Preah Khan Temple Mystery Door of Legends

By Kent Davis for Devata.org
Originally posted at: http://www.devata.org/2012/07/preah-khan-temple-mystery-door-of-legends/

Preah Khan, Cambodia – Hidden in the jungle north of Angkor lay the ruins of Preah Khan. In 1,191 AD, King Jayavarman VII and Queen Indradevi consecrated the royal temple to commemorate a victory over an invading army at that very spot. The temple included a huge Buddhist university and more than 100,000 people reputedly worked and studied there. We will never know the curriculum taught but a mysterious door frame hints at some ancient tales that must have been familiar to students at the time.

Photographer Jaro Poncar ponders the mystery door at Preah Khan. To see his extraordinary images of Angkor visit www.poncar.de

Classic Cambodian Legends

“Tales of the Hare”

The Khmer people have always maintained a rich oral tradition of myths, legends and folklore. Technically, “myths” are fantastic tales of imagination while “legends” have some basis in real people, places and events…although the tales may become exaggerated or distorted over time (see this page for a comparison of these concepts).

In recent years, I’ve been working on a series of books relating folktales of Southeast Asia. The first in print, by Chhany Sak Humphry, is a bi-lingual (Khmer and English) collection, Tales of the Hare – 27 Classic Folktales of Cambodia.

In 2012, DatAsia Press will release scholar Solang Uk’s first English translation of G. H. Monod’s collection of Cambodian legends gathered in the early 20th century under the title “Women’s Wiles“. Also in final preparation is a collection of tales from Northeastern Thailand called, “The Naga Prince“, collected by Kermit Krueger while teaching in Mahasarakham in 1963.

Bayang Kor Mountain - A Khmer legend in Khmer and English

Phnom Bayong has a small temple perched on its hilltop, but is primarily noted for its outstanding views. After a two hour hike to reach the top, you can see into Vietnam across the Mekong River Delta.

Phnom Bayang is located in Por Rorng village, Preah Bat Choan Chum commune, Kirivong district, about 43 kilometers south of Takeo provincial town or about 121 kilometers south of Phnom Penh. From Phnom Penh, take National Road 2 via Bati, Sam Rong, Daun Keo and Trang districts.

Bayang temple was built between AD 615 and 635 by King Pavavarman II on the top of Phnom Bayong, a 313-meterhigh mountain. Its diameter is 13 meters by 9 meters and it is 12 meters high. Constructed of laterite, brick and other stones, it is heavily damaged. Pieces of the temple litter the ground; the roof has collapsed, and the laterite rampart has been damaged.Bayang temple is a historical site that attracts both foreigners and Cambodians doing research about their ancestors. The road to the mountain, however, is old and difficult to access in the thick forest. The temple is reachable by climbing 390 steps. In addition to Bayang, there are four other temples on the mountain-Preah Kor temple, North Kanang temple, East Kanang temple and Kampoul Kanang temple. All are for Brahman worship and contain a Silva lingam.

Visitors to the site will come to understand how Cambodian history and culture was influenced by the outside world. Because without access to the mountain, however, the only people who will visit the site are researchers studying Cambodian history. In Kirivong District, there is a stream, Pha Oak, which flows 1,000 meters from its source to where people congregate to swim or bathe. The stream is 6 meters wide during the rainy season and 2 meters wide during the dry season. The sound of the water falling from the mountaintop is almost musical, and the scenery is beautiful.

https://www.box.com/s/291d9452b48ddec9be9b

Dinosaurs (stegosaur​us) at Ta Prohm Temple, Siem Reap, Angkor?

This is a carving on the Ta Prohm Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Is this dinosaur (stegosaurus) or a rhinoceros? I think it is a stegosaurus which roamed the world some 5-7 millions years ago. Did the khmer imagine the creatures.

Bora

Stegosaurus

Vandalism at Phnom Roung Temple

Countrywide, vandals damage ancient monuments

May 20, 2008
By Bangkok Post Reporters

Ancient statues at the Phanom Rung stone temple ruins in Buri Ram have been badly damaged and the Shiva Linga stone has been moved off its plinth.

Dusit Thummaporn, chief of the Phanom Rung Historical Park in Chalerm Phrakiat district, said the heads of eleven statues of Nagas, mythical serpent-like animals, at the stairs to the ancient temple had been broken off.

