I just concluded my 4 day visit to Siem Reap town in Cambodia. All I can say is that Angkor Wat is much more than just a ‘7 ancient wonders of the world’. The vastness and the precise details of the bas reliefs and the intricate carvings on the wall, the grandeur of the architectural styles and the fact that no cementing material was employed during the construction of these temples only force us to think of dexterity of the people and the knowledge of scientific construction activity prevailing at that point of time. I could only consider myself lucky to have had a chance to visit this beautiful land, visit the various temples and appreciate its beauty. Angkor Wat is not the only temple in the vicinity of Siem Reap.
There are numerous other temples worth a visit, in and around Siem Reap. Most of these temples are in a state of ruins and desperately needs restoration work. But they force you to think about the greatness of the Khmer Past and lead us to review its history. It also forces you to ponder upon the extensive reach of the Indian culture, architectural and sculpture styles, governance and literature, much beyond its boundaries at a time in history, when communications and transportation was not so easy. Chinese writers of this period have testified the influence of Indian influence on the local kingdom in their journals. Sanskrit inscriptions dating back to 6-10th century AD are commonly seen in the various temples around Siem Reap. They have been deciphered and tell the stories of the kings, Dev Rajas (God Kings), political system, irrigation system, life of common people and much more. The fact that Indian traders were visiting this region during the trade between China and India and would stop over at these intermediate coastal regions is very well described by this link (http://www.angkorwat.org/html/L2205.html) on Cambodian History.Cambodia has been known by different names in the past, like Khmer Kingdom, Kambuja, Cambodge, Kampuchea and now Cambodia. In the epic ‘Ramayana’, this land was referred to as Cambodge or ‘Kambuja’ which was sandwiched between the famous Champa Kingdom (now in Vietnam) in the east and Siam on the west.