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ANGKORVAT Angkorvat is the supreme masterpiece of Khmer which was built in the first half of 12th century. It is said to be the largest religious building ever constructed by man. Fortunately Angkorvat is not only the finest but also one of the best preserved of Khmer monuments. It is the ultimate expression of a great civilization. The process started with the small brick single- tower temples of ancient Funan, more than a thousand years ago. It took a long step forward when anonymous builders in Chenla arranged a few of these prasatis side by side, and then mounted them on a plateform [1]. In Angkor the evolution can be traced through a succession of buildings -Phnom Bakheng, East Mebon, Pre-rup, Banteai Srei, Takeo, Phimenakas, the Baphuon, Preah Plilay, Banteai Samre and other famous sanctuaries. A broad moat filled with water encloses it. A stone causeway crosses this to reach the main entrance. There was religious reason for this design. The Hindu gods were supposed to live on top of a mountain named Mt. Meru. The steep- sided pyramid represented that sacred height with the central shrine on its summit Actually, Mt. Meru was reputed to have five peaks and in later temples (as in Angkor itself) these were portrayed by five towers clustered on the sanctuary's highest level. An inscription relates that an earlier shrine stood here but the present building was undoubtedly made during the Jayavarman's rule. At the end of 9th century Yashovarman I moved the capital from the Rulos neighborhood to that of Angkor proper and after that most of the magnificent temples of the locality congregate there. Angkorvat is completely self-sufficient; its glory is perfect in solitude. Its glory should abide unspoilt as long as any scrap of evidence of human civilization lasts on the planet earth. The five towers of temple-mountain of Angkorvat represent symbolically the five peaks of Mount Meru, the abode of gods. [ 1]. In the beginning it was dedicated to Vishnu-Wardhaman), which Suryavarman Il identified himself as God-king. The temples greatest sculptural treasure is its bas-reliefs. In particular the vast frieze of pictorial carvings covering the walls of the gallery round the sanctury's lowest terrace is unique. Brand Michael and Church Phoeun mention in their book [27]: The bas reliefs represent imperial military campaigns from Mahabharata epic. Another example of well selected object is 'lintel with Krishna subduing the naga Kaliya'. This lintel, an architectural element used above doorways, illustrated the conclusion of a monumental battle between Krishna and serpent-king Kaliya. Its subjects are mostly from epics and holy books Ramayana,
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