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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1. Statement of problem:

Even though Hinduism is no longer the state religion in Cambodia nowadays, during the

trip to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh of the country, the manifestation of Hinduism is still very

varied in these two cities. This manifestation is obvious and practical enough to prove that the

impact of Hinduism still has on Cambodian life nowadays, yet it has been not mentioned much

throughout the previous articles, most of which were focused on Hindu temples in Angkor

complex instead.

1.2. Statement of purpose:

From the problem drawn during the field trip to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in Cambodia,

this research is aimed at giving readers a general but clear and systematic view of how Hinduism

influences Cambodian civil engineering in the two cities.

1.3. Significance of study:

There has been a great number of Internet articles written about the influence of Hinduism

on the great works of architecture in Cambodia such as the temples in Angkor complex.

However, there is very little information about how Hinduism influences practically and closely

on Cambodian civil engineering. As a result, the research is made to show in a rather complete

system of how Hinduism has influence on Cambodian civil engineering in Siem Reap and

Phnom Penh.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Definition of civil engineering:

Generally, civil engineering is the branch of engineering that specializes in the design and

construction of structures. Specifically, it is the planning and building of things such as roads,

bridges, dams, canals and public buildings and is not used for military or religious purposes.

Civil engineering takes place on all levels: in the public sector from municipal through to

national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to

international companies.

2.2. Hinduism in Cambodia:

2.2.1. The heart of Hinduism:

Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs that developed slowly over a long period of

time. About 80 percent of India's population regard themselves as Hindus and 30 million more

Hindus live outside of India. There are a total of 900 million Hindus worldwide, making

Hinduism the third largest religion (after Christianity and Islam).

From time to time, scholars have tried to organize the many popular cults, gods, and

traditions into one grand system of belief. However, Hinduism – unlike religions such as

Buddhism, Christianity, or Islam - cannot be traced back to one founder with a single set of

ideas. Hinduism is said to have developed based on Brahmin (also called Brahmana), a

traditional religion in ancient India for 40,000 years. Hinduism embraces a great diversity of

beliefs. These Hindu beliefs include: the authority of the Vedas (the oldest Indian sacred texts)

and the Brahmans (the priestly class); the existence of an enduring soul that transmigrates from

one body to another at death (reincarnation); and the law of karma (the universal law of cause

and effect) that determines one’s destiny both in this life and the next. The Hindu worldview is

grounded in the doctrines of samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and karma, and fundamentally holds

that one's actions (including one's thoughts) directly determine one's life, both one's current life

and one's future lives.

Like Brahmin, Hinduism divides society into classes include: Brahmins (all priests),

Kshatriyas (lords, nobles), Vaisyas (landowners, merchants), and Sùdra (peasants, poor people,

slaves). It is believed that a person who is born in which class will be there forever and cannot be

3

changed from this life to the next until he or she reaches the goal of moksha, meaning releasing

from the cycle of rebirth.

Many, but not all, Hindus hold that the cosmos is populated by numerous deities and

spiritual beings — gods and goddesses, or devas — who actively influence the world and who

interact with humans. The tradition is typically divided into four major sects: Shaiva (devotees of

the god Shiva), Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu), Shakta (devotees of the goddess), and

Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all

encompassing, Brahman). Most Hindus worship one or more deities. Hindus have a multitude of

gods and goddesses that symbolize the one abstract Supreme Being or Brahman. The most

fundamental of Hindu deities are the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. But many other gods

such as Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, and goddesses like Lakshmi, Durga, Kali and Saraswati top the

popularity chart with Hindus across the world. Followings are the most important Hindu deities

and symbols that are worshipped popularly throughout the world.

No.

Name of

deity or

symbol

Description Image

1 Brahma

Also called the Creator, Brahma

grew in a lotus out of the navel of

the sleeping Vishnu. The daily

alternation of light and dark is

attributed to the activities of

Brahma.

4

2 Vishnu

The peace-loving deity of the

Hindu Trinity, Vishnu is the

Preserver or Sustainer of life with

his steadfast principles of order,

righteousness and truth.

3 Shiva

Also called the Destroyer, Shiva is

the most powerful and fascinating

deity of Hinduism, who represents

death and dissolution.

