Temples across Cambodia feel like living storybooks, where Hindu and Buddhist worlds intertwine in the most graceful dance. Strolling through an Angkor-era sanctuary or a village pagoda, a few faces from the Hindu pantheon always stand watch alongside the Buddha.

Shiva often takes center stage, his cosmic dance carved into lintels or honored at shrine corners. His presence reminds worshippers of both creation and destruction—cycles that Buddhists and Brahmans alike have pondered for centuries. Vishnu, too, enjoys a VIP pass in these sacred spaces. Angkor Wat itself began life as a grand Vishnu temple before evolving into a Buddhist holy site, and his avatars—Krishna and Rama—slip into reliefs as storytellers of duty and devotion.

Ganesha, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles, pops up at nearly every entrance. It’s hard to find a pagoda without an embossed Ganesha at the threshold, inviting good luck and smooth journeys, whether someone’s heading off to market or embarking on meditation practice. Brahma, though less flashy, quietly presides over creation at small altars, often paired with Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom—an elegant nod to the scholarly side of monastic life.

Indra, once king of the gods and patron of rain, still gets his share of incense sticks, especially during the rainy season when farmers pray for good monsoons. Even lesser-known deities like Kubera, guardian of wealth, receive offerings in hopes of prosperity, while the war god Skanda stands ready to protect.

This seamless blend of divinities isn’t just history on a stone wall. Modern festivals—like the latest Angkor Photo Festival or village celebrations during Pchum Ben—see devotees lighting candles at multi-deity Altars, a vibrant reminder that spiritual borders here are as fluid as the Mekong River. Ancient and contemporary, Hindu and Buddhist, all converge beneath the same ornate roofs, celebrating a harmony that’s very much alive today.