Khmer History, Mythology, Gods, Deities and Information

ANGKOR– Plain of Capitals.

Jayavarman II threw off the yoke of Java, founded four capitals and united Kambuja, celebrating a magnificent coronation in 802. The four capitals he founded were: Indrapura in the middle Mekong area (some believe it was located at Kompong Cham, others at Banteay Prei Nokor); Haiharalaya on the Angkor plain (now Roluos, in the seventh century worship of Harihara, a divine form incorporating both Shiva and Vishnu, became widespread), which was to become the heart of the Khme rEmpire; Amarendrapura, possibly centred around the mountain temple of Ak Yum, a settlement that existed as early as the sixth century and is now partly covered by the west baray, one of the great Angkor reservoirs; and Mahendrapura on Mount Mahendraparvata, now Phnom Kulen (from where much of the sandstone that built the temples came, and where our sandstone still does today).

Shivakaivalya, a member of a family of Brahmans from Aninditapura, celebrated Janapada, the magnificent consecration of Jayavarman, on this mountain which has been sacred since time immemorial. On this occasion a linga (the phallic stone representing the god Shiva) was, no pun intended, erected and the cult of the devaraja (god-king, the celestial counterpart of the earthly sovereign, was inaugurated. Just as Shiva was absolute lord among the gods, so the Khmer king dominated all other monarchs and was the sole ruler of the kingdom. Jayavarman II returned to Hariharalaya, where in 850 he died and was given the posthumous name of Parameshvara. The Khmer Empire was underway…..