4 Ganesha

The son of Shiva and Parvati,

Ganesha is depicted having a

curved trunk and big ears, and a

huge pot-bellied body of a human

being. He is the lord of success and

destroyer of evils and obstacles. He

is worshipped as the god of

knowledge, wisdom, and wealth.

5

5 Garuda

Garuda is depicted as having the

golden body of a strong man with a

white face, red wings, and an

eagle’s beak and with a crown on

his head. This ancient deity is said

to be massive, large enough to

block out the sun.

6 Rama

Rama, the perfect avatar of the

Supreme Protector Vishnu, is an

all-time favorite among Hindu

deities. The most popular symbol

of chivalry and virtue, Rama is

“the embodiment of truth, of

morality, the ideal son, the ideal

husband, and above all, the ideal

king." He is widely believed to be

an actual historical figure, a "tribal

hero of ancient India", who

exploited from the great Hindu

epic of Ramayana or The Romance

of Rama.

6

7 Hanuman

Hanuman, the mighty ape that

aided Lord Rama in his expedition

against evil forces, described in

Ramayana epic, is one of the most

popular idols in the Hindu

pantheon. Believed to be an avatar

of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is

worshipped as a symbol of

physical strength, perseverance and

devotion. In times of trouble, it is a

common faith among Hindus to

chant the name of Hanuman or sing

his hymn, "Hanuman Chalisa".

8 Lakshmi

Goddess Lakshmi means "Good

Luck" to Hindus. She is the

goddess of wealth and prosperity,

both material and spiritual. She is

the household goddess of most

Hindu families, and a favorite of

women. Lakshmi is depicted as a

beautiful woman of golden

complexion, with four hands,

sitting or standing on a full-

bloomed lotus and holding a lotus

bud, which stands for beauty,

purity and fertility. Sita, a character

appeared in Hindu epic, Ramayana,

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and a consort of the Hindu God

Rama, is an avatar of the goddess,

Lakshmi.

9 Naga

Naga in Hinduism is a serpent

king, a mythic multi-headed

serpent (five, seven or nine heads),

one of the most significant

characters in Hinduism mythology.

Naga is considered nature spirits,

protecting bodies of water such as

rivers, lakes, seas, springs and

wells.

10 Apsara

Apsara is a beautiful and

supernatural female being, related

to the Hindu legend as the “elixir

of immortality”. She is youthful

and elegant, and superb in the art

of dancing.

8

11 Hayagriva

Hayagriva is an avatar of Supreme

Hindu God Vishnu, who is

depicted having a horse’s head and

body of a human being. He is

worshipped as the god of

knowledge and wisdom.

12 Mount Meru

The Hindus also use the image of

Mount Meru in most of Hindu

temples’ design as a ritual way to

pay their homage to Hindu gods

and goddesses. Mount Meru, also

called “Sumeru” (excellent Meru),

or “Mahameru” (great Meru), is a

sacred mountain in Hinduism and

is considered to be the center of all

the physical, metaphysical and

spiritual universes. It is also the

abode of Lord Brahma and the

Demi-Gods of Hinduism.

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13 Elephant

As a religious symbol, the elephant

represents royalty, power, wisdom,

fertility, longevity and more. The

main use of the elephant in Hindu

art is in the representation of

Ganesha, the great Hindu god.

Therefore, the elephant is highly

favored in Hinduism. In countries

such as Laos, Cambodia, and

Thailand, the elephant is believed

to be responsible for watering the

fields. Lord Indra, The Rain and

Storm God, is sometimes depicted

riding on an elephant with a

lightning bolt on his forehead.

In the list above there are gods appearing in ancient Indian epic include Rama, Hanuman

and Sita. That is Ramayana. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India, the other

being the Mahabharata. Ramayana told the story about Rama, prince of Ayodhya, won the hand

of the beautiful princess Sita, but was exiled with her and his brother Laksmana for fourteen

years through the plotting of his stepmother. In the forest, Sita was abducted by Ravana, and

Rama gathered an army of monkeys with the help of the king monkey Hanuman and bear to

search for her. The allies attacked Lanka, killed Ravana, and rescued Sita. In order to prove her

chastity, Sita entered fire, but was vindicated by the gods and restored to her husband. After the

couple's triumphant return to Ayodhya, Rama's righteous rule (Ram-raj) inaugurated a golden

age for all mankind.

