Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — May 2017

PHOTO CREDIT

ANGKOR WATCAMBODIA

From a distance, Angkor Wat transfixes you with its grandeur. On walking closer,

the stone structure reveals intricate carvings and bas-relief decorations that depict

mythological tales. It is a study in ingenious architecture—the 500-acre complex

consists towers, curved roofs, galleries, porches, and courtyards, all standing testimony

to a time when Khmer kings flourished in the region. Part of the Angkor Archaeological

Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), it was built in the 12thcentury by King

Suryavarman II as the palatial home of Hindu Lord Vishnu. There were 3,00,000 workers

and 6,000 elephants employed to construct it and even after 30 years, the complex

was never finished. Later, it was converted into a Buddhist shrine and is still sacred to

Buddhist monks, who are often seen here in their saffron robes, chanting and praying.

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GAVIN HELLIER/ALAMY

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