A Change of Guard

សូមស្តាប់វិទ្យុសង្គ្រោះជាតិ Please read more Khmer news and listen to CNRP Radio at National Rescue Party. សូមស្តាប់វីទ្យុខ្មែរប៉ុស្តិ៍/Khmer Post Radio.
Follow Khmerization on Facebook/តាមដានខ្មែរូបនីយកម្មតាម Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khmerization.khmerican

Thursday 4 September 2014

Climbing Khmer temple complex in Laos

Give our kids a better deal 
By: Ounkham Pimmata
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) - An old Lao proverb says the road to hell is easy but the path to the heavens is hard, and this thought entered my head whilst hiking up to the ancient ruins at Vat Phou Champassak where I took time out to meditate.

I commenced my journey at the first of three temples of Phou Ngoi, and Phou Salao, enjoying the fresh clean air and testing the strength of my legs.

The way to Vat Phou is so beautiful as the paths are lined with trees and greenery that takes on an extra special light in the nourishment of the wet season rains.

You can see villagers having fun planting rice, fishing in the Mekong River and enjoying selling local products that they collect in the forest.

If you want to view these scenes, you should rent a motorbike, which cost 60,000 kip per day, to make the 35 kilometre journey from Pakxe to Vat Phou Champassak.

On arrival at Vat Phou, local authorities offer tourists two options of walking to the top of the ruins themselves, a distance of around three kilometres, or they can take the easy option and make the journey by electric car for a cost of 20,000 kip.

Vat Phou offers three choices of stairs to its mountain temple. The going is easy early on but the stairs get more difficult as the grade gets steeper and it is quite a trek to the top of the mountain, which is 1,400 metres in height.

The stone stairs can be extra slippery in the rainy season so visitors should take care to watch where they tread. The going may be tough but it is more than worth it once you reach the top.

It is always something special to discover the hidden beauty and history of one of the oldest archaeological sites in Laos.

One temple on the site was constructed using sandstone, laterite and bricks in around the 5th century but most buildings found in the complex date from the 11th to 13th centuries.

Vat Phou has many outstanding carvings of the Hindu god of war, storms, and rainfall, riding a three-headed elephant and Vishnu riding on a Garuda, an eagle.

Vat Phou has been an active temple for Buddhist religious practice for quite some time because Buddhism replaced Hinduism in Laos in the mid 13th century.

There is an altar at the front section of its sanctuary featuring four big Buddha images with more Buddha images around the ruins.

Standing atop the ruins, a sense of peace of mind comes over you as the wind blows gently on your face and you watch the world pass by below as the swirling waters of the Mekong sweep past.

From Vat Phou to Phou Ngoi temple, on the return to Pakxe, there is more hiking to climb the more than 300 stairs to reach its top, but it is not as steep as Vat Phou. Phou Ngoi offers good views over the Mekong valley and is shaded by a good number of trees, making it a cool and calm place to relax and reflect.

Constructed many centuries ago, it was recently renovated by the temple abbot in the 1990s and only opened its doors to welcome tourists in 2012. At present, Phou Ngoi temple has only five monks, all of whom love the Bhudda's teachings and practice meditation in the shade of the temple trees.

Tourists visiting the temple who are seeking to heal their minds through a spell of meditation can ask the monks if they can sit on a meditation system to learn how to separate themselves from the emotions they experience in daily life.

Old Buddha images and small stupas around the temple are also valuable for learning what Lao people respect in their religious beliefs.

Only 500 meters before returning to the outskirts of Pakse is Phou Salao temple on the hill, which with more than 100 steps is another test on the legs. Some of the steps are wood and some of them are concrete so it can be quite a challenge to reach the top.

As it is not far from Pakse, when you stand on the high hill and look out at the wonderful view of the provincial capital that still has many green spaces, offering a good blend between development and amenity.

Phou Salao temple is located on the western side of the Mekong in Phonthong district and was founded by Abbot Xangon in 2010 after being authorised by the provincial Buddhist Fellowship Organisation.

Abbot Xangon was the developer and a well known figure for Lao people. He passed away in 2013 and his funeral ceremony was also held at the temple.

Through his dedication Abbot Xangon designed the biggest Buddha image in the temple which is also the biggest on a hill in Laos. He may have passed on but his outstanding works are still alive for tourists and Lao people today.

- See more at: http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=14&token=ODg5YTdmYTQ5ZGJ#sthash.mkiBT31V.dpuf

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What now? Stop referring Khmer temple in Laos. It is Laos temple. Stop your imperial mind set or you will be crushed again.

The Thais were wise. They sacked the Khmer race again and again to make sure the Khmer race cannot cause troubles to other race. Yet today, there are some Khmers who still want to revive the Khmer empire.

Do you want to be sacked again?

-Drgunzet-

Anonymous said...

GunzetPhoCong, you are a bastardized child of a whore.

Anonymous said...


This dog shit eating youn like to bark out stupidity every time it open its' mouth.

Keep on barking youn, soon your master the Chinese will screw you for another 1000 yrs.

Hopefully the Chinese genes will out breed the stupidity out of the youns.

Sincerely,
STUPID youn...

Anonymous said...


This dog shit eating youn like to bark out stupidity every time it open its' mouth.

Keep on barking youn, soon your master the Chinese will screw you for another 1000 yrs.

Hopefully the Chinese genes will out breed the stupidity out of the youns.

Sincerely,
STUPID youn...