PHNOM
PROSETHI
(
Kandal Province )
Phnom Prosethi is of two mountains next to each other. But because of the
district border division in Kandal province, these two mountains were
divided as district border at the valley i.e. the west mountain is in Mkak
commune, Angsnuol district. As for the east one it is in Chhvang commune,
Pornhea Loeu district, Kandal province. The two mountains, the west one is
not related to the story or ancient place that is remarkable. Only the
east mountain that has many old things relevant to the tale:
1. Cave and Hermit Chongkrom
The two places have only a tale, Baksey Chamkrong, which is briefly told
as below:
There was a big bird, which saw a baby in the open area, landing and stretching
the wings to cover the baby from the heat. At that time, there was an old
man, Kouhe, who just rested from ploughing the fields and walked quickly
home. He saw that baby and carried home so as to take good care of him.
Seven years later, the king asked astrologer to predict. The king knew
that the honored person had not died yet. He ordered to have all
7-year-old children brought to print mounts of the
hands.
At that time, the old man Kouhe was also gathered to bring his adopted
child to print the mounts. It was seen the mounts on the palm. So, he was
going to be killed because they considered that a person with mounts was
the honored one. But Kouhe took his grandson with strength to escape with
covering wings of the bird until they disappeared from the crowds. The
soldiers chased after them but they could not reach. Kouhe brought the boy
from a district to another, crossing big river at Roka Koung, crossing to
Lvea Te and they reached Vihear Sour. They were still frightened because the soldiers run after them
continuously. So, he brought the boy crossing Vihear Sour, western river
and a village near the river towards the mountain in order to easily hide
themselves and live there. He hid himself in a mountain in Samrong Tong
province which is now called Phnom Prosethi. There was not anyone who
reached this mountain during that time so he thought that it was a
peaceful place. Not only that, it was also a hermitage of all hermits
taking meditation everyday. Since then, that place was really peaceful.
After the death of Preah Bat Ponheakrack, the ministers found out the
royal boy who was the son of previous king to take the throne. Then it was
well-known about a royal boy, a son of a king, who loved with Kouhe and
was known as Baksey Chamkrong which was given by Kouhe as he saw a bird
followed to stretch its wings over the royal boy when he was young. All of
royal officials and ministers went to accompany him to hold the
throne. When taking the throne, the prince ordered to have a Buddha statue of the
pagoda constructed which was used for worshipping and he called Phnom Isey
Sethi which meant mountain of hermit of succeeding in everything because
Ta Kouhe always prayed for the royal boy to hold the throne when living
there. And now, he succeeded in what he had wished. So that place was
named Phnom Prosethi.
2. Horse traces on the stone. According to the old people who told from time to time that the tale was
related to the story " Chao Rithi Sen and Neang Kongrey " When
Rithi Sen took Santhmea's letter to give to Neang Kongrey and went to live
near the hermitage of the hermit. At that time, the hermit read the letter
secretly that Neang Santhmea asked Neang Kongrey, daughter, to kill the
young man when he arrived. So, the hermit torn the letter and he wrote another one which was to ask
Neang Kongrey to accept the man as her husband when arriving. This was why
there were big stones near the place of hermit when taking meditation. At
the time, Rithi Sen returned and hurried to leave Neang Kongrey, he also
crossed this place and met the hermit. The hermit gave leaves to Chao
Rithi Sen to fly away. The stones on which Rithi Sen began galloping the
horse and left were filled the horse traces until nowadays. |
