Harvard Club of New Mexico

Borodudur and Angkor Wat: Cosmic Temples

August 26th, 5:30 pm Lecture for AIA

 
Borobudur and Angkor Wat: Cosmic Temples By Diana McDonald & Rebecca Black.

The legendary temple of Borobudur, on a sacred Plain on the island of Java, is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and a marvel of narrative stone sculpture. Dr. McDonald, who lived on Java, will recount the cosmological significance of Borobudur, which was a walking pilgrimage site for centuries, attracting those seeking enlightenment. Narrative panels depict scenes of Javanese life, stories about Karmic law, and the life of Buddha, while the statues of Buddha at the top represent some of the finest Javanese sculptures.

Five centuries after Borobudur was completed, a Khmer king built Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world by land area, in what is today Siem Reap, Cambodia. The temple, devoted to the Hindu god Vishnu, was built to symbolize Mount Mehru, home of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, with five top sanctuaries and surrounding moats representing the cosmic oceans. Rebecca Black, former Senior Foreign Officer with USAID, who served in Cambodia, visited Angkor Wat a dozen times as well as other significant temples around the country, will use current photos of Angkor Wat and surrounding monuments to discuss architectural details and history.

Please click here to register.