The religious life of many Hindus is focused on devotion to a god or several gods. This

devotion usually takes the form of rituals associated with sculptures and images of gods in home

shrines. More philosophically-minded Hindus ignore the gods altogether and seek realization of

the self through intense meditation. Still others focus primarily on fulfilling the social and moral

10

duties appropriate to their position in life. These various approaches are regarded as equally

valid, and in fact are formally recognized as three paths (margas) to liberation: bhaktimarga (the

path of devotion), jnanamarga (the path of knowledge or philosophy), and karmamarga (the

path of works and action).

Hindu religious practices center on the importance of fulfilling the duties associated both

with one's social position and one's stage of life. With regard to the latter, traditional Hindus are

expected to pass through four stages (ashramas) over the course of their life:

Brahmacharga, which takes place during the school years, is focused on acquiring

knowledge and developing character;

Grastha, the middle years, is focused on worldly pursuits and pleasures such as marriage,

family and career;

Vanaprastha, when one's children reach adulthood, is a time of increased focus on

spiritual things; and

Sanngasu, in the last years of life, one may abandon the world entirely for a life of

contemplation.

All stages of life for the Hindu, however, involve religious rituals and practices. Some of

the major Hindu practices are Ayurveda (an ancient Hindu system of medicine), Hatha Yoga

(practice of meditative movement), Kudalini yoga (a tantric form of yoga), Namaste Greeting

(bringing together palms of hands before the heart, and lightly bowing the head), Puja or Pooja (a

religious ritual which some Hindus perform every morning after bathing and dressing but prior to

taking any food or drink), etc.

It has been said that Hindus have a holiday for everyday of the year, but even that may be

an understatement. Exactly how many Hindu festivals are celebrated is not known, but one

scholar of Hinduism has listed more than a thousand different Hindu festivals. In general, Hindu

festivals "are intended to purify, avert malicious influences, renew society, bridge over critical

moments, and stimulate or resuscitate the vital powers of nature." They include a wide variety of

rituals, including worship, prayer, processions, magical acts, music, dancing, love-making,

eating, drinking, and feeding the poor.

Major festivals likely to be observed by most Hindus are:

Holi: the festival of colors and spring (February-March)

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Mahashivaratri (Shiva Ratri): the night sacred to Shiva (February-March)

Rama Navami: the birthday of Lord Rama (April)

Krishna Jayanti: the birthday of Lord Krishna (July-August)

Raksābandhana: the renewing bonds between brothers and sisters (July-August)

Kumbh Mela: the pilgrimage every 12 years to four cities in India (July-August; last one

in 2003)

Ganesha-Chaturthi (Ganesha Utsava): the festival of Ganesh (August-September)

Dassera: the victory of Rama over the demon king Ravana (September-October)

Navaratri: the festival of Shakti (in Bengal) or Rama's victory over Ravana (South India)

(September-October)

Diwali: the festival of lights and Laksmi (September-October)

2.2.2. The development of Hinduism in Cambodia:

Archaeological data has revealed that the area now called, “Cambodia”, was inhabited by

human beings at least 40,000 years ago. Cities developed along the coast in the centuries before

and after the birth of Christ. Traders from India, increasingly adventurous as seafarers from the

1st century AD, carry Hinduism through south-east Asia. On the mainland (Burma, Cambodia

and the southern part of Vietnam) and in the islands (Sumatra and Java), Hindu kingdoms were

established. According to Cambodian history, the first Hindu kingdom was established called

Funan. Funan gained more advantage in development than its neighbor Chenla in the north of

Cambodia. However, Funan met a great depression and lost its territory to Chenla in the 6th

century which marked the initiation of the pre-Angkor period. Isnavarman I, the last king of

Chenla, gave order to build many Hindu temples, one of them was Sambo Prei Kuk, near

Kampong Thom province nowadays.

In 802 AD, the king Jayavarman II initiated the glow of Angkorian monarch, showed his

authority by taking linga as the royal object of worship, and clearly implied his ideal of universal

lord. He renamed capital Rolous to Hariharalaya to pay homage to Shiva and Vishnu, two of the

three Trinity Gods of Hinduism.

