The Cambodian Version of the Ramayana

While the Ramayana has been an important epic in India for at least two thousand
years, the literary text of the Khmer adaptation of the Ramayana, the Reamker,
dates to the 16th or 17th century. The classical literature of
Cambodia comprises works composed in verse and recorded between the 16th and
mid-19th century; much of it reflects the cultural influence of India. It can be
classified according to three major genres: the epic, verse novels, and cbap, or “codes
of conduct.”

The best-known epic is the Reamker (“Honour of Rama”; Eng. trans. Reamker), the
Cambodian version of the Ramayana, one of the great epic poems of India. Surviving
texts of the Reamker date from the 16th or 17th century, but bas-reliefs at Angkor
Wat show that the Rama (Cambodian Ream) story had been known in Cambodia for
centuries. The Cambodian version includes incidents and details not found in the
Sanskrit original written by the poet Valmiki. As in other Southeast Asian countries,
the Rama story in Cambodia is not confined to the realm of literature but extends to
all Cambodian art forms, from sculpture to dance drama and from painting to tourist
art. Another epic, Lpoek Angkor Vat (“The Story of Angkor Wat”), which dates from
the beginning of the 17th century, celebrates the magnificent temple complex at
Angkor and describes the bas-reliefs in the temple galleries that portray the Rama
story.

Verse novels emerged during the early 18th century. They are usually long, in some
instances consisting of as many as 8,000 stanzas. Most are based on the jataka tales
(stories of the former lives of the Buddha, found widely in Southeast Asian
literature), while others draw on local folktales and legends. One of the best-known
is Tum Teav, a tragic love story believed to be based on real events that occurred
during the 17th century. The story was passed down orally and then eventually
recorded in the 19th century by the poet Santhor Mok. It remains a widely known
story that is taught in schools and often retold in comic-strip format. It has also been
filmed on two occasions and has inspired stage adaptations and popular songs.

The cbap are didactic poems that were written by monks and used
for moral instruction. The earliest surviving examples date from the 17th century,
although the genre is believed to be considerably older. They were usually short, the
shortest being only 29 stanzas, and passages from them are quoted as proverbs. They
offer practical rules, based on Theravada Buddhist philosophy, for a wide variety of
everyday activities, ranging from home economics and education to gender roles and
government. In traditional Cambodian society, monks would use the cbap as texts
for children to read, copy, and memorize.
French influence
Literature flourished during the reign of King Ang Duong (1841–60). The king,
himself a renowned poet, brought together writers at his court who were involved not
only in composing original works but also in revising old manuscripts and translating
Buddhist texts from Pali into Khmer. After Cambodia became a French protectorate
in 1863, the royal court continued to be the centre of literary production. French
scholars began to take an interest in Cambodian culture and to collect and publish
folktales, first in Paris and then in Cambodia. In 1930 they were involved in
establishing the Buddhist Institute as a centre for the preservation and development
of Cambodian national culture. The Buddhist Institute quickly became the main
publisher in the country, bringing to readers works that had, until then, often been
available only on palm-leaf manuscripts; its journal, Kambujasuriya, played a major
role in publishing works of classical literature, religious works, folktales, and, later,
novels; it also served as a forum for serious scholarship in Cambodia.

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French cultural influence, the educational expansion that created a reading public,
and the growth of print media all facilitated the emergence of the prose novel in
Cambodia in the late 1930s. To these factors must also be added a nationalistic
motive, for several early novelists were anxious to challenge the dominance of
Chinese and Vietnamese novels in the street stalls. These novels represented a total
break from traditional Cambodian literature, taking prose as their medium, ordinary
people as their protagonists, and everyday situations for their setting.

