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Khmer
Tales, Volume 5, Buddhist Institute, Ministry of Cults
and Religions.
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The evidence of this legend
is apparent in the Ta Prohm temple.
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Prasat
Ta Prohm is located some 32 kilometres from
Phnom Penh along National Route No. 2 in Kramng
Thnorng commune, Bati district, Takeo province.
Following the sign, turn right and after about
two kilometres you will see two temples on
the southern side of a large ancient river
-- the Tonle Bati.
The legend about the history of these temples
is a simple tale. There was a king named Keitomealea,
who was the king of Mohanorkor (Angkor Wat).
He was a very strong and capable king.
One day, he was very bored staying in the
whole time and so he led his entourage along
the southern side of the river.
When they arrived at the Tonle Bati, they
stopped and stayed there very happily for
a period of time. The villagers there gathered
around him with gifts when they knew that
the king had come. |
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There was
an old lady with a very pretty daughter known as
Neang Pov. The lady brought her daughter to visit
the king every day and before long, the king fell
in love with Neang Pov. The lady saw that the couple
was so in love and gave her daughter to the king
as his wife. Soon it was time for Keitomealea to
return to Mohanorkor. Neang Pov was then three months
pregnant. The king handed her his ring and said
"You cannot come with me. When my son grows
up and wants to find me, give him the ring as proof".
She was saddened but since the king had forbidden
her from going to Mohanorkor, she stayed behind.
A few months later, Neang Pov gave birth to a beautiful
baby boy who took after his father in many ways.
His mother named him Ang Prom Koma, (Ang refers
to the Buddha or king, Prom refers to the border
or edge and Koma means boy) which translates as:
the boy who was born on the edge of the river.
When Ang Prom Koma was 16 years old, he asked about
his father. Neang Pov told him everything about
his father being the king of Mohanorkor and so on
and gave him the ring as proof. The lad wore the
ring on his right hand and left his mother to find
his father.
He rode along the river bank and very soon arrived
at Mohanorkor. At the gates, he asked the guards
about his father. Officials then reported to the
king of the lad’s presence and the king summoned
for the boy to meet him. On meeting the king, the
boy showed the ring and the king knew then that
this boy was indeed his son. The king was so pleased
that he appointed Ang Prom Koma as the king of that
area of the river.
Ang Prom Koma was the first king of that area and
the people there addressed him as King Mei Ba -
meaning the leader king, who cared for his people,
(Mei for mother and Ba for father) Soon, the place
became more popularly known as Bati. Ti is the word
for place in Khmer and Bati means the place of Ba
- the king.
Later, King Mei Ba built two temples. One for his
mother, he named Neang Pov after her and the other
for himself, he called Ta Prohm. Around these temples,
the king built extensive offices for himself, his
mother and their courts to work from.
History has it that King Jayavaraman VII built Ta
Prohm at the end of the 12th century. It was built
on the site of a sixth century Khmer shrine. The
temple is built of sandstone and laterite and has
five compartments inside. There are now still some
sculptures existing in relatively good conditions.
A hundred metres from Ta Prohm is the temple of
Neang (Yiey) Pov which is a square temple with a
row of seven metre long walls and faces East. The
bas-reliefs there have a few glimpses of history
to offer. Women often come to the temple to pray
for fertility and children. |
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