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First Post
2 days ago
- First Post
Beyond the war: Cambodia's hidden Hindu heritage
Turf wars about monuments are not uncommon. But these usually happen when a monument collapses out of lack of upkeep and various departments and entities accuse each other of neglecting the monument. However, a corner of South-East Asia is witnessing the perhaps unprecedented scenario of two sovereign nations coming close to all-out war over control of some monuments and its surroundings. While the Preah Vihear Temple has long been contested between Cambodia and Thailand, the recent conflict has been centred around control and ownership of the Ta Muen Thom Temple. The temple complexes, which lie on the border between the two countries, are the victims of disputes arising from a colonial era border demarcation and a reluctance to accept this border in modern times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The temples at Preah Ko, part of the Roluos group Tension simmering for years has exploded now with shots fired and worse. Rocket-propelled grenades and even air forces have come into play. Amidst all this, if you are planning to visit Cambodia, there is plenty beyond the Angkor that can be explored. And none of it is controversial, never mind conflicts. Roluos (20 kms south-east of Angkor Wat): The place was once called Hariharalaya. At the end of the 8th century CE, Jayavarman II established the first Khmer capital here. His successors expanded the city and built the lofty shrine called Bakong as well as the smaller Preah Ko, which means 'sacred bull' – a reference to Nandi. Towards the end of the 9th century came Lolei, a temple whose name is said to be a mutation of Hariharalaya itself. It was built on an artificial island in the Indratataka Baray, a water body. The Temple Mountain of Bakong at Roulos. Source: Wikipedia Coming centuries before the globally celebrated Angkor Wat, these examples of early Khmer architecture are a joy to visit. And not just because they are away from the crowds that fill the Angkor and its immediate vicinity. Built mostly with bricks, the Lolei temples are the oldest examples of classical Khmer design. The Preah Ko comprises six shrines standing on a sandstone platform, in two uniform rows. The front row shrines are dedicated to Khmer rulers Prithivindreshvara, Jayavarman II and Rudreshvara, while the back row is in the memory of their respective wives. The carvings on the shrines are intricate and need careful examination. The sandstone shrine of Bakong was the first of the pyramid shaped temples of the Khmers. In some ways, it resembles Borobudur, the giant Buddhist shrine on the island of Java. As per an inscription found here, it was consecrated in 881 CE by the ruler Indravarman I as his state temple. This was a Shiva shrine named Indresvara, the name combining the ruler's identity with that of the God. With a moat as its boundary, the shrine is a vast complex with more than twenty satellite temples in its precincts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Banteay Srei (37 kms north of Angkor Wat): Its name literally meaning 'citadel of women' and figuratively referring to 'citadel of beauty', the Banteay Srei temple lives up to its name being an elegant and somewhat fragile looking temple complex with a water body in front. This is the only temple complex in Cambodia which did not have a ruler as its patron builder, but two courtiers of King Rajendravarman II. A temple inside the Banteay Srei complex Originally built in the latter half of the 10th century CE, the temples saw further expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries CE, with the last inscription found here dating to 1303 CE i.e. the early 14th century. Made of red sandstone, the temple's material was very amenable to rich carving. The result was a vast array of divine icons carved throughout its structure amidst floral patterns. Primarily a Shiva shrine, it also has Vishnu iconography within. The idyllic setting of the Banteay Srei complex Sadly, this extensive iconography meant that the temple complex drew looters and vandals in hordes. The most notorious incident was the theft of four icons by a Frenchman called Georges André Malraux. He was arrested and the idols recovered. That fact that he went on to become a respected author and 'intellectual' shows the state of justice. As has been the fate of many heritage sites in countries that were colonised, many icons and parts of the complex are in the Guimet Museum in Paris. