Royal Boat Racing Festival (Om Touk)

Historical event

Khmer warriors on their long naval boat in the battle of Tonle Sap. Bayon Temple. 12th century.

Boat racing is believed to have been celebrated in Cambodia since at least the reign of Jayavarman VII in 1181 AD. This was likely to commemorate the heroic victory of the Khmer navy, which liberated their land from the Cham troops of the Champa Kingdom in a boat battle on the Tonle Sap Lake.

Literary record

According to the record of Thach Pen alias "Piko (Pang Khat)" from the Khleang Province (Soc Trang), Kampuchea Krom (Southern Vietnam), in 1528 AD, King Ang Chan I ordered Ponhea Tat, the commander of the Khmer navy in the Bassac District of Kampuchea Krom, to prepare the Khmer army to defend the province of Preah Trapeang (Tra Vinh, Vietnam), which was under attack from the Đại Việt kingdom under Mạc Đăng Dung.

The naval boats were divided into three groups:

Group 1, called the "Toap Srouch", or vanguard, with boats shaped like modern racing boats called Ngor boats.

Group 2, called the reserve army, with two rows of rowing boats shaped like modern stand racing boats.

Group 3, called the Bassac Troops, was a large, very long open boat with a roof across the front, oars, and sails, shaped like the Bassac boat, called the Pok Chay boat. The boat was only used at night with lanterns, as a food supply boat for the army, delivering rice from Kampong Chhnang to Kampuchea Krom in Preah Trapeang Province until the Cambodian navy won.

After his victory, concurrent with the crowning of King Ang Chan I in 1529 AD, he celebrated the Bondet Bratib ceremony every year with candles at night to commemorate the victory over the Đại Việt and to give thanks to the goddess Ganga (Preah Mae Kongkea in Khmer language).

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Royal Boat Racing Festival (Om Touk)

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 Today marks the commencement of the Water Festival in Cambodia, known in Khmer as Bon Om Touk. This festival is recognized as one of the country's most significant traditional celebrations. 

Spanning three days, it attracts participants nationwide to the capital, Phnom Penh, where they engage in an array of festivities that occur both during the day and at night. The festival coincides with the seasonal reversal of the Tonle Sap River, creating a unique cultural and ecological significance that is reflected in the various events and activities held throughout the celebration. 

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Today marks the commencement of the Water Festival in Cambodia

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 🇰🇭Here are some things to know about the Cambodian Water Festival, also known as Bon Om Touk:

🗓When It's Celebrated

The festival occurs annually on the full moon of the Buddhist month Kadeuk, typically from late October to early November. In 2024, it will be celebrated from November 14 to 16.

🧐What It Celebrates

Bon Om Touk marks the end of the rainy season and the unique reversal of the Tonle Sap River's flow, which is influenced by seasonal monsoons.

👓What to See and Do

The festival features boat races, fireworks, concerts, and traditional feasting. The boat races, a tradition since the Angkorian period, see teams compete in beautifully decorated boats representing their villages.

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Here are some things to know about the Cambodian Water Festival, also known as Bon Om Touk

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 You’re correct in noting that many of the Khmer temples in Thailand, like Phanom Rung, Phimai, and Sikhoraphum, do not feature traditional Apsara carvings. These temples were primarily built during the height of the Khmer Empire and display architectural styles and carvings focused on Hindu deities, particularly Shiva and other elements of Hindu cosmology. In contrast, the Apsara iconography is more prominently found in Cambodia, particularly in the Angkor region.

Why Thai Khmer Temples Lack Apsara Carvings

1. Purpose and Influence: Khmer temples in what is now Thailand were primarily constructed as Hindu sanctuaries, focusing on Shiva and Vishnu, as well as other Hindu elements. While they feature intricate carvings, they lack the specific Apsara figures that are so prominent in Cambodian temples like Angkor Wat and Bayon. The absence of Apsara carvings suggests that Apsaras, as celestial dancers, were not as central to these temple sites and may have been more closely associated with the Angkorian royal court and its spiritual or cultural focus at the time.

2. Geographic and Cultural Center: The Angkor region in Cambodia was the heart of the Khmer Empire, where Apsara carvings proliferated as a symbol of divine beauty and cosmic harmony. As the center of the empire, Angkor developed unique art forms, including Apsara imagery, that were not as widely replicated in outlying regions, including those now in Thailand.

Thai Adaptation of Apsara Style

Given the historical lack of Apsara carvings in the Khmer temples within Thailand, it is likely that modern Thai interpretations of Apsaras were inspired by Cambodian Apsaras, especially from the Angkor Wat complex. Over time, as Thai artists and performers became aware of the Apsara iconography, they may have adapted it into their own style, blending Cambodian influences with Thai artistic sensibilities.

Evidence of Apsara as Cambodian Heritage

The historical absence of Apsaras in Thai Khmer temples reinforces the idea that Apsara iconography originated in Cambodia and is uniquely tied to the Khmer civilization, particularly its Angkorian heartland. Cambodia’s Apsaras, with their detailed diversity and prominence at Angkor Wat and other temples, are a distinct part of Cambodian heritage. The adaptation of Apsara elements in Thai culture may therefore be viewed as a tribute or cultural borrowing, reflecting the long-standing influence of Khmer art and architecture across Southeast Asia.

In conclusion, while Thailand has adapted the Apsara image, the Apsara carvings and style are deeply rooted in Cambodian history and were likely created uniquely by the Khmer in Cambodia. The historical evidence supports Cambodia’s cultural ownership of the Apsara iconography.

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You’re correct in noting that many of the Khmer temples in Thailand

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