One of the greatest and most admired religious structures in the world – Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia, one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes on the Asian Continent is now the eighth Wonder of the World.

• The complex covers over 400 acres and was the center of the Khmer Empire. Built in the early 12th century, it was initially designed to serve as a Hindu temple. It became a Buddhist temple at the end of the 12th century.
• However, as time passed and history changed, Angkor Wat slowly fell into disrepair and disuse. In the 1840s, Angkor Wat was rediscovered by French explorers and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In this article, we will analyze the Temple’s importance and how it is significant to historic and modern Times?

History of the temple

The builder of Angkor Wat was King Suryavarman II. He was one of the most famous kings of the Angkorian civilization who ruled from 1113 to 1150 A.D. He established his power and consolidated the Khmer Empire.

• King Suryavarman II was an ambitious and warlike leader, responsible for the expansion of the boundaries of the empire which lasted over 50 years.
• He was also known as a religious reformer who harmonized the mystical cults of Shiva and Vishnu and the other Hindu deities. He also declared Vaishnavism the official religion of the empire. (Vaishnavism is a form of Hinduism that believes primarily in the deity, Vishnu).
• Vaishnavas worship the ten incarnations of Vishnu, including Krishna and Rama.

Achievements:

When Suryavarman II became the emperor of the Khmer Empire, the kingdom was in a state of chaos. Control of the empire had been lost, and the empire was economically weak. However, these challenges did not hold him back. 

Suryavarman II was able to gain access to the throne. He was viewed as the protector of the Cambodian masses. As the head of the Khmer Empire, Suryavarman II organized a powerful military and attacked the kingdom of the Chams.

Eventually, King Suryavarman II was able to succeed not only through his military tactics and efforts, but also through his strong skilled diplomacy. During his reign, he was able to commission magnificent architecture and art while building and maintaining good relations with his neighbor China. He demonstrated his ability to maximize trade.

Through successful economic practices, he was able to stimulate the economy. As a result, accumulation of wealth happened. It later supported his plan to build Angkor Wat. Ultimately, King Suryavarman II achieved great economic standing for his empire and established a solid foundation for growth and the social welfare of his people.

Sandstone and a natural stone material, Laterite was chosen for the construction of Angkor Wat temple complex. Laterite was used mainly for the foundational structural elements of the temple, such as the inner walls, pillars, or the core of certain elements of the temple. It was then enclosed with sandstone which is softer and suitable for carving. This was another effective decision made by the builders, as Laterite can harden into a material tougher than sandstone.

The Hydraulic City – management and conservation of water

Often called “The Hydraulic City”, Angkor Wat temple and the surrounding metropolitan area is well known for its water systems.

The sophisticated waterworks included artificial ponds and canals to collect and channel rainwater, barrays (constructed reservoirs) to store water for farming, moats, laterite weirs, bridges and dykes.

These are some of the most significant elements that prove how important water was in the development of the infrastructure.

The system was developed with attention and care and backed by scientific knowledge. The most apparent water source at the Angkor Wat was likely the moat surrounding the temple ruins.

• The 200 m wide moat circles the perimeter of the Angkor Wat and is about 4 m deep. Moats are many times not naturally occurring. Therefore, a lot of manual work and manpower would have been required to complete the digging.
• Around 53 million cubic feet of sand and silt was displaced during the digging and a task of this magnitude would not be undertaken without good reason, and researchers believe that the moat had a critical structural purpose. 
• From serving as a form of defense by making the area harder to access, it may have also helped stabilize the temple foundation by regulating the groundwater level.
• Similarly, numerous canals and rivers weave through the entire city and these, alongside man-made reservoirs were likely part of a vast water management system created for flood control and irrigation water storage.

Lets Discuss Angkor City:

As Angkor was a huge city with an estimated population of nearly a million inhabitants at one time, it was necessary to have an extensive system of canals and irrigation systems.

Agriculture:

It allowed the transport of goods and the growing of rice even during dry seasons. And due to this irrigation system, Angkor could have 3 harvests of rice every year to support its massive population.

This network allowed the temple city to flourish for six centuries despite the difficulties of maintaining a state-level society in the face of successive dry and monsoon regions.

The massive irrigation system required a large workforce and constant maintenance to function. When population began to decline in Angkor Wat, the population could no longer provide service and management to the irrigation system, leading to the silting up of the canals which in turn led to diminished rice production and subsequent population decrease.

There was a need for the maintenance of existing infrastructure but there was possibly a lack of population to complete this task.

Legacy of the temple city

• Enormous statues, intricate carvings, complex transportation, water networks, and a rich history that can almost be sensed in its surroundings ensure that Angkor Wat remains unrivaled in size, grandeur, and complexity and uniqueness.
• It was constructed centuries ago, without the modern science, technological advancements, and principles of architecture and engineering humankind has today.
• The temple continues to stand, leaving historians, archaeologists, and researchers awestruck. The temple city complex is not only a work of art and a religious monument, but also an engineering marvel and architectural masterpiece.
• The efficient water management system and the water harvesting technique used by them can be helpful and relevant today in the wake of depleting water resources. It is estimated that India will become a water scarce nation by 2025.

According to a 2019 report by the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the best estimates indicate that India's water demand will exceed supply by a factor of two by 2030.

Ancient Khmers who built Angkor, were masters of water engineering. The rulers, who were like the administrators of modern cities, had to protect inhabitants from floods in the rainy season, and provide water for domestic use and farming in the dry season. So, they built a range of hydraulic structures that sustained civilization for six centuries. This can be effectively implemented in modern cities too.

Relevance of the temple complex today

• The national symbol, Angkor Wat, allowed Cambodia to change its political and socio-economic status, and became a beloved and fascinating monument to the Cambodians.
• Following UNESCO’s declaration of Angkor Wat as a World Heritage site, and the eighth wonder of the world, tourism surrounding the temple complex became a dominant source of job creation and poverty reduction, which made Cambodians view Angkor Wat as not only a marvel but as a national savior, an economic booster.
• Angkor Wat’s cultural, religious, architectural, and artistic significance has made it a marvel adored by the world. The future calls for the prioritization of restoration and conservation of Angkor Wat while implementing the proper precautions to alleviate the poor into the economic growth of Cambodia and truly serve the social welfare of the common people as envisioned by its builder.