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In its prime, the temple complex had a settlement called Ishvarapura around it. Nothing of this remains. The temple complex itself comprises three concentric rectangular enclosures. Within it lie various shrines, gopuras or gateways and structures popularly termed libraries. Kbal Spean (43 kms north of Angkor Wat): Sometimes called 'Valley of a Thousand Lingas', Kbal Spean is one of Cambodia's most visually striking sites. The place lies in the western part of the Kulein mountains. To reach, a visitor walks through a forest path, up a hill, for nearly two kilometres. And then arrives at a river whose bed is like no other! The Stung Kbal Spean River flows here, later merging into the Siem Reap River before its waters reach the Tonle Sap Lake. At Kbal Spean, leveraging sandstone rocks the river passes over, a stretch of about 200 metres of the riverbed has been extensively carved. The patron of this carving was a minister of the Khmer ruler in the 11th century CE, who created a thousand Shiva lingas on the riverbed. Close by are other carvings believed to have been done by hermits who dwelt here – carvings of Brahma, Vishnu atop his celestial serpent, Shiva-Parvati and others. Their intricacy is breath-taking. On one icon of Vishnu lying on Sheshnag, a lotus flower emerges from his navel and has a Brahma carving touching it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A reclining Vishnu icon at Kbal Spean The elaborate carving at Kbal Spean is no mere embellishment, but had a spiritual meaning attached. The Khmers believed that the water flowing into the Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor had been blessed by touching the sacred carvings at Kbal Spean. It is also mentioned that in 1059 CE King Udayadityavarman II consecrated a golden Shiva linga here. Given how much Cambodia has lost in terms of antiquities being looted, perhaps it is a blessing that the Kbal Spean carvings are on a riverbed, else they too could have ended up in a European museum. The list of Cambodia's less-known heritage nuggets can be a long one. The region has emerged from decades of horrific conflict and welcomed visitors. More and more stunning heritage seems to be emerging from the countryside. One hopes that both Cambodia and Thailand can resolve their differences and the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temple complexes can also be visited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
The Preah Vihear temple: understanding Thai-Cambodia conflicts over an 11th-century Hindu temple
On May 28, a deadly clash erupted along the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia, claiming the life of at least one Cambodian soldier. In the aftermath, both nations have agreed to withdraw troops to previously agreed positions in an attempt to de-escalate tensions. Although the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has persisted for decades, it seldom receives international attention. At the heart of this dispute lies the ancient Shiva temple of Preah Vihear. Despite a 1962 intervention by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the temple territory remains a point of contention. What is the history of the temple and to which country does it belong? Thai-Cambodian relations have long been marked by deep-seated resentment and mutual prejudice. At the heart of this tension lies the site of the Preah Vihear temple, known in Thai as Phra Wihan. Thailand and Cambodia share an 800-km-long border. Historically, scholars argue, the Siamese (a native of Siam, now Thailand) and the Khmers (members of an aboriginal people of Cambodia) had cordial relations marked by trade, intermarriage and cultural exchange. In fact, the Siamese looked up to their Khmer neighbours. Around the 1400s, however, the tide shifted when the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya took advantage of a weakening Khmer empire and captured its capital, Angkor. In response, the Khmers attacked Siam from the east. The skirmishes continued till the late 16th century when King Naresusan, the ruler of Ayutthaya, kidnapped and beheaded Phraya Lovek, the ruler of the Khmer kingdom. At the time, Cambodia was caught between two rebellious powers—Thailand and Vietnam. With the advent of European colonial powers, Cambodia became part of French Indochina. The Siamese-Cambodian border was formally demarcated, as shown in a 1904 map, placing the Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian side. Charnvit Kasetsiri, Pou Sothirak, and Pavin Chachavalpongpun, in their jointly edited book, Preah Vihear: A Guide to the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Its Solutions (2013), write: 'The force of colonial politics pressured Siam to conclude a treaty with France in 1907.' Consequently, Siam ceded the Cambodian territories of Battambang, Sisophon, and Siem Reap to the French. 