Neang Kmao Temple ( part 1)

About Neang Kmao temple
If we make a journey from Phnom Penh to Takeo Province, getting into Rovieng commune of Samrong district, we will find an ancient temple on the left side of street in the east. This temple is called Wat Prossat Neang Kmao. This pagoda is named on the basic of two temples situated close to each other, called Prasat Neang Kmao in the west of the Buddhist temple, right at the west entrance of pagoda. These two temples were made of tones and bricks, in the size of 4 square meters and 10 meters high with the narrow top of its lofty tower. The tale related to this temple is as the following:

The Story of Neang Kmao temple
A long time ago, there was a king named King Sorya Tevong, stayed in Chiso Mountain. The king built five temples with four ponds ducg at tall directions of the temples. King sorya Tevong had a daughter named Neang Kmao. The distance from top to the foot of the mountain was 700 meters and there were four rivers at the four directions. Tonle Om, Tonle Sngout, Tonle Sdok and Tonle Protron, where king Sorya Tevong always visited. When his daughter grew up at the age of 16 years, she was the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom.

 One Day, the princess wished to enjoy at Tonle Proton, she went to salute her father for the permission. The king permitted and ordered the royal servants to accompany her in the afternoon. Meanwhile, there was a man named Pundit Srey who had just resigned from the monkhood. He was a very handsome man with knowledge of magic.  He resided in a village in the west of Chiso Mountain near a route to Tonle Proton. With his boredom, Pundit Srey went for a walk near the route. He saw princess with her companions coming down the mountain and instantly fell in love with the princess at the first sight. Pundit Srey thought: “Today I am very lucky to see a perfect lady. But I am a son of poor family; how can I marry her. She doesn’t match me, since she’s not an ordinary citizen and she is the princess of King Sorya Tevong. What shall I do?”
 

The more Pundit thought, the more he loved the princess. He thought to himself,” if I ask her to marry me according to the law and tradition, surely, it won’t be appropriate. It’ll be my misbehavior, thus the king must punish me to death.”  His love to her was growing too much, so he decided, “although he king punish me, I would rather die for her.” By thinking so, he recalled the magic skills he had studied. He picked a leaf and rolled it. He recited the magic and blew it to make beautiful sound and then he climbed up a tree to blow it in order to make the sound louder. This charming sound attracted the heart of Princess Neang Kmao. She became confounded for a while, then she woke up and thought, “I’m a daughter of the king. I always listen to music every day, but no sound of music has made me very shocked as this does.” She could not help her temptation and lost her tongue, “Gee, what a sound! I must seek and see who’s blowing so beautifully.” Then she went to look for the sound alone. When she saw the beauty of Pundit Srey, the prince loved him stronger. They chatted in the way that a maiden and a young fellow love each other. Then they both promised to meet again and then were separated. ( read part 2)

Prohm Kil Temple ( The End)

Part 1, Part 2  He unpacked the food package the horse owner asked to keep and smelled deliciously of the food. Appetizing and uncontrollable, Prohm Kil ate it until he was full up.

Waiting for the horse owner and not seeing him return, Prohm Kil decided to unpack the bag. When he found the clothe in the bag that the old man kept with him, Prohm Kil thought of trying them on to see whether or not they suited him because from he was born till then, he had never worn any nice clothes. Then he tried on the clothes. 

Seeing that he had good appearance, Prohm Kil thought that he wanted to try riding that white horse.

When Prohm Kil was getting the horse to be calm, it did not really buck at all. Instead, it kindly let him ride on its back as he wanted. No sooner did he put one of his legs on its back then the horse suddently flew forward and that wood was name Prey Somrach (successful wood) because Prohm Kil could ride the horse. The horse flew around Angkor Thom Temple, the capital city of King Dombang Kranhoung.

King Dambang Kranhoung was furious. “Who dare ride the horse flying over my temple,” said the king angrily. Infuriated, the king took his rosewood bar ( Dambang Kranhoung) of great power to throw to the fortunate person, Prohm Kil, but missed him.  The bar went away into the forest and after then the forest was call prey Battambang (the lost bar forest) and up to now this forest has become a city, known as Krong Banttambang.

Realized that he lost his magic power due to the loss of his great magic bar, The King Dambang krranhoung fled to Lao ( the neighboring country of Cambodia).  The fortunate person, Prohm Kil was crowned the king after King Dambang Krohnoung name named King sinthpor Anouk Reach ( Prohm Kil) and during the period of his ruling, he made change on Khmer flag. He put the picture of  a white horse on the new flag to pay his gratitude to the white horse for throne and the victory over King Dambang Krohnoung.  

 

He was a powerful traveler who gained the throne from his father. He built the temple for the memory where the old man kept the white horse with him, called Prohm Kil Temple. And his name was been called so until now. It is the small temple near the riverside as it has been told. The end 

Prohm Kil Temple ( Part 2)

( Read Part 1) One day King Dambang Kranhoung found another remarkable event at midnight: he saw a star shining near the moon and making the moonlight dimmer in the sky. 

The king ordered the astrologist to predict the first event again. The astrologist took out his board, numbered on it and predicted that “ the fortune person was born and had more power than Your Majesty. Next seven days, he will ride a white power horse flying from Northeast and become the King in the kingdom.” 

Immediately after hearing the prediction, King Dambang Kranhoung replied, “No. I won’t give up my throne, I fight against him to see who I more powerful. If I lose, I’ll let him occupy my throne.” 

 

When the people in the kingdom heard that a fortune person would appear and arrive on his white house next seven days, they were crowded at Angkor Royal Palace. 

Prom Kel was among the people. He hurriedly went to the monk chief who was his foster father, asking to see the fortune person.” Of course/” the monk agreed and smiled. “I wish you good luck and happiness,” he blessed. 

Everyone  was briskly walking ahead except for Prom kil, 

who was bravely struggling to move on his buttock but could not catch up the people.

Exhausted, Prohm Kil rested under a tree near the riverside in the middle of the quiet wood. At that time, an old man leading a white horse, his shoulder carrying a food package, water container, and packed bag of clothing, walked toward Prohm kil. “Grandson!” said the old man. Can I keep my luggage with you; I have something to do in the wood for a moment,” he requested. Prohm kil agreed with the old man and said, “How can I took after your horse with my withered limbs.” The old man replied, “Grandson, let me tie the horse to your arm.” Prohm Kil consented to the request and allowed the old man to tie the horse to his right arm. Then the white horse owner walked into forest and disappeared. 

After the old man left, the white horse walks up and down around the Prohm Kil. A moment later the horse neighed and pulled at full strength, Prohm Kil’s right arm stretching. “My right arm become unfolded now,” he thought, “so I should tie this string to the other arm.” He untied the string on the right arm and used it on the left arm. The left arm was unfolded and become bendable. After that he used the string on his both legs; his legs was straightened and stretched. ( Read the ending part)