Naga

• 

Out of stock

A ‘serpent-god’ of the waters, it is easily identified by its scaly body and multiple heads in the shape of a fan. In Khmer art the Naga always has an uneven amount of heads, usually seven or nine. The Nagas are ruled by Vasuki and are the enemy of Garuda. They control the rains and prosperity of the region where they reside. Nagas often marry humans and the Khmers claim they are descended from a union of a foreigner and the daughter of the Naga king. The Khmer’s obsession with the Naga is reflected in its omnipresence at the temples of Angkor, the largest being the balustrades that flank the causeways to Angkor Wat, Preah Khan, Angkor Wat and in from of the gates to Angkor Thom. The Naga can also famously be seen in carvings shielding Buddha from the rains so that he can continue meditating.