APAD 133: Neak ta shrine
This is just one of the 1001 reasons for expats and local tourists to explore Cambodia!
If you like exploring and are an adventurous type, do not miss out on going out on road trips. You’ll surely discover a lot of interesting things about Cambodia and its culture.
This neak ta shrine is one of the multitudes you will find in the country but they represent many differeting things. This one we found was just an hour away from the capital Phnom Penh, in the same area as Wat Phnom Prasith.
Cambodians believe in ancestor spirits called neak ta.
Neak tas are spirits who watch over and guard people, places (particularly forests), and things. They are believed to possess some kind of a supernatural power.
Shrines are built for the neak tas and contain objects that represent the four elements – earth, wind, water, and fire. According to local beliefs, the villagers take turn in keeping the shrine in order, making sure the shrine is clean and offerings of lotus flowers and lit incense are offered daily. Should they fail to do so, the neak ta will punish them or their entire village.
In the same manner, the villagers strive to act their best so as not to anger the neak ta. If not, misfortune and sickness will befall them and/or the entire village. Visitors, both local and foreign, are also expected to conduct themselves properly when visiting the shrine and within the vicinity. Otherwise, they will also not escape the wrath of an angry neak ta.
APAD 124: Buddhist temple entrance
Sorry if I sound a bit like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft here but here’s a few more temple photos that I took in one of our road trips earlier this year. Remember Prasat Vihear Suor which I visited last February? If you had forgotten, here it is (please click the highlighted text).
We entered through a cement archway that is decorated with elephants and faces similar to that found at Bayon Temple. We could not stop the car by the entrance so I had to walk inside (looking out) to take a photo. Here is the result:
Archways like this are very typical of an entrance to Cambodian temples. They give you a sense that you are entering Buddha’s domain.
These statues of temple guards, called dvarapalas, and the creature they are holding is called a naga, the mythical seven-headed, miles-long serpent that is said to inhabit the waters of the great Mekong River.
Looking in the same direction, I went closer to the statues to my right and managed to get a close up shot of a dvarapala.
This should give you an idea how it looks like:
Looks grouchy; scary even, isn’t it? There must be a hundred of them on either sides of the road. I found out not all of these dvarapalas look the same. I kid you not. Here is another dvarapala, on the other side of the road.
Those soldiers are called dvarapalas and the creature they are holding is called a naga, the mythical seven-headed serpent that is said to inhabit the waters of the great Mekong River.
After our visit and on our way out, while my husband was waiting for a gap in the traffic, I hurriedly took this photo.
You can see the two seven-headed nagas being carried by the dvarapalas on both sides.
APAD 112: Mystical
Pardon the not-so-wordless entry this week.
This photo was taken more than a month ago when my brother, my husband and I explored around Wat Phnom Prasith, an hour’s drive northwest of Phnom Penh. This old stupa attracted my attention. With the gnarly trees surrounding it, it looked interesting so I took photos (one of them is shown above). After camera shots were done, something jolted me.
I sensed something, like a mystical air, blowing through this part of the woods. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. And when I started to walk away, I felt goosebumps on my arms making me quicken my steps to catch up with my husband and brother.
I wonder what that was. I can still remember the odd feeling up to now.
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