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Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday visited the Angkor Wat temple and the adjoining Ta Prohm temple, which would be restored by the Archaeological Survey of India next year.
The 12th century Angkor Wat temple, built over a period of 37 years during the regime of Cambodian King Suryavarman II, marks the culmination of the Khmer architectural and sculptural wealth portraying Indian mythological traditions in local milieu.
Conflicting accounts exist on whether the Angkor Wat temple, which now is a Buddhist place of worship, was initially dedicated by King Suryavarman II to Lord Vishnu, a huge statue of whose still exists in the complex.
The ASI had renovated the Angkor Wat temple between 1986 and 1993, giving a major boost to tourism in Cambodia, the mainstay of the country's economy.
The renovation of Ta Prohm, famous for the huge trees which have been in the temple complex for over 1000 years, would take 10-12 years and about Rs 250 million.
Vajpayee later left for home winding up his five-day visit to Singapore and Cambodia.
In Cambodia, three accords were initialled, including one on air services sector. The two sides also decided to give visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders.
PTI
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