CLOSE UP

CLOSE UP

FOREST MONUMENT

FOREST MONUMENT

ANOTHER TEMPLE

ANOTHER TEMPLE
This complex groups together at least 176 monuments, among which 106 are in a radius of 5 km.
Three complexes, dedicated to Shiva, have two surrounding walls. The towers are in brick and vary in form, square, oblong, octagonal, ten metres high to ten metres wide. The brick is very finely sculpted in strong relief, decoration which is typically inspired by the Indian style. The door frames are in stoneware.
Most of the temples date to the beginning of the 7th century, 600 years before Angkor Wat.

DOORHEAD CARVING

DOORHEAD CARVING

FOREST TEMPLE

FOREST TEMPLE
Except for some sanskrit texts, among which the oldest date is the 3th century, all that we know about this realm comes from Chinese texts. The first embassy of the Fou Nan in the court of China dates to the year 225. The Fou Nan collapsed in the 6th century, under the pressure of a vassal state, Kambuja of the North annexed Cambodia of the South. One of their kings, Içanavarman I, based his capital in Sambor Prei Kuk.

SAMBOK PREI KUK

SAMBOK PREI KUK
30km North-East of Kompong Thom.
The oldest hindu state of Indochina, goes back to the 1st century A.D. and it is known as Fou Nan, a name given to it by the chinese. Its capital was situated in the current cambodian province of Prey Veng. The dynasty claimed to go down from Brahmane Kaundinya, having come from India.

VIEW FROM PHNOM SUNTOK

VIEW FROM PHNOM SUNTOK

TOUR GUIDE

TOUR GUIDE

GOLD LEAF ROOF OF PHNOM SUNTOK

GOLD LEAF ROOF OF PHNOM SUNTOK

A FAN

A FAN
It was a long slog up to the top, these little kids bounced around and fanned us without any effort.

ANGELS & DEMONS

ANGELS & DEMONS

The myth of the churning of the milky ocean.

This story is of one of the central events in the ever-continuing struggle between the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons, or titans) - good and evil. The gods, who had become weakened as a result of a curse invited the asuras to help them recover the elixir of immortality from the depths of the cosmic ocean.

Mt. Mandara, a spur of the world axis, Mt. Meru, was torn out to use as a churning stick and was steadied at the bottom of the ocean by Vishnu. Vishnu supported the pivot by being reincarnated as the tortoise (representing half a globe). The devas positioned themselves at the head of a naga (a serpent or snake) and the asuras at the tail of the naga. Together they began to churn the Sea of Milk. Eventually, the elixir emerged but neither side could stop churning long enough to drink it. The asuras began to suspect the plan and attacked the devas. Vishnu intervened in the battle to help the devas defeat the asuras, but Vishnu left with the elixir to keep it safe and to free the world of greed. Indra was crowned king of the Gods to rule with "joy".

STEPS TO PHNOM SUNTOK

STEPS TO PHNOM SUNTOK

Phnom Suntok is the most important holy mountain in this region and it is venerated with images of Buddha and Pegodas. 980 steps to the top winding their way up through a forest. Just beneath the southern summit of the mountain are several reclining Buddhas.

Day 3

Monday morning we set off in a private mini bus to Kampong Thom.

Kampong Thom, the town, has a population of 65,000 people. The province itself is the second largest in Cambodia.

Our accommodation was at the 'Sambor Prey Kuk' Hotel.

Visited Phnom Suntok, and climbed 1000 steps up a hill in heavy humid conditions.

After lunch we went to 'Sambor Prei Kuk', Pre-Angkor towers in the forest.