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Story
&, Picture by : Jon Bugge. |
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BATTAMBANG
- THE LOST STAFF
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| 103o 6 '
East 13 o 6" North - a mere dot on an atlas,
however this provincial capital has seen a fair
share of international attention. The province itself
has been handed between France, Siam and Cambodia
in only the last 150 years. Battambang literally
means "lost staff": referring to an episode
in Khmer history when the King Kron Nhong threw
his wooden staff from Angkor and it landed in present
day Battambang. A fact commemorated by the huge
golden statue in honour of the staff-throwing king,
erected in the town. Believed to be the kingdom’s
second largest city, Battambang is set in fertile
alluvial soil that provides the country's highest
quality rice crops. In fact, as a province, Battambang
produces enough rice for the entire country. With
such agricultural wealth and the existence of both
rubies and emeralds within the provincial border,
Battambang has grown through trade; a fact that
has undoubtedly been abetted by the city's relative
proximity to Bangkok. To a lesser extent, trade
was also plied to |
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| the East even as
far as Saigon, through the network of rivers. A strong
influence in this growth of trade were immigrants; Chinese
traders for centuries have played a notable role in the
city's history. Even with these economic advantages Battambang
still retains its colonial charm. This is one of the prime
reasons to visit the city. It exemplifies Cambodian provincial
life, as if mirroring the seemingly tranquil Sang Ke River,
which bisects the town. In true Cambodian tradition the
river has shared importance with the market, which also
dominates the center of the town. Equally the commercial
center as it is the social. Surrounding the market are
the faded yellows and peeling blues of the colonial houses
that give Battambang so much of its character. |
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Getting
there is half the fun! The road leaves a good deal
to be desired. The trip is often long and arduous.
For those with the means flying is an easy, if somewhat
sterile, option. The boat from Siem Reap provides
an alternative and a chance to see the synergy between
the Cambodian people and their rivers, which play
such a crucial role in their existence. It provides
an attractive way to enter the city along the arterial
waterway which has been the city's link for longer
than any wheels have plied the road. Slowly Battambang
accumulates along the banks of the river with increasing
symptoms of urbanization. The journey is only about
three hours and offers endless visual distractions.
Train travel is a unique experience. With goods
and people making their way to and from the capital,
always busy and vibrant, albeit a bit slow--in all
it takes about 13 hours! Battambang's relevance
within a Cambodian context was something that did
not escape the Khmer Rouge, who found the area around
the town to be of increased strategic importance:
bearing witness to both the richness of the region
and the geographical position of power. Phnom Sampeou
- The Ship Mountain of 700 steps. The hill is full
of caves and grottos and even some cave dwelling
monks and nuns. A Wat, which perches atop the hill,
was used as a prison and
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torture
facility. Beneath the pagoda is a cave system, which
is where so many of the victims of the regime lay
as they fell. They were simply pushed from a hole,
high in the ceiling of the cave.
A brightly painted, six metre long, reclining Buddha,
at the bottom of one of the caves, brings a semblance
of calm. The caves are wide open and nestled within
the depths of the hill. They serve as a sad testament
to those who lost their lives here. A collection
of skulls and bones drives the point home and instills
in the place a sense morbid terror.
Phnom Krapeu - Crocodile Mountain. From Phnom Sampeou
you can get the clearest view of this hill, which
does, abstractly, look like the outline of a slumbering
crocodile. Also visible is Phnom Banan. Phnom Banan:
The Banan temple is a beautiful 10th century Angkorian
style |
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structure. Within
the building there are five prangs, or towers, in varying
states of disrepair. The entrance has 150 stairs with
the archetypal naga balustrade and the occasional fallen
Angkorian lion statue. Inside the central prang there
is a collection of modern statues and several older lingas.
The prangs sport some ornately detailed lintels and a
high level of workmanship. A slightly less aesthetic addition
is the large artillery gun which looks out over the plains
below, the site had both spiritual and military prowess.
Not surprisingly the views from here are breathtaking
with the fertile rice lands stretching out to the horizon
dotted with the Technicolor of pagodas and temples. When
set in contrast with the emerald green of the young paddies
below it proves to be a soul-quenching vista. Ek Phnom
- This 10th century temple looks as if it is likely to
collapse with hardly a right angle left in the structure
- an imposing g edifice that looms overhead and seems
to bulge out at the sides. With the archetypal proportions
and presence, the temple stands a mute testament in the
ever-changing world around it. Although in disrepair the
charm and serenity of the building are still evident centuries
after its construction. Ek Phnom, whilst maybe not in
the same league as the Angkor Wat, still holds it own
in the pantheon of temples that are found within the kingdom.
In essence: a quirky little tumbledown temple, with a
few examples of fine carving.
Battambang has seen a relative boom in bars and restaurants
recently and now can offer a few choices with regards
going out. Alternatively, do as the locals do and simply
stroll along the river and enjoy the views of some fantastic
houses along the riverbank. Battambang may not be the
largest in size but is arguably first in serenity. Almost
verging on soporific at times. Nevertheless the city does
serve as an important hub and has been for centuries.
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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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