Rim Kin’s Sophat, written in 1938 and published in Vietnam in 1941 but not available
in Cambodia until January 1942, is widely regarded as the “first” Cambodian novel. It
is essentially a poor boy–rich girl romance, in which the hero, Sophat, faces a series
of obstacles, misunderstandings, and improbable coincidences before he learns that
he is not a poor orphan but actually of noble birth; the novel duly ends happily with
his marriage to the girl he loves, the adopted daughter of his father. Dik Danle
Sap (“The Waters of Tonle Sap”), by Kim Hak, was also hailed as “the first modern
novel of Cambodia” when it appeared in Kambujasuriya in January 1939, but it
never enjoyed the same popularity and acclaim as Sophat. Two other classic novels
from the same period have, like Sophat, been made into films and taught in schools.
They are Nhok Them’s Kulap Pailin (“The Rose of Pailin”), first serialized
in Kambujasuriya in 1943, and Phka srabon (“The Faded Flower”) by Nou Hach,
first serialized in the weekly newspaper Kambuja in 1947. In the former a
hardworking but lowly gem miner wins the hand of the mine owner’s daughter after
proving his courage and integrity, in part by saving her life; the latter novel takes the
traditional arranged marriage as its theme and ends tragically when the heroine falls
terminally ill through depression because her mother insists on choosing her spouse.
By the end of the French Protectorate in 1953, about 48 novels had appeared.
Between 1954 and 1969, more than 500 novels were published, with almost half of
them appearing in the years 1965 and 1966. Variations on the themes of arranged
marriage and thwarted love continued to be popular; the twist in Hak Chhay Hok’s
best-selling O phsaen maranah (1965; “The Fatal Smoke”) is that the rich heroine
happily goes along with her parents’ choice, jilting the poor student who had earlier
saved her life; he then falls sick, fails his exams, and dies. By the late 1960s, the
 political situation within Cambodia deteriorated and a sharp decline in literary
production followed; some writers dared not write, while economic pressures also
contributed to a reduction in the number of novels published. One well-known novel
that did appear during this period was Nou Hach’s Mala tuon citt (“Garland of the
Heart”), published in 1972 but written some 20 years earlier; the novel portrays
Cambodian society during World War II and reflects the author’s nationalism.

In 1975 the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh; in almost four years in power they
did little to foster literature, beyond the promotion of revolutionary songs glorifying
the peasants and the new society they were supposedly building. Cambodian refugees
in exile, especially in France, did write novels, short stories, and poems, typically
depicting the suffering endured prior to and during hazardous escapes from
Cambodia and the pain of exile and separation. One such “survival novel,” Vipatti
knun samarabhumi sneha (1990; “Disaster in the Battlefield of Love”), written in
the United States by Duong Ratha, is unusual for its portrayal of life in the
Khmer Rouge “liberation zones” before the fall of Phnom Penh in 1975. Within
Cambodia itself, a revival began to take place after the overthrow of the Khmer
Rouge regime; many of the novels that appeared in the 1980s reflected official
attitudes to the recent past, with stories of Khmer Rouge atrocities, the sufferings of
ordinary people, and the heroism of those, including the Vietnamese, who fought
against the Khmer Rouge. Slik jhoe cak maek (1987; “The Leaves That Fall from the
Trees”) by Kong Boun Chhouen, for example, depicts the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge
through the experiences of Vanny, the seven-year-old heroine, who is saved from
execution by liberating Vietnamese troops. Such overtly political fiction gave way in
the early 1990s to more popular sentimental novels and crime fiction. Mao
Somnang’s prizewinning Ralak pok khsac (1996; “The Waves”), for example, in
which the poor, orphaned heroine eventually overcomes a succession of obstacles, to
find love and happiness, is typical of the kind of plot that had been popular almost
half a century earlier; where it differs, is in a greater reliance on dialogue and the
introduction of minor characters and subplots, reflecting the author’s profession as a
television scriptwriter.There is a certain amount of Contamination, in manuscript
tradition, which results in a blending whereby a single manuscript contains readings
originating from different sources or different lines of tradition. In literature,
contamination refers to a blending of legends or stories that results in new
combinations of incident or in modifications of plot.

Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey ("Citadel of Women / Beauty") is a 10th century

Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of
Angkor in Cambodia. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km (16 mi) north-
east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals
of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red
sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall
carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are
miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of
Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely
popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a "precious
gem", or the "jewel of Khmer art."




Cambodia celebrates return of stolen

artifacts from abroad

Khmer ancient statues are on display at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 17, 2023. Cambodia
on Friday celebrated the return of hundreds of looted Khmer antiquities and ancient jewels to the Southeast
Asian nation from abroad. Photo:Xinhua

KOH KER: THE UNSOLVED PUZZLES

OF THE PYRAMID
I n the year 928, King Jayavarman IV decided to move the capital of
the Khmer Empire from Angkor to Koh Ker, around 60 kilometers
away. To this day, scholars have no idea why. Furthermore, this
former capital is also home to one of the region’s most unusual
structures. The seven-tiered pyramid of Prasat Thom hardly looks
like anything else the Khmers ever built. And while Koh Ker would
only remain the capital for two decades, it’s astounding how many
temples they were able to build in such a short time span.
When the capital was moved here in the 10th century, the area
wasn’t uninhabited. In fact, archaeological evidence has shown that
there were communities living at the spot for a long time, even
before the birth of the Khmer Empire. None of the stone temples we
know of, however, predate the 10th century.

