Takeo Province, Cambodia – Phnom Chisor and Ta Prohm

Takeo Province, Cambodia – Exploring The Ruins of Phnom Chisor and Ta Prohm

The Takeo Province of Cambodia is a treasure trove that would definitely delight the discerning traveler as well as the student of history. It has many gems of history strewn across it that are waiting to be discovered. After being awed by the aging magnificence of Phnom Da it was time to be bowled over by the somewhat eerie silence of Phnom Chisor, the calm of the temple of Ta Prohm, and experience serenity by the lake at Tonle Bati.

Local Khmer music played from a small temple. Hawkers sold pineapple slices and other snacks as we reached the base of the Phnom Chiso temple.

A flight of steps flanked by the ubiquitous images of Nagas stretched in front of us leading up the mountain.

The climb up the hill was a wee bit tiring given it was winter and the sun was bearable, but this could be really challenging during the hot summer months.

The views as you ascend the mountain are beautiful with rice fields stretching out in the distance framed by distant hills.

There are sheds with hammocks to rest if your legs are aching on the way.

We did not stop to rest, however, stopped to catch our breath and admire the embroidery work being done by a lady.

Before we entered the precincts of the Phnom Chiso temple we also spent some time watching some of the monks in a monastery go about their daily tasks.

Some of them were painting the monastery building while a young monk seemed to be catching up on his homework.

The Phnom Chiso Temple in Takeo Province

As we entered the Phnom Chiso temple and moved around the ruins, we were struck by the eerie calm that prevailed.

The only sound that we could hear was that of our own footsteps and the humming of some bees that hovered around some colourful flowers that added a sense of beauty to the otherwise greying temple.

A strange sepulchral silence accompanied us as we looked at awe at the remains of what was once a magnificent temple complex that was dedicated to the Hindu Gods Shiva and Vishnu. The mountain on which the Phnom Chiso temple stands used to be known as Suryaparvata or Mountain of the Sun in ancient times. The temple was built by the king of the Khmer Empire, Suryavarman I sometime in the early part of the 11th century.

The temple of Phnom Chiso, of course, predates the famous temple of Angkor Wat and presents in many ways an indication of the grandeur that the world would see in the next century in the temples of Siem Reap.

We spent quite some time lost in the ruins of the Phnom Chiso temple. We felt like Indiana Jones in the temple of doom as we marveled at exquisite carvings on the lintels and pillars of the ruined temple.

We peeped into dark chambers and climbed rickety steps hoping to discover something exciting.

Hindu motifs were everywhere, on the lintels, on the door frames, and pillars. The one element of the carvings that really intrigued us was that of a bearded person sitting cross-legged. This element was similar to the one we found at the Phnom Da temple and this motif is something we would find all across the temples of Siem Reap including Angkor Wat. We looked online to decipher more information about this figure that appeared in all these temples and found that some sites mentioned that this was the Hindu God of creation Brahma. The locals we spoke to in Cambodia identified the figure as that of a Brahmin.

It was with difficulty that we tore ourselves away from the strangely magnetic aura of the Phnom Chisor temple, knowing well that there was much more in store for us that day and the next few days in Cambodia.

Where is Phnom Chiso Temple in Takeo Province

The Phnom Chiso Temple is located around 52 kilometers from the capital of Phnom Penh. It is situated in a small village called Sia in the Rovieng district. It is just over an hours drive from the capital.

Ta Prohm In Takeo Province

Another lesser-known temple, but nonetheless beautiful though in ruins is the Ta Prohm temple. This temple bears the same name as the one in Siem Reap, made famous by Angelina Jolie and The Tomb Raiders.

But the Ta Prohm temple we visited was very near the lake known as Tonle Bati in the Takeo province and was bereft of any visitors. As we entered the temple precincts, a bunch of sweet kids mobbed us selling lotus flowers. We chatted with them briefly and entered the temple.

The temple was in ruins but we could easily see its past glory in the form of the reliefs that included both Hindu and Buddhist iconography.

Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon looked down sublimely at us as we looked speechless at an exquisite piece of carving that depicted a reclining Buddha.

Picnic On The Banks Of Tonle Bati

Visiting Cambodia means visiting numerous temples and ruins, many of them located atop hills. This requires quite a lot of walking. Our temple visits had tired us and also the beginnings of hunger pangs could be felt in our tummies. We headed towards a lake known as Tonle Bati.

The banks of the lake were fringed with delightful floating bamboo shacks. We entered one of them and sat down on bamboo mats to a vegetarian lunch consisting of rice and vegetables. We spent some relaxing moments watching boats cruise by on the lake.

The series of floating bamboo shacks by the side of the lake was part of a resort. The place is a popular place amongst locals who head there for a picnic.

As we headed back towards Phnom Penh, the shadows were lengthening and we looked forward to the next leg of our Cambodian Odyssey. For the moment our thoughts were on those ancient temples that stood as silent sentinels of a history that has been long relegated to the obscure chapters of history.

Have you visited the lesser known temples of Cambodia? There is so much more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat and Siem Reap. One of the regions to explore to complete the puzzle of the Siem Reap temples is the Takeo Province.

We were hosted by Cambodia Tourism. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.

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