The word “Angkor” means “ Capital City” in the Khmer language, while the word “ Wat” means “Temple.” It is a miniature replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world. To add on, the temple was dedicated to the gods shiva, Braham, and Vishnu. Thus, Growing up in a Cambodian household there were paintings of the Angkor wat everywhere. It was a safe place for our Cambodian heritage. Before my grandma had passed, she had the same Angkor wat painting everywhere in her house, they never moved it, never touched it and it has been on the same spot for years. When she passed, they took it down and moved out of the house. This symbolizes a big meaning because we believed that these strong dedicated paintings carried the heart and soul from her. Also, having the painting on our walls reminds my grandparents of the good memories they had of Cambodia before the Khmer rouge. The beautiful blended sunset and the trees brings the painting to life. Unfortunately, the Angkor Wat demise in the early 15th century long remains a mystery. If you go into a Cambodian shop, most of the time you will see a spot where they have Buddha sitting in the Angkor Wat while they put bowls of fresh water and fruit because we believed it blessed the store. The vast religious complex of Angkor Wat comprises more than a thousand buildings, and it is also the largest monument in the world. 

– CS

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