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| By
: Moul Jetr. |
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At the peak of
Kampot's Bokor Mountain, near the Kamchay Waterfalls,
is a little pagoda called Wat Sampeouv Pram, or the Pagoda
of Five Sailing Boats.
The pagoda was built by King Sisowath Monivongs in 1924
while the country was a French protectorate and is small
but exquisite, with its tiny temple and stupa forming
its entrance.
The pagoda is especially striking for its setting next
to five amazing huge, flat rocks, 10 meters long by 10
meters high sheets. These natural formations stand like
the sails of huge boats, giving the temple its name.
And this, according to the local people, is the legend
of how those rocks came to be there.
Once upon a time there was a prince named Preah Thong.
The young man's father favored his younger brother and
asked him to give everything over to his sibling, so Preah
Thong decided to leave his own land and travel the world,
taking a handful of loyal followers with him.
One day, Preah Thong docked his sailing boat at a large
beach and spied a very tall Tlork tree.
Tlork trees produce nuts which are both edible and can
be used for waterproofing a boat, which was something
he sorely needed to do, so he ordered his men to make
camp near the tree.
The next morning at dawn the prince was wandering the
beach alone when he saw a group amusing themselves by
the water, including a beautiful Nagini, or Naga princess.
It was love at first sight for both.
Soon, the prince was proposing the Nagani introduce him
to her father.
"Hold my tail," she commanded, and dived deep
to the seabed to call on her royal father.
The Naga king was delighted and granted a wedding for
his daughter and the prince.
But after staying in the country of the Naga for just
seven days, the prince knew he wanted to claim a kingdom
of his own and had to move on and explore the world with
his new wife. Again, the Naga King gave his blessing.
In fact, far from objecting, the king gave the couple
five huge sailing boats laden with treasures fit for such
a noble couple.
Together with their now 500 followers, the couple sailed
to a high peak and built a city there.
Time passed, the water receded and mud and silt buried
the boats, but time turned their masts and sails to stone.
And they may still be seen today, reminding visitors of
how people first came to Bokor Mountain.
And that is the story of Wat Sampeouv Pram, the Five Sailing
Boats Pagoda a story not known by many who visit Phnom
Bokor. |
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Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
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