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| The original statue of Ta Dambang Kranhoung prior to 1975 |
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| Statue of Ta Dambong Kranhoung, the founder of Battambang. |
Shared by S K MONOHA of Cambodia, France
During the pre-Angkor and Angkor eras, the areas to the north and to the north west of the Tonle Sap Lake were known as the territories of Amogha Boreak and Bhima Boreak. During the Angkor period, the territory of Amogha Boreak was significantly prosperous because the land was so fertile that rice crops, fruit and vegetables produced excellent yields. Many Khmer people settled there as indicated by the existence of so many ancient temples in the area. With the exception of the temples of Wat Banon, Ek Phnom, Baseth, Stung, Banteay Tey, Banteay Chmar, etc,other monuments, which were built by dignitaries and subjects at the time as places of worship to God and other deities of Buddhism and Hinduism, almost completely disappeared.
Between the 15th century and the 18th century the area was invaded by the Siamese army, forcing landowners off their land and splitting up their families.
From the late 18th century until early in the 20th century, the Siamese ruled Battambang and placed it under the rule of the Lord Chaofa Ben family, which was later known as the Aphaiwong Family. This lasted for 6 generations and ended in 1907. While under Thai rule, the province was a changwat of Thailand called Phra Tabong (a sacred stick).
Battambang ferry
The French Siamese Treaty of March 23, 1907, obliged the Siamese to return territories that they had occupied for more than a century. These included Battambang, Siem Reap and Angkor, in exchange for Trat province and the area of Dach Se (Lao territory) in the upper catchment area of the Mekong River. On December 6 1907, His Majesty Preah Bat Sisowath issued a royal declaration splitting Battambang into 3 provinces: Battambang, Siem Reap and Serei Sophorn. In 1925, Battambang was divided again into two provinces: Battambang and Siem Reap, with Battambang having two districts: Battambang and Serei Sophorn. By 1940, Battambang consisted of 7 districts: Battambang, Sangke, Maung Russey, Monkol Borei, Toeuk Cho, Serei Sophorn, and Bei Thbaung.
In May 1953, the Poi Pet administration was founded and ordered under the district of Serei Sophorn which was divided into two districts: Serei Sophorn and Banteay Chmar. In March 1965, the administration of Poi Pet, was elevated to the status of a district named O Chrov. In July 1965, part of the territory of Maung Russey was separated to become the administration of Kors Kralor. In March 1966, another new district Thmar Pouk was founded and the district of Banteay Chmar was cut off from the province of Battambang for incorporation into Oddor Meanchey province, another newly founded province. In the early years of the Khmer Rouge, two new districts were established: Banan and Kors Lor. During the 3 years and 9 months of the Killing Fields, Battambang saw its people evacuated by Pol Pot's men from the city and towns and relocated to remote and mountainous areas. The province of Battambang, once known as the rice bowl of the country, was turned into a site of torture, killings, and starvation.
The province of Battambang was completely liberated from the genocidal regime on January 13, 1979. At that time, the People’s Committee of commune-Sangkat was founded through the first-ever elections in 1983. Between 1979 and 1986, Battambang had 9 districts and one provincial town.
In 1986, three new districts were created: Banan, Bovel, and Ek Phnom. Until that point, Battambang had 12 districts and 1 provincial town. In 1988, however 5 districts were separated and incorporated into the newly founded province of Banteay Meanchey.
In 1998, following the integration of the remaining territory of the former Democratic Kampuchea, the province of Battambang saw part of its territory separated for the municipality of Pailin, while 4 new districts were established: Samlot, Kamreang, Phnom Proeuk and Sampov Loun. In 2000, part of the district of Maung Russey was split off to become the district of Koas Krolor.
6 comments:
The older Statute is an original Khmer and nicer than the new one.
I think the two statues of Lord Kranhoung was/is representation of rule, force, authoritarian and absolute power. It should be replaced by something lovely, pleasant, and welcomed, or positive image of the town. Since history, the Khmer subjects lived their lives like slaves to those lords.
As a native of Battambang myself, I don't feel of be confronting with an menacing image once I return back to the town.
The history of my town makes me suffer already just to retell them to my son about Aphaiwong family and those dictator lord who ruled ruthlessly over their slave-like subjects.
Hinduism sucked. The kings and his court ruled with glory over their just-the-number slave-like subjects. We'd better introduce Greek philosophy of politics and life. That man are created equal. Even the slaves were well-treated by their master in the ancient Greek society.
Wake up! The glory of Angkor was just the suffering of the commoners who were forced or conscripted to build them for the gods of the kings and nothing else. We are not even sure that they exist!
if one wants to understand more about the difference between the so-called eastern civilization and western civilization like that of the greek, etc, study in school, especially western colleges and universities, they teach you there. it's interesting you brought up the greek civilization. in the western civilization, there were, too, slavery, etc; however, the difference between the greek and probably that of angkor or khmer civilization was that in greek way they worship nature, i.e. reality, their philosophy, belief, etc were based on the reality of humann life, not much myth or spiritual worship, but reality or real thing. i, too, always like to learn about western civilization. of course, it is good to learn about the eastern civilization as well so we can understand humanity from all parts of the world. history is interesting subject! keep reading on it, really!
artwise, i like the original statue more! it looks better than the new statue.
3:56 PM
And of cause, Siem will deny everything about the Khmer civilization, they also believe that Ankor Wat belongs to them, even naming it Nakorn Wat.
In Comparison to the Greek and to the Khmer Civilization, Greek were almost as brutal as the Mongolian Empire. They killed those that do not believe in gods, they believes in the killings of all slaves if one slaves misbehave, they believe in strong seeds, if the babies were seen as weak, they would be left out in the street to die, they also believe that gay sex is a luxurious happy time only for the high class families.
Speaking of sex, Bun Rany is a fat Pig, one wonder, if Hun Sen likes to indulged himself in gay sex with Chea Sim then to breed with a pig.
Greek democracy was based on slavery in ancient times, if you care to read properly.
But in the end it was slavery that advanced human rights, democracy, and freedom in the West.But in Cambodian history, people were/are basically slaves - as if, if not exactly.
Knhom(I) - Slave: why did we use the same word for the pronoun - I and Slave ( Khnom)?
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