In later centuries impressive Hindu temples are built such as Preah Kor, East Lake Baray,

and Phnom Bakheng. After the capital was moved from Rolous to Angkor, the Khmer dynasty

got its breakthroughs about territory, politics, and economy. The Khmer royal built many great

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Hindu temples included Ta Keo, Banteay Srey, Baphuon, and West Lake Baray. The zenith of

Hinduism, however, was actually marked by the legendary king Suryavarman II in 12th

century.

He gave order to build the greatest Hindu temple Angkor Wat, and some other temples like

Thommanon, Beoung Melea, and Banteay Samre.

After the king Tribhuvanadityavarman took the crown, the Khmer dynasty fell into hole of

depression. In 1177, Tribhuvanadityavarman was killed by the Chenla and the Khmer kingdom

was under the reign of the Chenla for four years until the legendary king Jayavarman VII

defeated the Chenla in 1181. Nevertheless, it was then putting an end to Hinduism as the king

Jayavarman VII took Mahayana Buddhism as state religion. He was known as the king of

building temples. The campaign to build the temples was unprecedented and carried out at

breakneck speed. Hundreds of temples were built in period of nearly forty years included Bayon,

Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Preah Khan and other great temples. Campaign of

building temples was stopped as the king Jayavarman VII died in 1220.

Hinduism had chance to stand in Cambodia during the reign of the king Jayavarman VIII.

However, when the king Jayavarman VIII died, Theravada Buddhism was introduced into

Cambodia, and has become the state religion of Cambodia until these days.

2.2.3. The decussating of Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia:

After having the fundamental knowledge about Hinduism in Cambodia, one should notice

that there is some decussating between Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism in the country. The

problem is whether the deities such as Brahma, Naga, Apsara or Garuda belong to Hinduism or

Theravada Buddhism, for the fact that they have appeared in the texts of both religions.

In the original Buddhism, Dharma, there is no support for the veneration to gods or deities.

Buddha advocates the idea that god or deity cannot help human beings overcome their pains and

sufferings. Human beings have to use their own human mind in order to get rid of their problems

(Daniels, 2005). However, Theravada Buddhism and the other schools of Buddhism were

developed after Buddha had passed away, and were influenced by the cultures and traditions of

the countries they were through (Rahula, 1996).

In Cambodian Theravada Buddhism, there appear some Hindu deities such as Brahma,

Naga, Apsara, and Garuda. The reason why for the decussating is that its doctrine is said to be

too strict to practice (Ratanak, 2): Buddhists have to gain the enlightenment by meditation,

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without any help from god in Christianity, Judaism and Islam or Bodhisattavas1 in Mahayana

Buddhism (BBC, 2002). As a result, the religion was decided to intermingle with Hinduism to

become a more syncretic religion in Cambodia (Ratanak, 2).

The deities such as Brahma, Naga, Apsara or Garuda can be concluded to be of either

Cambodian Theravada Buddhism or Hinduism for the decussating of the two religions. This

time, however, the research simply focuses on the origin of the deities – Hinduism, rather than

consider what and how they appear in Theravada Buddhism texts.

1. Bodhisattvas: the ones who appear in Mahayana Buddhism and are said to have

achieved all the doctrine of Buddhism but intentionally not gone for the state of Nibbana2 in

order to help many people get rid of sufferings in this world.

2. Nibbana: the transcendent and singularly ineffable freedom that stands as the final goal

of all the Buddha's teachings

2.3. Related articles:

The following articles were searched and chosen to read from the Internet with the purpose

of seeing how Hinduism still has a certain influence on Cambodian life.

In the entry titled, “Culture”, of the blog “Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley”, the

author believes that Cambodian architecture drew inspiration from religion and mythical

creatures from Hinduism and Buddhism. Temples were built in accordance to the rule of the

ancient Khmer architecture, dictating that a basic temple layout included a central shrine, a

courtyard, an enclosing wall and a moat. Nowadays, the remains of Cambodia architecture under

the Khmer empire from the 9th

to the 15th

century are persevered in many buildings of the

Angkor temples. In any study of Angkor architecture, the emphasis is necessarily on religious

architecture. The religious architecture of Angkor has characteristic structures, elements, and

motifs which belong to the glorious period of Hinduism.

