Angkor Wat's Bas-Reliefs: The Historical Battle of Kurukshetra

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat's western gallery, focusing on the depiction of the Kurukshetra War from the Mahabharata. They discuss how Suryavarman II used this epic scene to legitimize his rule and project Khmer imperial power, comparing the temple's narrative to the actual historical context of the Indian epic. The conversation covers the iconography of Vishnu as Krishna, the role of the Mahabharata in Southeast Asian courts, and the political messages embedded in the temple's sculpture. Lucas explains how the reliefs served as a visual reminder of dharma and divine kingship, and how they reflect the Khmer connection to broader Indian cultural networks. #AngkorWat #BasReliefs #Mahabharata #Kurukshetra #SuryavarmanII #KhmerEmpire #Vaishnavism #Krishna #Dharma #HinduEpics #SoutheastAsianHistory #TempleArt #Iconography #CulturalExchange #IndianOceanWorld #CambodiaHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo