In Our Time: History cover image

Angkor Wat

In Our Time: History

Cultural Heritage of the Sun's Protection

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The term 'Surya Varman' translates to 'he who is protected by the sun' in Sanskrit, indicating a royal lineage from the Mun River Valley in northeastern Thailand. This region lies near the Dongrek Mountains, separating modern Thailand from northern Cambodia, where the Khmer Empire thrived for approximately 600 years starting in the 9th century. The name 'Angkor' derives from a Khmer interpretation of the Sanskrit word 'nagara,' meaning 'royal city,' and denotes the heart of the Khmer Empire and its capital. Angkor was a central part of what scholars refer to as the Sanskrit cosmopolis, a culturally rich area spanning from Afghanistan to Bali, highlighting the flourishing of Sanskrit culture alongside various local vernaculars, representing a form of cultural colonialism.

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