The article, “Cambodia: Religions and Culture”, by Dom Vannak describes that Hindu

belief has started to have its influences on Cambodian life since the 1st century of Cambodian

history. Even though it was not the first religion in Cambodia, it has captured the Cambodian

minds and made them strongly and faithfully believe in and practice it. One of the reason

explaining for its strong influences is that Hinduism shares some similarities with the former

religion in Cambodian history. Because Hinduism has a certain position in Cambodian life, many

14

beautiful and amazing stone temples that were built for worshiping the religion can be easily

found in Cambodia.

In another article of “The Lost Hindu Empire of Cambodia” by Dr. Neria H. Hebbar, it is

described that Hindu population of Cambodia is not even measurable. Despite the fact that the

majority in Cambodia follows Buddhism, a unique pot-pourri of Buddhism is currently practiced.

The Cambodians still pay their obeisance to Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva as well as worship

Buddha.

With the subject, “Architecture”, on the website, “Windows on Asia”, it talks about the

Cambodian architecture that has evolved from Neolithic and Bronze Age (2300 BCE – 400 CE),

Iron Age (150 – 550 CE), Pre-Angkorian Civilization (550 – 880 CE), the civilization of Angkor

(800 – 1430 CE), the time under control of Thais (1431 – 1887 CE), the Colonial and Post-

Colonial Periods (1887 – present day). The article pays a great attention to Cambodian

architecture of the past, most of which are Hindu temples, and it also mentions about the Thai

and French influence on Cambodian style of architecture from 1431 until nowadays.

Finally, another entry of “Cambodian Best Architecture” by Dom Vannak talks about the

best architecture in Cambodia that have a certain Hindu influence, including the Angkor

complex, pagodas and stupas, creative Cambodian buildings, and finally Bonteay Srei stone

temple.

What can be seen from the articles is that they have been written to recall the remains of

some big works of Hindu architecture, such as Hindu temples in Angkor complex, which proves

that Hinduism still has a certain influence on Cambodian life. However, these works are

constructed from the past, so it is wondered whether Hindu elements really exists in Cambodian

civil engineering nowadays. Only the entry, “Cambodian Best Architecture”, by Dom Vannak

does mention about the influence of Hinduism on Cambodian pagodas and stupas of today but

does not give much detailed information on how the ancient religion has influence on those types

of civil engineering. From this flaw, it leads to a research done on how Hinduism has influence

on Cambodian civil engineering, particularly in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh which the group

had a chance to travel during the field trip to Cambodia.

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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1. Research question:

How does Hinduism have influence on Cambodian civil engineering in Siem Reap and

Phnom Penh?

3.2. Methodology:

3.2.1. Observation:

Using observation as a method in order to study about the influence of Hinduism on civil

engineering in Cambodia is an easiest way to do for this topic.

The first type of observation is through the field trip to Cambodia. On the way from Moc

Bai Border Gate to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, the two sides of the National Highway No.6 is a

good opportunity to observe the Hindu influence on civil engineering in Cambodia. The research

mainly focuses on two main cities, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. During the days staying and

traveling in the two cities, the group realize that there are various clear influences of Hinduism

on civil engineering such as temples, houses, bridges, schools, hotels and so on.

3.2.2. Library research:

The group collected some books and articles related to the topic which includes “21st

century Cambodia – View and Vision” by Wim Swann, “Cambodia: Religions and Culture” and

“Cambodian Best Architecture” by Dom Vannak, “The Lost Hindu Empire of Cambodia” by

Dr. Neria H. Hebbar and many other articles on the Internet. Besides, the group also collected

photographs from the four-day field trip in Cambodia.

3.3. Delimitations:

First, the time to gather information and to take pictures for the research was limited. The

group had only four days in Cambodia, most of which was spent on shuttle bus to travel from

Vietnam to Siem Reap, Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, and Phnom Penh back to Vietnam.

Second, the sites to visit were in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, not the whole Cambodia.

Therefore, the pictures were taken only in these two places. Siem Reap is the tourist city and

Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia, so these places are supposed to reflect Cambodian

culture and traditions. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the research is just done on the two

cities, the result of it is rather trustworthy.