Koh Ker remains off the beaten path for tourists visiting Cambodia,
but its popularity is growing. The temple complex, once ridden with
landmines, was only made accessible to tourists fairly recently. The
area as a whole hasn’t been completely de-mined, though, and only a
fraction of all the former capital’s temples can be visited.
Nevertheless, Koh Ker remains one of the most impressive and
mysterious archaeological sites you can visit in all of Cambodia.

EXPLORING KOH KER

The main temple is known as Prasat Thom, and that’s where you’ll
find the large seven-tiered pyramid. But as Koh Ker was its own city,
there are a number of other temple ruins to explore as well. The
road forms a loop so it’s hard to get lost. Coming from the south,
you’ll pass by 3 or 4 temples before Prasat Thom, and around 10
structures of varying sizes after it. Most people only bother to stop at
Prasat Thom, so you’ll likely have the minor ruins all to yourself.

The journey can easily be completed by bicycle or car. If you take a

taxi from a nearby town, you’ll come across a bicycle rental stand in
front of the main temple to help you get around. Or, if you’ve hired a
private driver (see more down below) he can just drive you along the
route and stop for you to get out at each temple.

Access to Prasat Thom costs $10.

THREE SMALL TEMPLES

The initial three structures you’ll first encounter when arriving in the
area are also among Koh Ker’s most interesting. A quick stop at each
one is highly recommended.

PRASAT PRAM
Prasat Pram is a well-preserved temple that follows a standard 10th
century temple layout. You’ll find three prasat sanctuaries lined in a
row, with the two structures in front being what are known as
‘libraries.’ While we don’t know exactly what the libraries were for,
they either contained idols and manuscripts or were used for special
ceremonies in honor of the fire god Agni.
Prasat Pram is gradually merging with the jungle, giving off vibes
similar to the famous ‘Tomb Raider Temple’ of Ta Prohm.
 PRASAT NEANG KHMAU
Consisting of a single prasat, what’s unique about Prasat Neang
Khmau is that it’s been turned entirely black. This is the possible
result of a forest fire that happened at some point in the past.

Actually, there are a couple of other unique aspects to this solitary

prasat. Despite being dedicated to Shiva, it faces west, while almost
all other Shiva temples built by the Khmers face east. Furthermore,
the lintel carving above the door featured a rare depiction of
Brahma, though this can hardly be made out now due to erosion.
 PRASAT CHEN
This temple follows the same layout as Prasat Pram above, but it was
one of the only temples dedicated to Vishnu in the city. Today, the
prasats are in poor condition and overall, the temple looks pretty
unassuming. It was at this very temple, however, where some of the
finest masterpieces of Khmer sculpture art were first discovered.

The eastern tower once contained a sculpture of a scene from the

Ramayana epic of Valin fighting Sugriva. While that was discovered
back in 1952, another major discovery was made here as recently as
2012. Archaeologists found a group of statues depicting Duryodhana
fighting Bhima, a major scene from the Mahabharata epic.
But that’s not all. In 2014, researchers found three more pedestals
with nothing left but the statues’ feet. Clearly, the statues had all
been looted at one point. One of them turned out to be a famous
statue of Hanuman that had long been kept at the Cleveland
Museum of Art. Once the connection was made, it was returned to
Cambodia the following year. A statue of Rama that likely stood next
to the Hanuman statue is believed to be the one kept in Denver. At
the time of writing, it still hasn’t been returned to Cambodia.

ANDONG PENG
Shortly before the main temple, this rectangular pond filled with
water is worth a quick look. It’s very reminiscent of the Royal Pond
near the former palace in Angkor Thom.

