Wat Phnom – The Buddhist Temple of Powerful Spirits
Buddhist Temples | March 19, 2010Perched on a grassy hilltop at 27 m near the Tonle Sap River, Wat Phnom, meaning the Hill Temple, is the main Buddhist temple that is the only attraction in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. The legend says that a wealthy widow woman called Penh discovered a large koki tree in the Mekong River that she wanted to use to build a house. However, she found four bronze statues of Lord Buddha and a stone statue of Hindu Lord Vishnu in its hollow. Therefore, to safeguard them, the lady built a small shrine on the hill, which gradually became a holy sanctuary for wishes and prayers of luck and success whose fulfillment is thanked by the offering of a garland of jasmine or bananas liked by the spirits. Since then, the place is named as the Phnom Penh meaning the Penh’s Hill.
Another legend says that King Ponhea Yat (1405-67) built the vihara after shifting the capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh in 1422. His ashes are now stored in the major stupa on the sanctuary’s west.
The Temple Complex
As usual with any Buddhist sacred site, the entrance to the vihara in Wat Phnom is toward the east possessing a wide staircase dotted recent era’s nagas, dvarpalas (guardians), and clinthes (lion-like exhibits). Along the entry, there are many vendors, beggars, quacks, and children. The young ones here will sell you an opportunity to free a caged bird and if you wonder around for long, the bird is seen retuned. You can even opt to take a round of the hill on a 46 year old elephant named Sam Bo who is here since 1983.
Vihara
The vihara, temple sanctuary, was reconstructed many times where each effort made it more beautiful. It depicts common characteristics of a standard Southeast Asian temple in form of a bell-shaped chedi and Naga snakes at the roof’s corners.
On a side of the entrance for the chamber, there is a statue of Preah Chau loved by the Vietnamese followers and this is where the guardian spirits with iron bats reside. On its left, an eight-armed statue of Lord Vishnu is seen. Opposite to the spirits, there is a tile table containing sketches of Confucius and two images of the sages Thang Cheng (right) and Thang Thay (left) in Chinese pattern.
In the interior, the central altar complex holds a large bronze Buddha in a sitting pose accompanied by statues, flora, candles, and other offerings of worship. The walls tell you the Jataka stories of the previous incarnations of Buddha prior to his enlightenment. Further, you will find murals showing the tales of the Reamker that is the Ramayana’s Khmer version. The most significant older paintings are the top area of sanctuary, but are not seen clearly due to the smoke of incense.
Descending towards the hill, a royal stupa with trees on its roof that are protecting it is seen. Between the vihara and the stupa, a statue of the smiling and chubby Madam Penh is seen in a small south pavilion. This is considered as the sacred almighty spirit protecting the hill city and that the locals ask her guidance for a key resolution.
On the hill’s base, a big clock is lit at night in the south is remarkably worth visiting.
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Wat Phnom is one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh. Built in 1373,it stands at 27 metres and is the tallest religious structure in the city.
Built on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh after a great flood washed statues of Buddha downstream, it has since been renovated.