Koh Ker Temple
សព្វថៃ្ងនេះ យ៉ាងហោចណាស់ក្នុងមួយថៃ្ង មានភ្ញៀវទេសចរបរទេស ពី២០ ទៅ៤០ នាក់ដែរ បានទៅទស្សនា តំបន់ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្តកោះកេរ នៅឃុំស្រយង់ ស្រុកគូលែន ខេត្តព្រះវិហារ បន្ទាប់ពីក្រុមហ៊ុនខាំសូមេធបានវិនិយោគទុនធ្វើផ្លូវល្អស្អាតរួចមក។ កំណើនភ្ញៀវទេសចរ ទៅកាន់តំបន់ ប្រាសាទកោះកេរខាងលើនេះ មិនបាននិយាយពីភ្ញៀវទេសចរក្នុងស្រុកផងទេ។
លោកខេង សុមេធ នាយកក្រុមហ៊ុនខាំសូមេធ ដែលទទួលសិទ្ធិពីរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាធ្វើការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍នៅ តំបន់ប្រាសាទកោះកេរ ខេត្តព្រះវិហារនោះបាននិយាយថាផ្លូវប្រវែង ១០៥ម៉ែត្រចេញពីរង្វង់មូល ភ្នំគូលែនទៅដល់ ប្រាសាទកោះកេ គឺបានធ្វើរួចរាល់ហើយ។ តាមរយៈផ្លូវដ៏ស្អាតនោះ ធ្វើឲ្យចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរបរទេស និងភ្ញៀវទេសចរក្នុងស្រុក មានការកើនឡើងជាលំដាប់ លោកបាននិយាយថា ទោះបីជាផ្លូវនោះល្អហើយក្តីក៏ ក្រុមហ៊ុននៅតែកែសម្រួលជារៀងរាល់ថៃ្ង ដើម្បីឲ្យបានកាន់តែប្រសើរឡើងសំរាប់ការធ្វើដំណើររបស់ភ្ញៀវទេសចរ បានប្រកបដោយសុវត្ថិភាព ក៏ដូចជាសម្រាប់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋនៅក្នុង តំបន់មានភាពងាយស្រួលក្នុងការធ្វើដំណើរឆ្លងកាត់ ពីតំបន់មួយទៅតំបន់មួយ។
ប្រាសាទកោះកែរបានកសាងឡើងក្នុងរជ្ជកាលព្រះបាទជ័យវរ័្មនទី៤ ឧទ្ទិសថ្វាយព្រះឥសូរតាមបែបព្រហ្មញ្ញសាសនា។ ប្រាសាទនេះពីដើមឈ្មោះឆកគគីរ ឬផៃ្ទដីគោកគគីរ សព្វថៃ្ងហៅថា អតីតរាជធានីកោះកែរ មានទំហំផៃ្ទដី១៦X១៦គីឡូម៉ែត្រ រួមមាន៩៨ប្រាសាទ។ ប្រាសាទនេះមាន៧ជាន់ មានកំពស់ ៣៥ម៉ែត្រ ដែលកសាងឡើងតាំងពីសម័យបុរាណ ទុកសំរាប់ជាការគោរពបូជាតាមលទ្ធិព្រហ្មញ្ញសាសនា។
Koh Ker is an Angkorian site in northern Cambodia. 100 km northeast of Angkor itself, it was briefly the capital of the Khmer empire between 928 and 944 under king Jayavarman IV and his son Hasavarman II.After the Khmer empire had been established in the Angkor area (Roluos), Jayavarman IV moved the capital in 928 almost 100km northeast to Koh Ker. Here a vast number of temples were built under his reign, until his successor returned to the Angkor area about twenty years later.
The Koh Ker site is dominated by Prasat Thom, a 30 meter tall temple mountain raising high above the plain and the surrounding forest. Great views await the visitor at the end of an adventurous climb. Garuda, carved into the stone blocks, still guard the very top, although they are partially covered now. Across the site of Koh Ker there are many prasat or tower sanctuaries. A couple still feature an enormous linga on a yoni that provides space for several people. The outlet for the water that was sanctified by running it over the linga can be seen in the outside wall of one of them. In other cases, three prasat stand next to each other, dedicated to Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Most of them are surrounded by libraries and enclosures, many also had moats. At that time, the roofs were still made of wood. Today, only the holes for the beams remain in the stone structures.
The site is still 3 hours away from Siem Reap, the area has been demined only recently and basic visitors facilities are just being built. This makes Koh Ker very attractive for anyone who would like to experience lonely temples partially overgrown by the forest and inhabited only by birds, calling to each other from the trees above. Koh Ker is not the easiest temple to get to as involves an early start and a long journey to get there from anywhere. The site is about 100 km north of Siem Reap and the road, repaired in 2004, is in decent condition (by Cambodian standards). There are no public transport or tourist facilities; other than makeshift tables near the police camp at the entrance to Prasat Thom.
 |
| Prasat Thom |
What to see:
The ancient Khmer city is in a distant jungle location with up to a hundred ruined temples including a huge stepped pyramid; the largest in the region. More ancient temples are being found in the jungle; so there is a true sense of discovery here. Many of the temples were built in brick using a mortar made from tree sap. It is quite remarkable how well they have stood up to the test of time
The Entry fee is $10 payable at the booth near the entrance to Beng Mealea temple 60 km to the south west. If you are heading from Tbeang Meanchey and Preah Vihear there is no means if getting a ticket Yet but no doubt a facility will be set up in the not too distant future.
There are temples in abundance , most are brick built and all are in a picturesque state of ruin with many being overgrown. The Prang is the largest structure here, it is a 7 stepped pyramid approx 40metres high the views from the top encompass a lonely landscape of forest with the distant Dangrek Mountains on the Thai Border to the north and the Koulen Mountain Range 70 km to the south. Prasat Thom is the name of the temple that lies directly at the bottom of the Prang and one must negotiate this to gain entrance to the pyramid enclosure. In 2007 Prasat Thom was cleared of vegetation and the moats cleaned out by villagers working for the APSARA Authority that now manages the site. Tickets are sold by the Kham Samet Company that built the road to Koh Ker.
 |
| Prasat Balang |
 |
| Prasat Pram |
 |
| Prasat Banteay Pritchen |
