Nāga - the Seven-Headed Serpent

The Seven-Headed Nāga is a legendary reptilian race of beings in Cambodia who possessed a large empire or kingdom in the Pacific Ocean region.

The Nāga King's daughter married an Indian Brahmana named Kaundinya, and from their union sprang the Cambodian people.

Nāgas plays a particularly important role in Cambodian mythology which includes the emergence of the name "Cambodia".

Thus the Cambodians - Khmer were said to be "Born from the Nāga". (Photo courtesy of multiply.com)

The Seven-Headed Nāga appears frequently in Cambodian temples, such as in Angkor Wat. (Photo courtesy of Poorfish, Flickr)

The Seven-Headed Nāga represents the seven races within Nāga society and symbolizes "the seven colors of the rainbow".

It was suggested that "the Cambodian myth is a basis for the legend of "Phra Daeng Nang Ai", in which a woman who has lived many previous lives in the region is reincarnated as a daughter of Phraya Khom (Thai for Cambodian) and causes the death of her companion in former lives who has been reincarnated as a prince of the Nāgas. This leads to war between the "spirits of the air" and the Nāgas: Nāgas amok are rivers in spate, and the entire region is flooded. The Myth of the Toad King tells how introduction of Buddhist teachings led to war with the sky deity Phaya Thaen, and ended in a truce with nāgas posted as guardians of entrances to temples." (Courtesy of Wikipedia.org / Serpent_symbolism)

Nowadays besides the temples, Nāgas also appear in museums and many public and commercial buildings.