vatika means temple. "The city which is a temple," Angkor Wat is a majestic monument, the world's largest religious construction in stone, and an architectural masterpiece.

Cambodia, the ancient Khamboja, boasts the largest temple complex in the world, named Angkor, from the Sanskrit language meaning "the capital city." It was built in the 9th century C. E. in honor of the Hindu god Vishnu. The complex extends over an area more than twice the size of Manhattan and took thirty-seven years to complete. Its physical and spiritual grandeur if found elsewhere only in ancient Greece, Egypt, and among the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Cambodia's principle river is today called Me Kong, which is derived from India's Ma Ganga. It rises 200 feet from the Cambodian jungle floor like a gigantic mandala, its walls adorned throughout with scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana and legends of the god Vishnu and his incarnation, Krishna. Built between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries by a succession of twelve Khmer kings, Angkor spreads over 120 square miles in Southeast Asia and includes scores of major architectural sites. In 802, when construction began on Angkor Wat, with wealth from rice and trade, Jayavarman ll took the throne, initiating an unparalleled period of artistic and architectural achievement, exemplified in the fabled ruins of Angkor, center of the ancient empire. According to the poem inscribed on its walls, the temple at Angkor Wat was not built by humans, but by Celestial architect commanded by Indra, chief of the gods.

Angkor is located at the foot of Mount Kulen, a large natural water-tower from where many rivers flow down. But water was an irregular resource and the surplus had to be stored for use in the dry season. The Angkorian kings understood this and chose to build barays. These were large artificial reservoirs supplied by rainfall and diverted rivers. They were well thought out: instead of digging into the ground, people raised dykes to hold water. Water would enter through the north dyke and would later be released to irrigate rice fields.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Cambodia
• Khmer
• Empires
• Suryavarman
• II
• Jayavarman
• VII
• ll

[URbloodMYfist]

if only all the people that were CONVERTED BY CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS in Asia by force..would go back to their REAL FAITH that their ancestors believed in for thousands of years..the ancestors that believed in Hinduism and Buddhism..they created the golden age of asia.a time of peace, knowledge, love and wonder..we LOST ALL OF THAT when the MUSLIM AND CHRISTIANS came and murdered raped and robbed our lands and peopl.they converted millions by force so that our people forget their GR8 heritage

[schheng]

This is good for khmer culture to learn they history.That Franch try to help us bring back what was going to be Combadia before the war in 1977 that when everything was all f*** up. so we need to help out what we can to bring back combodia. I'm Proud to be KHMER.........

[1wishfulthinking1]

I like the khmer culture and everything but it kinda is weird when they mispell English words. Including "Cambodia" and "Khmer".

[am4wealth]

Communism destroys cultures and history of any people it touches.

[montoogom]

As a indian I have great respect for the Khmer people they deserve all the glory we merely helped them like brothers.I am also sure we didnot use military force anywhere in southeast asia to spread our message

[laydiiluvly978]

many countries in the past believed that everyone else around them that were different were barbarians and they themselves thought they were the only ones that were civilized.

[laydiiluvly978]

religion and politics tend to work together most of the time. a lot of the things that happened through history were based around the countries' gov't that were trying to take over another country or region and forcing people to do the things they believed in was right because they thought they were the supreme race or religion or w/e.

[khmerbraveheart]

does it FUCKEN matter if i cuss? dude, u need to grow some balls an dont let people say somthing and get to u. honestly, if you're going to debate with me, it would be fine, but you didnt really have to come out and start sayimg i make all khmer people look bad. its like you didnt even think about the gangster khmer who runs around yelling Khmer pride and end up getting deported. if you wanna say you're more khmer then me hit me up KhmerBraveHeart is my aim. we'll see who knows more.

[UzumakiYuna15]

so we both talk about our parents eh? u actually didnt cuss this time except "hella". i just thought since ur older u might know more than me. anyway im not the type to spam other ppl video (even tho i alrdy did) so cya

[khmerbraveheart]

by the way you speak, your parents are rude, cause you have the nerves to bring my parents into this. obviously your family is nothing but one of those people who love judging people. dont come around trying to diss on my parents when they have nothing to do with this. you're hella ignorant.

[UzumakiYuna15]

by the way u type. ur parents didnt u teach u proper manners did they? they prolly did but u prolly didnt listen. if ur reasearch was right then good, no need to use improper word to bash other. if they're wrong then say that they are wrong. what i said was true even if it wasnt nice.