'Siam's silence on the issue for more than fifty years served to undermine its own argument against the Cambodian claim of ownership of the temple..,' reckon Kasetsiri, Sothirak and Chachavalpongpun. According to legend, as noted by art historian Dawn F Rooney in Angkor:Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples (2006), the Khmer race descended from their mythological ancestors–Kamu. His descendant, Preah Thong, left India and sailed from Cambodia after he was exiled for displeasing the king. Indian ideas were also absorbed into the culture during the fifth century, when the neighbouring settlement Funan had a Hindu ruler. 'The main Indian concepts implanted in Southeast Asia during the time', according to Rooney, 'include the introduction of formal religions–both Hinduism and Buddhism, and the adoption of the Sanskrit language at the court level.' The earliest form of worship in Cambodia was a primitive belief in animism and spiritual forces. Between the 10th to fourteenth centuries, with the onset of Christianity, formal religious practices from India reached Cambodia. The influence of religions, primarily Hinduism and Buddhism, was evident in many aspects of Khmer life, especially art. Thailand too was strongly influenced by Hinduism. The Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya, for instance, was named after Ayodhya and became the centre of Hinduism. A Thai version of the Ramayana–called the Ramakein– was also written at the time. Notably, Shiva was one of the earliest Hindu gods represented in Khmer iconography. Shiva appeared in the pre-Angkor period when several temples–Banteay Srei, Phnom Bakheng, and the Preah Vihear–were dedicated to him. 'Early representations of Shiva were in the form of a linga, shaped like an erect phallus and usually made of polished stone,' observes Rooney. Interestingly, he is most often depicted as a benevolent god and his fierce side, as seen in India, is absent in Angkor interpretations. Preah Vihear stands on the southern end of a 625-m-high rock promontory of the Dongrek (or Dongrak) mountain range, bordering Thailand and Cambodia. From the top, the temple looks to the south over a vast plain on the Cambodian side. 'Beyond the plateau to the north, the terrain extends in a gentle slope towards Thailand,' describes political scientist Puangthong R Pawakapan in State and Uncivil Society in Thailand at the Temple of Preah Vihear (2013). The structure consists of five 'gopuras' (gateways) linked by a series of stairways and corridors with several basins, and reservoirs. Shiva's vehicle–the bull, popularly known as Nandi, is found facing the entrance of the temple. The most well-known access is from present-day Thailand to the north. 'But there are also two roads, formerly abandoned, connecting Cambodian towns to the eastern and western sides of the temple,' suggests Pawakapan. Apart from the temple complex, there are other archaeological sites that are related to the temple but are situated in Thailand. These include Sa Trao, an ancient reservoir, and a small bas-relief engraved on natural sandstone depicting a Shiva Lingam enclosed within a Yoni Base. After the decline of the Angkorian Empire in the 15th century, the Preah Vihear temple was forgotten. Pawakapan notes, 'The international community learnt about the temple when the Cold War inflamed the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia.' After Cambodia gained independence in 1953, the government of Prince Norodom Sihanouk sent officials to the temple and found Thai armed forces stationed there. Sihanouk sent a number of notes to the Thai government of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, demanding the withdrawal of Thai personnel, but to no avail. Agitated, Cambodia broke off diplomatic ties with Thailand twice–in 1958 and 1961. In 1962, the two countries decided to take the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Hague, Netherlands. Kasetsiri, Sothirak, and Chachavalpongpun note, 'Thai prime minister, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat…urged each Thai to donate one baht toward the expense for the court case.' The decision, however, was not in their favour. Recorded on June 15, 1962, the judgment stated, 'The Court, by nine votes to three, finds that the temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia.' The verdict shook the Thai people. Demonstrations against the ICJ decision were held throughout the country. Students from several state universities led protests in Bangkok. 