Prasat Ta Moan

On 28th and 29th July 2008, about 100 armed Thai troops surrounded two Khmer temples, Prasat Ta Moan Thom and Prasat Ta Moan Toch, located in Cambodia’s Banteay Ampil District, Oddar Meanchey Province. I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some details about the two temples. The two temples are located on the saddle of the Dangrek mountain range, some 150 km west of Prasat Preah Vihear, where more than 600 thai troops have tried to cut off the only road access to the temple from the Cambodian side.

Prasat Ta Moan Thom

Prasat Ta Moan Thom means in Khmer “Great Temple of Grandfather Moan”. This south-facing temple enshrined a linga svayambhuva (‘self-born linga’), which might indicated that a linga was found at the site. The temple was the site of a hermitage during the pre-Angkor period. According to an inscription from the early years of Suryavarman I’s reign, the Prasat Ta Moan Thom was once named Shivapada pashcima – means “The Western Footprint of God Shiva”. 

The early hermit community who venerated linga (representing hindu God Shiva) had built a wooden structure to shelter it (as it was the beginning of the construction of Prasat Preah Vihear). Later on a sandstone temple was built on the site to shelter the linga. The temple was built in phases, like in the case of Prasat Preah Vihear. The expansion of the temple was made to the south of the original site, where the slope fell steeply on the side of the hill. There are several linga on the rock-strewn ground.

The central sanctuary houses the “Svayambhuva linga” that had been worshipped from very early times by a community of hermits. It is preceded by by a three-section pavillion (mandapa). Two libraries open to the west are located on both sides of the main shrine. Two more temples were added in the rear at a later date to the central sanctuaries. A rectangular enclosure (46 metres north-south and 36 metres east-west) consists of a series of galaries sourrounding the central sanctuary. There are three entrance gateways east, north and west, each with triple passageways. The main gate, the fourth gate, faces south, with a large Gopura (central hall). In front of the main gate, there is a high laterite esplanade overlooking the steep descent towards the Cambodian plain. In the rear outside of the enclosure, there is a water pond.

Prasat Ta Moan Thom grew in importance, especially from Jayavarman V’s reign onwards. There is a hospital and a Fire temple attached to it. At least Jayavarman VII had visited the temple once.

Prasat Ta Moan Toch

Prasat Ta Moan Toch means “a Small Temple of Grandfather Moan”. It serves as Khmer ‘hospital chapel’. The Khmers built many shrines known as ‘hospital chapels’ throughout the Khmer Empire. Jayavarman VII had built 102 such hospitals to place the sick under the protection of the ‘healing Buddha’ Bhaishajyaguru.

The classic layout of the hospital chapel of Ta Moan Toch seems to have been originally intended to open to all four cardinal points, bu the west, north and south doorways have been blocked up. The ground plan is idential for all the hospial chapels. The temple is enclosed within a wall of modest dimensions and consists of a sanctuary preceded by a mandapa (pavillion). There is a library open east through a pavillion. As usual located in the north-east corner, there is a laterite water pond characteristic of such chapels.

The Fire Shrine of Ta Moan

The Ta Moan’s Fire Shrine is located some 1,500 metres north of Ta Moan Thom. All Khmer Fire Shrines are built to the same model: doors to the east and west and windows only on the south facade. The Fire Shrines have a special architechtural shape. They were built along the ancient main roads so that travellers could rest after a long walk. In present day’s Cambodia the Fire Shrine is called Sala Chhor Team, a cottage without wall where a traveller can rest and drink water. The Fire Shrines have been designated as dharmasala, but their Sanskrit name means “the house of fire”.

The building of Fire Shrines began since the reign of Suryavarman I until the reign of Jayavarman VII who had commissioned the building of many such dharmasala.