The statue of the sacred cow of the Hindu god Shiva, two statues of Singha, a mythical lion-like beast, and the statue of the guardian deity at the entrance were also damaged.

In addition, the Shiva Linga stone, a symbol of Shiva, was moved off its plinth and placed in the middle of the main building of the temple. A glass of water and three cigarettes were found at the Naga stairs.

Deputy provincial police chief Wichai Sangprapai said the vandalism may be linked to conflicts among people looking after the ancient site. It could also be the work of mentally disturbed people or those who were disgruntled because they were not allowed to use the ancient site to perform rituals to bless Jatukarm amulets, Pol Col Wichai said.

Meanwhile, in Rayong's Klaeng district, the sculptured flute missing from the Phra Apaimanee statue was found at a rubbish dump yesterday. The flute disappeared in the early hours of Monday, causing outrage among locals.

The statue is in the memorial park built in honour of Sunthorn Phu (1786-1855), Thailand's great poet, who was declared a world poet by the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in 1986.

Phra Apaimanee is a character from one of Sunthorn Phu's literary works, also titled Phra Apaimanee.

Klaeng district is believed to be the birthplace of Sunthorn Phu. A monument to the poet, along with statues of characters from his works, was erected there.

Ban Kram police station chief Pol LtCol Surapong Muenpaopong said the replica flute was in safe-keeping at the police station.

Witnesses said they saw two people riding a motorcycle around the memorial park before the flute disappeared.

In Ayutthaya, governor Preecha Kamolbutr feared that the thefts of ancient items in the province could affect the reputation of Thailand's old capital.

Rampant theft has triggered concern that Unesco may consider delisting Ayutthaya as a world heritage site.

Mr Preecha said the thieves were not average gangsters but ‘‘professionals'' skilled in stealing precious items and might have been paid to steal the artifacts.

It is a top priority for all agencies and local people to work together to combat the thieves, the governor said.

An urgent meeting would be held to work out measures to protect the ancient artifacts, he said.

Some details of the vandalism in Khmer Temple Phnom Roung in Buriram, Thailand

Superstition reigns

May 21, 2008
By Daily Xpress (Thailand)

Vandals destroy artefacts during raid to perform a superstitious ritual at Phanom Rung castle

Vandals invaded the historic Phanom Rung castle in Buri Ram early yesterday, destroyed a number of artefacts and mysteriously relocated a phallus in what looked like a superstitious ritual.

The phallus was moved one metre from its base and turned to face in a different direction. The mouths of 11 Naga King figures, two lion figures, and two hands of a guardian angel figure were damaged.

Strange spirituality

The vandals apparently performed some kind of a ritual inside the temple, but no other items were stolen, said culture office chief Somphong Wiriyakaru.

Candles and joss sticks were lit and left in the castle's main chamber, in addition to cigarette butts and plastic glasses. Phanom Rung historic park chief Dusit Thummaphorn said the damage resulted in some monetary loss, but the loss was tremendous in terms of historic value.

He said later that only two unspecified genuine artefacts were damaged, while the rest were replicas.

Dusit said the area had often been used by people who had their amulets or holy items "re-blessed" in various ceremonies, until he banned all rituals from being performed in the park site last October.

The ritual appeared to be a rite to apologise to the temple before the destruction began, although no one has specified a motive for the attack.

The genuine artefacts that were destroyed would be remoulded, Dusit said, adding the mouths on the figures were damaged because they were easy targets.

Various suspects

Muang Buri Ram police chief Pol Colonel Wichai Sangpraphai said the vandalism could have been due to internal conflicts within the historical park's organisation, from acts of mentally ill people, or by people who had lost benefit from the rituals being banned.

He specified a group of people who were banned from blessing the once popular Jatukham Ramathep amulets as prime suspects.

XTRA

Rich history

>> The Phanom Rung castle was built in the 15th [KI-Media: the actual date was 12th century] century by Hindu priests.

>> It was turned into a Buddhist shrine 300 hundred years later by King Jayavarman VII (1181-1206), who converted to Buddhism.

>> The castle, whose name means 'a large hill', was made from pink sandstone and stands 1,320 metres above sea level.