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CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS

4.1. SIEM REAP:

4.1.1. Angkor Mondial restaurant:

Located on Por Kambor Street, corner of Wat Bo Bridge, Siem Reap, Angkor Mondial is

known as a Buffet, Khmer, Asian, Western & International food restaurant. It is a three storey

restaurant which is very modern in decoration and style, yet remains many traditional values

related to Hinduism through the way it is decorated with deities like Brahma or Apsara.

In Angkor Mondial restaurant, the head of Hindu deity, Brahma with four directional faces

is found.

4.1.2. Hotels:

4.1.2.a. Dara Reang Sey hotel:

Located on National Road No.6, Phum Chong Caochu, Khum Slor Kram, Siem Reap, Dara

Reang Sey Hotel is famous for its spacious rooms with wireless Internet, modern

accommodations, an outdoor swimming pool, a therapy center or spa with relaxing treatments

such as traditional Khmer body massage, oil massage, or foot massage. Moreover, its location is

The head of Brahma in Angkor Mondial restaurant

17

convenient for accessing to the nearby bus station.

In Dara Reang Sey hotel, the images of Shiva, a sacred deity in Hinduism are found on

both sides of the doorway and the images of Naga are found on the roof.

4.1.2.b Sofitel hotel:

Built at Musée d'Angkor, Charles De Gaulle, Siem Reap in 2000, Sofitel Hotel is situated

close to the magnificent Angkor Wat World Heritage Site and just minutes away from the

charming French Quarter, the banks of Siem Reap River, and the airport. Set in tranquil lush

tropical gardens, lakes and pavilions, Sofitel Phokeethra Angkor Hotel Siem Reap can take

The statues of Shiva on the right and the left of the doorway and Naga on

the roof of Dara Reang Sey hotel

18

advantage of the many hotel faciliies at Sofitel Phokeethra Angkor Hotel which include five

different dining venues, bar, English-style pub, and large free-size swimming pool.

In Sofitel hotel, the statue of Brahma with four directional faces and four hands as well as

the statue of Hayagriva, which is Vishnu in the form of a horse, are constructed in the garden of

the hotel. Moreover, one of the significant scenes in Ramayana epic where Sita was rescued by

Hanuman is also depicted in the garden of the hotel.

The statue of Brahma in Sofitel hotel

The statue of Hayagriva in Sofitel hotel

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4.1.3. Les Artisans D’Angkor workshop:

It is located on Thmey Street, Siem Reap. Established in 1998 under the sponsorship of

National Cambodian Institution, the European Union and the French Foreign Ministry, it is

known as an organization that helps to preserve Khmer Arts and Crafts as well as create jobs for

more than 700 people in the rural area.

In front of the workshop, there stand two small-sized statues of elephant to welcome all the

guests to visit the workshop.

One of the scene of Ramanaya epic where Sita was rescued by Hanuman depicted

in Sofitel hotel

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4.1.4. Cambodian Cultural village:

Cambodian Cultural Village situated in Siem Reap province along the road No.6 distanced

3 km from International Siem Reap Airport and 10 Km Angkor Wat temple the world heritage

with 210.000 square meter complexes. The construction of Cambodian Cultural Village started

on the half of 2001 and officially grand open on the 1st January 2004. The following pictures are

the demonstration of Hinduism is still existed in up to date civil engineering.

The landscape of Cambodian Cultural village becomes more traditional and holy when

decorated with the statue of Garuda and the statue of Naga.

The statues of elephants in the architecture of Les Artisans D’Angkor

21

The statue of Garuda in Cambodian Cultural village

The statue of Naga in Cambodian Cultural village

22

4.2. PHNOM PENH:

4.2.1. The National Museum:

The National Museum was established in the 1920s and it is Cambodia’s largest museum

of cultural history as well as a place that keeps the Arts and Archaeology of the Cambodian.

With the collections of sculptural, ceramics, bronzes, and ethnographic objects, it is considered

as one of the world’s largest collections of Khmer Arts.

In the National Museum, there are the images of Garuda on the four pillars of the place

worshiping Sdach Yumareach, the Hades king in Cambodia. Besides, the panorama of the

museum is seen with the images of Mount Meru and Naga.

Garuda (yellow circled) on the roof of the National Museum

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4.2.2. Buddhist temples:

4.2.2.a. Wat Preah Morakat temple:

The construction Wat Preah Morakat temple was started in 1892 and finished in 1902.