PRASAT THOM
Prasat Thom was Jayavarman IV’s state temple, equivalent to Angkor
Wat or the Bayon of later Khmer kings. While the highlight is the
massive standalone pyramid, referred to as the ‘Prang,’ there were
also quite a few buildings east of the main pyramid. To begin with,
you’ll first encounter a structure comprised of ‘long halls‘ in the shape of a
cruciform.
Heading further west, you’ll see a large brick prasat sanctuary that
remains in good condition. The causeway, surrounded by a moat on
either side, is one of the most interesting parts of Prasat Thom.
Clearly, there were once some long structures supported by columns
there, many of which have since collapsed. Most of the buildings
were probably made of wood, long since rotted, similar to the gates
of Preah Vihear.
In the temple area (before the pyramid itself), you’ll find plenty of
other structures, mainly prasat sanctuaries, galleries, libraries and
gates. Some of them are still standing, but many have been reduced
to rubble. The chaotic appearance of the temple only increases the
dramatic effect when the massive ‘Prang’ finally comes into view.
If you’ve already explored Angkor, you’ll notice immediately how this
pyramid is nothing like anything built there. The Khmer, of course,
were very fond of their pyramids. The pyramidal temples of
both Bakong and Bakheng precede this one, but those were adorned
with all kinds of statues and sanctuaries at each level.
The Prang, on the other hand, is a no-nonsense pyramid without any
sculptures, structures or carvings except for at the very top.
Supposedly, the highest tier of the pyramid once contained a
large shiva linga, and possibly a roofless structure of some kind, but
nothing of either remains. The uniqueness of this pyramid, which
more closely resembles Mesoamerican structures than those of
Southeast Asia, has led people to come up with all sorts of theories
regarding the Prang and Koh Ker in general.
Could moving the capital of the empire so far away to the remote
location of Koh Ker have something to do with the particular spot on
which the Prang sits? In other words, was the Prang, and the linga on
top of it, specifically built to channel some type of energy
that Jayavarman IV felt was most potent here?
However silly this might sound to you in 2019, bear in mind that the
Khmer were heavily into this kind of stuff. Their temples were seen
as complex mechanisms whose functions were to establish
connections between the divine and earthly realms. And specific
mathematical proportions were used to build them, almost like the
computer code which works behind the scenes of the software
you’re using. With that in mind, the Khmers would not have chosen
the locations of these important structures at random.
While the king and his priests would’ve climbed up the central
staircase, it’s in no condition to be used today. Fortunately, a wooden
staircase over to the side now serves visitors wishing to get to the
top. The pyramid stands at 36 meters high, and there are plenty of
nice vantage points to enjoy on the way up.
The “shrine” at the top contains a hole where the linga would’ve once
extended out from. Supposedly, the hole goes down all the way to
the bottom, much like the central chambers of Angkor Wat and the
Bayon. When the Khmers built their pyramids, they not only
intended to symbolize the heavens and the earth, but the
underworld as well.

(As an interesting side note, the linga of the Prang at Koh Ker was
consecrated on the exact same day as Prasat Kravan in Angkor. As
described here, Prasat Kravan is one of the most unusual temples in the
Angkor region. Could the two structures somehow be related?)
The very top is also the only part of the pyramid where you’ll see any
carvings or decoration, mostly of lion “atlantes” holding something
up – but what? Possibly the linga, or maybe even the “sky.”

Provided it’s not too crowded with other visitors, take some time to
enjoy the view and the cool breeze.
Back down on the ground, you’ll find pathways from which to view
the pyramid at all angles. You’ll also come across a shrine to a white
elephant, probably inspired by a local Cambodian legend.

Back at the temple, you might want to take some more time to
explore anything that you missed. As Koh Ker was the site of a major
stone quarry, there would’ve once been intricately carved statues
everywhere around here 1,000 years ago. As mentioned above,
those statues are now in museums in Phnom Penh or spread across
the world, largely due to prior looting.
 EAST & SOUTH TEMPLES
There’s still a lot more to see east and south of Prasat Thom. Simply
follow the road and get out at the temples until you’ve come full
circle. But first, don’t forget to check out the small temple across the
road.

