Prasat Ta Krabey or Prasat Ta Krabei, in Khmer ( km, ប្រាសាទតាក្របី) and also known as Prasat Ta Khwai, in Thai ( th, ปราสาทตาควาย), is a disputed
Khmer temple which was built during Angkor period, the golden age of Cambodian history. This 11th century religious site was constructed in order to be dedicated to Hindu god
Shiva and has become a tourist attraction site near Cambodian-Thai border in recent years.
Etymology
Prasat Ta Krabey literally means ''Grandfather Buffalo temple''. Prasat ( km, ប្រាសាទ) is a Khmer word, derived from Sanskrit word (''prāsāda'') ( sa, प्रासाद), means ''temple''. Ta ( km, តា) means ''grandfather'' and the word Krabey ( km, ក្របី) means ''buffalo''.
Plan and features
Ta Krabey temple consists of a single central sanctuary, where houses a
Shiva Linga, named ''Svayabhuva Linga'' ( km, ស្វ័យលិង្គ), which means ''the self-emergence Linga'' and four
gopuras face to all four directions in total area of 900 square meters. This
sandstone temple was decorated with some carvings, especially the depiction of god
Yama mounts on a buffalo as his vehicle, however the construction work of the temple was unfinished as most of the exterior surface of the central tower has no carving. According to architectural style, this temple was built in 12th or 13th century in
Bayon style but it is believed that it started being constructed in 11th century. Nowadays, the temple is surrounded by
Dângrêk Mountains
The Dângrêk Mountains (; km, ជួរភ្នំដងរែក, ; th, ทิวเขาพนมดงรัก, ), also the Dângrêk Range, is a mountain range forming a natural border between Cambodia and Thailand.
Geography
Despi ...
jungle that provides cool shade and fresh air for visitors.
Location
The temple is located on
Dangrek mountain range, basically on Cambodian-Thai border, 57 km west of
Samraong city which is the capital of
Oddar Meanchey province and 13 km away from another Angkorian ancient temple,
Prasat Ta Muen Thom
Prasat Ta Muen Thom ( km, ប្រាសាទតាមាន់ធំ, Prasat Ta Moan Thom) or Prasat Ta Moan Thom ( th, ปราสาทตาเมือนธม, , ) is a Khmer temple located on Cambodian-Thai border.
Its Khmer name t ...
. Tourists can travel from Samraong city along the national road 56 and a mountainous concrete road that leads to this ancient site.
Cambodian claimed that this temple is situated in Chher Slap village, Kouk Khpos commune,
Banteay Ampil district
Banteay Ampil District is a district in Oddar Meanchey province in northern Cambodia. According to the 1998 census of Cambodia, it had a population of 27,075.
Administration
The following table shows the villages of Banteay Ampil district by co ...
,
Oddar Meanchey province,
Cambodia. On the Thai side, its location falls within
Phanom Dong Rak District of
Surin Province. Ownership of the temple has been subject to the
Cambodian–Thai border dispute, and military clashes near the temple occurred in 2008 and 2011.
See also
*
Prasat Ta Muen Thom
Prasat Ta Muen Thom ( km, ប្រាសាទតាមាន់ធំ, Prasat Ta Moan Thom) or Prasat Ta Moan Thom ( th, ปราสาทตาเมือนธม, , ) is a Khmer temple located on Cambodian-Thai border.
Its Khmer name t ...
References
{{OddarMeancheyProvince
Archaeological sites in Cambodia
Khmer Empire
Hindu temples in Cambodia
Angkorian sites in Thailand