Police
The world's largest Hindu temple complex (and the largest religious monument) is:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — Angkor Wat
Detailed Solution
Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, is the largest religious monument in the world and was originally built as a Hindu temple.
About Angkor Wat:
- It is located near the city of Siem Reap, in north-western Cambodia.
- It was built in the early 12th century (about 1113-1150 CE) by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire.
It was originally dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Towards the end of the 12th century, it gradually became a Buddhist temple, and it is still used for Buddhist worship.
It covers an area of about 162 hectares (about 400 acres) and is surrounded by a moat about 190 metres wide.
Its name means "City of Temples" or "Temple City" ("Angkor" = city, "Wat" = temple).
It represents "Mount Meru", the home of the gods in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. Its five central towers represent the five peaks of Meru.
It faces west, unlike most Khmer temples, which may be linked to Vishnu or to its use as a funerary temple.
Its walls have long bas-relief carvings showing scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the "Churning of the Ocean of Milk" (Samudra Manthan), as well as the life of the king.
It is a symbol of Cambodia and appears on its national flag; it is the only building to appear on a national flag.
The "Angkor" archaeological park, including Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1992).
India's role:
- The Archaeological Survey of India helped restore Angkor Wat from 1986 to 1993, and later worked on the Ta Prohm temple.
- Indian culture influenced the Khmer Empire through trade and religion; Sanskrit was used in inscriptions.
Other large Hindu temples:
- Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (Tamil Nadu): often called the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, covering about 156 acres.
- Akshardham Temple (New Delhi and Robbinsville, USA).
- Prambanan Temple (Java, Indonesia): a 9th-century Hindu temple complex dedicated to the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva); a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Borobudur (Java, Indonesia): the largest Buddhist temple in the world.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Srirangam is the largest functioning Hindu temple in India, but Angkor Wat is larger.
- ✗Akshardham is a large modern temple.
- ✗Prambanan is a large Hindu temple complex in Indonesia.
Quick tip
Remember: largest Hindu temple / religious monument = Angkor Wat, Cambodia (12th century; Suryavarman II; Vishnu, later Buddhist; on Cambodia's flag; restored by ASI 1986-93); largest functioning Hindu temple = Srirangam; Prambanan = Indonesia.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers world GK: countries with their capitals, currencies and parliaments, national symbols, famous landmarks, the longest, largest and highest features of the world, and international boundary lines such as the Radcliffe, McMahon and Durand Lines. The most common questions match a country with its capital or currency, or a parliament with its name (such as the Knesset of Israel or the Diet of Japan). Revise countries continent by continent, giving extra attention to India's neighbours. Questions on boundary lines usually ask which two countries a line separates. Practise the world GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.