'Even though public demonstration was illegal in Thailand at that time, the government openly approved of these instances,' says Pawakapan. An enraged Thanarat, as cited in Preah Vihear, said, 'With blood and tears, we shall recover Phra Wihan one day.' After weeks of public protest, however, the Thai government had no choice but to comply with the court order. 'The temple issue faded into the background through the period of the Vietnam War and Cambodia's subsequent civil war.' The temple issue was back in the headlines in 2008 when the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protested against Thailand's support for Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear as a world heritage site. The PAD, also known as Yellow Shirts, is a Thai reactionary, monarchist pressure group. They viewed the temple dispute as an opportunity to play their domestic political agenda, ultimately aiming to bring down the Thai government led by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 'PAD claimed that [the Thai support for the World Heritage site listing] was linked to business deals by…Shinawatra in Cambodia, and that it would sacrifice Thai ownership of a disputed area around the temple,' opines Pawakapan. This led to multiple border clashes between the warring nations. Any dispute over Preah Vihear has seen both sides turn to history to fuel nationalism and a sense of grievance among their people. In a concluding remark, Kasetsiri, Sothirak, and Chachavalpongpun note, 'Countries fabricate history to celebrate their past, using nationalism as a political tool in the manipulation of public opinion.' Nikita writes for the Research Section of focusing on the intersections between colonial history and contemporary issues, especially in gender, culture, and sport. For suggestions, feedback, or an insider's guide to exploring Calcutta, feel free to reach out to her at ... Read More
The Age
30-04-2025
- The Age
Eerie, unsettling: Asian ghost town's disturbing past and bizarre present
I peer from the back of a tuk-tuk at the mountain soaring above me. I could never be so brazen as to attempt this road on a scooter, although many do, joyriding the winding bends of Bokor. I'm travelling through Cambodia's Preah Monivong Bokor National Park, commonly called Bokor Mountain. It's 38 kilometres from the southern riverside town of Kampot, renowned for its aromatic (and addictive) black pepper. The distance is short, but when you combine it with travelling at 40 kilometres per hour and ascending 1079 metres, it's a sluggish trip to the top. En route, the scenery is incredible: the Gulf of Thailand comes into view, the big blue flecked with islands. It beautifully contrasts with the rainforests, villages and fields on the slopes below. Waterfalls, naturally carved stone temples and phallic flowers (commonly referred to as 'penis plants') are also found here, but the natural attractions are not what brought me here. Bokor's chequered past is on show: abandoned French colonial ruins marked with graffiti, diverse religious landmarks, a former king's residence, empty townhouses and an austere 19th-century hilltop palace-turned-hotel. This mishmash of historic buildings is peculiar and eerie. Should I even be here, I wonder? In the 1920s, Bokor Hill Station was established as a resort town for French colonists to escape the heat of the capital, Phnom Penh. The station's citadel-like hotel, Le Bokor Palace (also known as Bokor Hill Resort & Casino), overlooks the coast. It's said nearly 1000 people died during the construction of the Palladian concrete landmark, with the lavish haven - as well as a Catholic church, apartments and a post office - abandoned by the ruling elite during the First Indochina War in the 1940s. Left razed and ransacked, wealthy Khmers gave the retreat a new lease of life in 1962, but Bokor's resurgence would be brief. Under murderous dictator Pol Pot's reign, the Khmer Rouge took control in 1972. The station remained one of the communist regime's last strongholds until the early 1990s. Since then, its forsaken buildings have attracted tourists seeking a look at Cambodia's dark past. Loading And yet, this mountain of despair is still striving for prosperity. In 2007, property developer Sok Kong was awarded a 99-year land concession, aiming to turn Bokor into a premier tourist destination with many developments: a casino, condos and large-scale religious landmarks. If only the 'build it and they will come' mentality worked – there are few people here.
