This is Kbal Spean otherwise known as the Valley of a Thousand Lingas. This video is of the bridgehead of the Stung Kbal Spean. The river is sacred to the Khmer peoples in the same way as the Ganges is sacred to the Hindu people of India. To arrive at this site, one must trek through a well worn path through the jungle for about 45 minutes. This was a bit of an arduous journey as much of it is uphill and the Cambodian summer was already upon us in late May. Average daily temp was around 90 degrees. If you go, don’t forget to grab a bottle of water or two for the trek. It will take something out of you trekking through that jungle. The water will save you.
Even with the heat, it was exhilarating to finally make it to Kbal Spean. I had tried to get out to see this site the last two times that I visited Angkor. For whatever reason, I could never quite make it. It was well worth the journey. I only wish I had a digital camcorder that could do the place justice.
After climbing through the jungle and hills, you come upon the site in this video. After that you follow the river down to a larger waterfall. In between the bridgehead and water fall there are thousands of linga and yoni carved into the river bed. There are also Hindu motifs of animals, humans and Gods. Because the Khmer consider the Kbal Spean sacred, it’s waters are believed to have healing properties. People were bathing in the waterfall or collecting water in bottles to take home or to loved ones to cure their ailments and injuries. One Khmer fellow was taking the water home with him to have his sick cow drink. One humorous note was the arrival to the scene of a British Doctor who was horrified by the fact that people were bathing in the water. He took great pains to warn everyone to NOT drink the water as it is supposed to be heavily contaminated with parasites. He would not step foot into the water. Of course, he arrived after I had already immersed myself in the waterfall.
Below are several pictures taken of the area.
These are the paths and hills through which you must trek to reach Kbal Spean. We came upon the butterfly nest at the beginning of the trail. The mushroom looking rock is sacred to the people of the area. Monks and locals come here to cast off evil spirits. Newlyweds will come here to enhance their fertility. The area is said to have great powers.
Above you see Shiva. He is the destroyer in Hindu mythology. The god who brings about the destruction of the Earth so that Vishnu can re-new it. Most of the Temples in Cambodia are consecrated to Vishnu. Many have been re-dedicated to Buddha or serve dually as Temples to Vishnu and Buddha. Jayvarman VII mixed Hindu mythology into the work in all of his Temples to Buddha. It was a way to get the people to buy into the new Buddhist theo-philosophy that he brought with his reign. Very similar to how Christian rulers adapted pagan symbolism as Europe was converted during the reign of Constantine. In the river, you can see the “linga” of the rivers name. Thousands of those linga are carved into the riverbed of the Kbal Spean. This was started by King Suryavarman I sometime in the 11th or 13th Century in order to ensure the fertility of the Khmer Kingdoms.
The little girl in this pic was standing on the side of the road on the way back to Siem Reap. I stopped to take pics of the water buffalo and she just stood there smiling that big smile at me. So I gave her some candy and took her pic as well. She was certainly a cute little thing.
Coming soon: Exploring Ta Prohm…
