Explain the significance of the Angkor Wat temple and its connection to Indian culture.
Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia was built in the 12th century by Khmer king Suryavarman II. It is the largest religious monument in the world and was originally dedicated to Viṣhṇu. The temple shows strong Indian cultural influence through its inscriptions in Old Khmer and Sanskrit, and its bas-reliefs depicting stories from the Ramayaṇa and Mahabharata. The temple's architecture features five huge Shikharas that symbolise Mount Meru, and it shares many features with South Indian temples. Later, it was converted into a Buddhist temple, showing the continued religious and cultural connections between India and Southeast Asia.