Sydney Morning Herald
30-04-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Eerie, unsettling: Asian ghost town's disturbing past and bizarre present
I peer from the back of a tuk-tuk at the mountain soaring above me. I could never be so brazen as to attempt this road on a scooter, although many do, joyriding the winding bends of Bokor. I'm travelling through Cambodia's Preah Monivong Bokor National Park, commonly called Bokor Mountain. It's 38 kilometres from the southern riverside town of Kampot, renowned for its aromatic (and addictive) black pepper. The distance is short, but when you combine it with travelling at 40 kilometres per hour and ascending 1079 metres, it's a sluggish trip to the top. En route, the scenery is incredible: the Gulf of Thailand comes into view, the big blue flecked with islands. It beautifully contrasts with the rainforests, villages and fields on the slopes below. Waterfalls, naturally carved stone temples and phallic flowers (commonly referred to as 'penis plants') are also found here, but the natural attractions are not what brought me here. Bokor's chequered past is on show: abandoned French colonial ruins marked with graffiti, diverse religious landmarks, a former king's residence, empty townhouses and an austere 19th-century hilltop palace-turned-hotel. This mishmash of historic buildings is peculiar and eerie. Should I even be here, I wonder? In the 1920s, Bokor Hill Station was established as a resort town for French colonists to escape the heat of the capital, Phnom Penh. The station's citadel-like hotel, Le Bokor Palace (also known as Bokor Hill Resort & Casino), overlooks the coast. It's said nearly 1000 people died during the construction of the Palladian concrete landmark, with the lavish haven - as well as a Catholic church, apartments and a post office - abandoned by the ruling elite during the First Indochina War in the 1940s. Left razed and ransacked, wealthy Khmers gave the retreat a new lease of life in 1962, but Bokor's resurgence would be brief. Under murderous dictator Pol Pot's reign, the Khmer Rouge took control in 1972. The station remained one of the communist regime's last strongholds until the early 1990s. Since then, its forsaken buildings have attracted tourists seeking a look at Cambodia's dark past. Loading And yet, this mountain of despair is still striving for prosperity. In 2007, property developer Sok Kong was awarded a 99-year land concession, aiming to turn Bokor into a premier tourist destination with many developments: a casino, condos and large-scale religious landmarks. If only the 'build it and they will come' mentality worked – there are few people here.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cambodia genocide denial law open to abuse, say critics
Survivors of the Khmer Rouge's genocidal regime welcome a beefed-up Cambodian law that forbids denying the movement's atrocities, but rights advocates and academics warn it could also stifle legitimate dissent. Enacted last month ahead of this week's 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge seizing the capital Phnom Penh, the law threatens hefty jail sentences and fines for anyone who denies the genocide that killed around two million people between 1975 and 1979. The atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge are widely accepted by Cambodians save a dwindling group of ageing former cadres and soldiers who live mostly in the remote northwest. The hardline Maoist group led by "Brother Number One" Pol Pot reset the calendar to "Year Zero" on April 17, 1975 and emptied cities in a bid to create a pure agrarian society free of class, politics or capital. About a quarter of the population died -- of disease, starvation, overwork or by execution -- in the disastrous social engineering experiment memorably chronicled by the 1984 Oscar-winning movie "The Killing Fields". Some activists, however, say former prime minister Hun Sen is using the law to burnish his legacy and stifle any opposition to his son and successor, Hun Manet. The government is trying to "reinforce state narratives rather than to genuinely encourage historical accountability", said Sophal Ear, associate professor at Arizona State University. "In practice, it could be another tool to silence dissent," he said. Political analyst Ou Virak called the law a "mistake", adding: "A population that is afraid to discuss will be even more afraid to ask questions." - 'I am the peacemaker' - Now 72, Hun Sen was a commander under Pol Pot before he fled to Vietnam in 1977, joining other Cambodian defectors to lead the Vietnamese army's assault that drove the Khmer Rouge out of Phnom Penh. In the more than 30 years Hun Sen ruled Cambodia he stifled dissent, critics say, equating opposition to his leadership as support for those he replaced. "Hun Sen wants to impose his vision of things, saying: 'I am the peacemaker'," said Adriana Escobar Rodriguez of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. One form of genocide denial tended to downplay Vietnam's role in ousting the Khmer Rouge, she said, but another stemmed from the fact that some "people still can't believe that Khmers could have killed other Khmers" -- referring to Cambodia's majority ethnic group. Hun Sen has defended the stricter law, comparing it to similar legislation against Holocaust denial in Europe. The 2013 law it replaced stemmed from a case involving one of Hun Sen's main opponents that took place just before national elections. Kem Sokha was accused of describing notorious Khmer Rouge prison S-21 -- where an estimated 15,000 people were tortured to death -- as a Vietnamese fabrication. He has spent lengthy periods in prison on various charges since, and is currently under house arrest on treason charges and banned from politics. Chum Mey, one of a small handful of people who emerged alive from S-21, sells books describing his experiences outside the former prison, which was turned into the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. He says it would be stupid for anyone to deny the Khmer Rouge's atrocities. "There is evidence," the 94-year-old said. "They killed my four children and my wife." ah-suy-sjc/fox/slb/sco/dhw
