The Lotus of Angkor Wat
Lotus flowers holds a huge significance to Angkor Wat.
Lotus is a symbol of beauty, prosperity and fertility. It represents eternity, purity, divinity, and is widely used as a symbol of life, fertility and ever-renewing youth. It is also used to describe feminine beauty.
Angkor wat is a temple surrounded with lotus flowers. From the wall carvings, apsara dancers to even how the towers of the temple is structured to look like a blooming lotus flower.
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Symbolism of Lotus flowers
Lotus flowers held significance to the Khmers back then. The flowers were carvings in the temple and used as props for dancing.
A Mandala represents the universe. Angkor Wat is structured to look like a Mandala from top view, and with the Angkor Wat towers resembling lotus flowers, it shows that it is a sacred place, with the meaning of 'divinity' that lotus flowers represent.
Angkor Wat is said to be a heaven on Earth, and it contains carvings of gods. One would be Shiva. Shiva have many meanings, one being 'The Pure One'.
Mayura is the Sanskrit word for peacock. It is said to originate from the feathers of the Garuda and therefore seen as a sacred creature. Peacocks are also a conveyance for gods, and its feathers used as ornaments for gods.
