[Talk] A Monkey, a Crocodile, and a Snake – Unfamiliar Portrayals in Familiar Narratives in the Angkor Area

Readers in Mumbai may be interested in this talk by Dr. Vasudha Narayanan on animal iconography in Angkor at the CSMVS, Mumbai on 5 June 2024.

The iconographic programs in temples during the Angkorian period in the Khmer Empire stay close to narratives from the Sanskrit Epics and Puranas and we can recognise many of the incidents. But there are also several carvings that are unusual, and one cannot decipher them easily. In this talk, we will focus on four such instances that showcase the unique flavour of Khmer art as well as the agency of the people in the Khmer Empire in depicting stories not seen in Indian temples. Examples include a gigantic monkey helping the devas in the churning of the ocean of milk carving in Angkor Wat, which, at 49 meters, is said to be the largest bas-relief in the world, as well as a crocodile-like carving on top of an eight-armed Vishnu in Prasat Kravan (10th cen.).

We will look at the sources for these stories and the lesser known sources from which the Khmer people draw their inspiration.

Source: A Monkey, a Crocodile, and a Snake – CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ VASTU SANGRAHALAYA