SROT TEMPLE
You can find this temple just across the street from Prasat Thom’s
entrance. In fact, it was likely even part of it originally. It consists of
two groups of ‘long halls’ which each form a rectangle surrounding
an inner courtyard. The halls aren’t connected, however. Stylistically,
they’re reminiscent of the Khleangs in Angkor Thom.
 VARIOUS LINGA SANCTUARIES
Next you’ll come across a series of four or five sanctuaries, all
housing shiva lingas inside. They’re actually natural rocks which were
then carved to resemble lingas. Interestingly, the structures all lack
roofs.
 PRASAT KRACAP
The first thing you’ll notice about prasat Kracap is the unusual design
of its doorway. These triangular pediments are only seen at two
other temples: Banteay Srei, near Angkor, and Preah Vihear, in the
Dangrek mountain range. This temple was dedicated in 928,
predating those other two by several decades.
 PRASAT PLAE BENG
This temple, in rather poor condition, featured an unusually large
gate. Back in the day, it also would’ve been full of statues of various
Hindu deities.
 PRASAT PIR CHEAN
This temple featured a rather unusual layout of a central sanctuary
surrounded by eight smaller ones. It also contained two libraries. A
few lintel carvings are still intact, and it’s worth at least a couple
minutes of exploration
 PRASAT CHRAP
This is yet another temple in the area to feature the
simple trimurti layout that was so popular in those times. Unusually,
the prasats are facing west, as do several of the other temples in this
section of the city. Some scholars speculate that they were built to
face the baray (man-made reservoir), though the exact reason
remains unclear.

PRASAT OP ON
This temple consists of just a single prasat. It’s speculated that it may
have been built after the reign of Jayavarman IV, but probably still
within the 10th century. Interestingly, while Koh Ker only functioned
as capital for about 20 years, the site was not abandoned once the
seat of power shifted back to Angkor. Later kings, all the way up to
Jayavarman VII of the late 12th century, continued to add new
structures to the city.

PRASAT DAMREI
‘Damrei’ means elephant, and this temple is abound in elephant
imagery. It was primarily dedicated to Shiva, whose son was the
elephant god Ganesha. You can also find a lintel carving of Indra’s
three-headed elephant Airavata.

PRASAT KHNAR
Prasat Khnar is a rather mysterious temple for a number of reasons.
Scholars now believe that the large pedestal once housed a massive
linga that reached as high as 3 meters. Like the linga from the top of
Prasat Thom’s pyramid, however, nothing of it remains.

Over to the side, you’ll also find carvings of animals and gods in the
stone. It’s very reminiscent of the carvings atop Mt. Kulen at a place
called Kbal Spean. Generally, carvings in stone like this (as opposed
to standalone statues) are pretty rare at ancient Khmer ruins.

Whatever compelled Jayavarman IV to move the capital to Koh Ker

(likely a major inconvenience for the nobles, priests and
bureaucrats), later kings would return to Angkor a short time later.
As mentioned above, though, the site was maintained and expanded
over the next few centuries. While the refined sculpture art of Koh
Ker would influence Khmer artists for years to come, no later kings
would attempt to copy the enigmatic ‘Prang.’

We still don’t know why the pyramid looks the way it does, and who
took the linga. But as more research (and more de-mining) takes
place, we may one day get closer to solving the puzzle.

How to See the Major Outlying Khmer Temples in 3 Days

Beng Mealea: The Most Mysterious Khmer Ruin

Tracing the Architectural Evolution of Angkor: Part One

Visiting Preah Vihear: Cambodia’s Temple in The Sky
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Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen worships a Khmer ancient statue at the Peace Palace in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 17, 2023. Cambodia on Friday celebrated the return of hundreds of looted
Khmer antiquities and ancient jewels to the Southeast Asian nation from abroad. Photo:Xinhua
Cambodia on Friday celebrated the return of hundreds of looted Khmer antiquities

and ancient jewels to the Southeast Asian nation from abroad.

Speaking at the event held at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodian Prime

Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the returned artifacts were stolen from

various temples and illegally exported to other countries during the 1970s when the

country suffered a civil war.

"I'd like to appeal to museums, institutions and antique collectors who have

possessed Khmer antiquities to return those ancient objects to Cambodia

voluntarily," Hun Sen said. "Your return of Khmer antiquities to Cambodia, the

rightful owner, will be highly appreciated, and it also contributes to promoting the

culture of a nation."

Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona said recently, 77 pieces of

looted Khmer ancient jewelry, handed over by the family of the late antique

collector Douglas Latchford, had been returned to Cambodia from Britain.

In addition, many important Khmer cultural treasures in the possession of

museums and private collectors had been returned to Cambodia from the United

States and Britain, she said.

"Amongst the returned Khmer cultural treasures, there are some important Hindu

and Buddhist statues, as well as ancient jewelries from the pre-Angkor and Angkor
periods," Sackona said.

According to her, the returned large stone statues included some from Koh Ker, an

ancient capital which had been the target of large-scale theft for many years during

Cambodia's civil war.