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)