Naga at the entrance of the National Museum

Mount Meru in the architecture of the National Museum

24

Later, it was removed and reconstructed in 1962. This architecture is a temple of history and

considered to be one of the most important temples in Phnom Penh. It is sacred and attracts many

pilgrims from all over the country.

In Wat Preah Morakat temple, the images of Garuda are constructed on the top of every

pillar where it and the roof meet.

4.2.2.b. Wat Phnom temple:

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Built in 1373 (rebuilt

in 1434, 1806, 1894 and 1926), and stands 27 meters (88.5 feet) above the ground. It is the tallest

religious structure in the city.

Naga, one of the most popular Hindu deities in Cambodia, can be found right away at the

both sides of the stairway leading to Wat Phnom temple.

Garuda on the corners of the roof and the pillars of the Wat Preah Moraka temple

25

4.2.3. Hotels:

4.2.3.a. Nagaworld hotel:

Nagaworld is a luxurious 5 star Hotel located in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

Built in 1995, Nagaworld is a multi storey hotel with eight-storey wing dedicated to

entertainment, public gaming halls, gambling machines, karaoke lounges and more than 500

deluxe rooms with spa and modern accommodations. Its name was derived from a majestic

Hindu seven-headed dragon “Naga.”

When visiting Nagaworld hotel, one can recognize the statue of the Hindu deity, Brahma

with four faces facing the stage in the hotel. What is more, a picture of the Hindu faires, Apsara

and the bird-man deity, Garuda are also found hung on the wall of the hotel.

Naga on the main stairway leading to Wat Phnom temple

26

The head of Brahma in Nagaworld hotel

27

4.2.3.b. Asia hotel:

It is easy to find the image of Hindu deity – Apsara on the entryway to Asia Hotel located

in No.170 Monivong, Phsar Thmey, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This is a 3 star hotel with modern

accommodations such as spa, gym, sauna, or swimming practice.

In Asia hotel, one statue of Hindu fairies, Apsara is put at the middle of the reception.

Apsara and Garuda painted on the wall of Nagaworld hotel

28

4.2.4. Memorial stupas:

4.2.4.a. Memorial stupa in the killing field, Choeung Ek:

Located in the South West of Phnom Penh centre, Choeung Ek is known as one of the sites

where the Khmer Rouge executed millions of people under Pol Pot regime. This memorial stupa

contains more than 5000 human skulls.

The images of Garuda are also found right under the roof of the memorial stupa in the

killing field, Choeung Ek.

Apsara (red circle) in the reception of Asia hotel

29

4.2.4.b. The stupa of Princess Kantha Bopha:

The stupa of Princess Kantha Bopha is at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Kantha Bopha was King Sihanouk’s late daughter and she died from leukemia at the age of four

in 1952.

Garuda (red circle) on the roof of the memorial stupa in the killing field, Choeung Ek

30

When visiting Royal Palace, the group had a chance to see the stupa of Princess Kantha

Bopha that is decorated with many images of Naga on the roof of the structure.

Naga on on the roof of the stupa of Princess Kantha Bopha

31

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION

Up until nowadays, Hinduism still has its strong influence on the civil engineering in

Cambodia. As a matter of fact, during the visit in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh of Cambodia, the

decoration in civil engineering still uses a lot of images of Hindu deities which include Brahma,

Naga, Garuda, Vishnu or Apsara. The reason behind this manifestation could be explained by the

unique religion in Cambodia. As mentioned before, Cambodia is the country whose state religion

is Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism to be exact. And there is a decussating between

Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism in the country. Therefore, the images of these deities are still

widely used in Cambodian civil engineering in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

What can be expected in the future is that the influence of Hinduism in every aspect of

Cambodian will be never gone. Hinduism would not be forgotten since it is already a part of the

Cambodian history and it is in every Cambodian’s mind.

32

REFERENCES:

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.2.1. The heart of Hinduism & 2.2.2. The development of Hinduism in Cambodia:

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2.3. Related articles:

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Vannak, D. Cambodia: Religions and Culture. In Asean-Korea centre blog. Retrieved Jan 15th

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Chapter 4: Findings

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(2012). Cambodian Crafts in Les Artisans D’Angkor. In Truly Arlene. Retrieved Feb 1st, 2013.

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