Syukran Muhaiyuddin: What is Wat??

What is wat?? Wat is a monestry temple that usually found in Combodia, Thailand or Laos. It is most common reffered as "vat" in Laos which mens 'school'. It is said that a "Wat" is the Buddhist sacred place that was surrounded with monks' quarters. The buddhist site with more than three resident monks can be correctly derscribed as a wat. (As a transitive or intransitive verb, wat means to measure, to take measurements; compare templum, from which temple derives, having the same root as template.)

In Combodia. a wat is used to refer all kinds of places of worship (Generally refers to Buddhist place).

In everyday language in Thailand, a wat is any place of worship except a mosque

Example of Wat

Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Combodia, built in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation — first Hindu dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building.The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer Architecture. It has become a symbol of Combodia, appearing on its national flag and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture. its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word នគរ nokor which comes from the Sanskrit word नगर nagara meaning capital or city. Wat is the Khmer word for temple. Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok, after the posthumous title of its founder, Suryavarman II (source is taken from wiki)