Phnom Banan

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In the west of Sangkae River in Sankae district about more
than 10 kilometers in the south-east of Battambang town,
there is a mountain called as "Phnom Banan". It is sacred
place where the villagers always celebrate traditional
ceremonies. The legend related to this
mountain goes as follows:
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There was a millionaire who had a daughter called "Neang

Rumsaysork". She always suffered from the menstrual
disease for many years. Later there was a well-known hermit
whose name was "Ta Kream" . He guaranteed to cure her
health until she was healed. When she recovered from the
disease, the millionaire married her to the hermit. The
hermit instructed her to master various magic such as the
magic to make tornado, etc ... The hermit and his wife lived
in a cave known as Preah Teuk or Brateuk. This cave is
located in the south of Phnom Banan nowadays. At that time
Phnom Banan was called as "Phnom Prasat".
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Afterwards, there was a prince whose name was Chao

Reachkul. He came and learned other magic from Ta Kream.
The hermit consented to train the prince until he had known
everything. Because Neang Rumsaysork was very beautiful,
the hermit prevented the prince from looking at her face, he
was afraid that the prince would fall in love with his wife.

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For months later, when the hermit was away, Chaov
Reachkul peeked at his wife and felt that she was very much
beautiful, the prince fell in love with her at once and asked
her for love, she also loved the prince. One day when the her-
mit went into the forest to find the medical herbs and fruits,
it was a good opportunity for his wife and the prince to
escape from him. They both traveled by a large junk at
that time.

When the hermit came back, he didn't see both '<.'-<~ "",f;fJ.~i:
them in the cave, he was aware that Chao Reachkul had
abducted his wife, and then he chased after them until the
seashore. He saw the junk was sailing far in middle of the sea.
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The hermit was very angry and cast a spell to make tornado
to destroy the junk in the sea but Neang Rumsaysork had
leant the magic as well, so she made the storm pass away.
While the hermit was so hurt that he fell down and passed
away at the seashore. Knowing that they both returned to
the cave of Phnom Brateuk to cohabit together.
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Next, Chao Reachkul wished to meet his first wife at his
hometown and he asked for permission from N eang
Rumsaysork to pay a visit to his home and promised to come
back very soon. After arriving at hometown for many days,
Chao Reachkul intended to come back to live with Neang
Rumsaysork. His first wife got very angry and ordered
a crocodile called "Athorn" to block Chaov t om
departure. While Neang
saw that her husband's junk was
going to be sunk, she prayed to
god who preserved Phnom
Brasat, "Please, help my husband
escape from this incident, then I
will offer this mountain". .~\\

!~~~ of her prayer, Neang Rumsaysork and her

were safe and then they offered the mountain as to
repay a prayer which was been answered.
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Since then Phnom Prasat had been called as

Phnom Bomnan but at present it is "Phnom
Banan" instead. At the foot of the mountain,
there is large cave which enables the people to go
in easily. Its roof looks like the roof of the boat.
There is a place of water dropping, a water
like a stone m ortar which is equal to the
basket.
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The cave is a square of about 12 meters

side, there are no any sculptures on the
walls but at the south of water filter, near
the wall, there are many damaged statues of
Buddha. The sunlight goes into the
cave through the hole on the root.
The way into the cave is narrow, so it
~ioi,'< is very dark when a person comes in
it. If we want to go in through that
path, it is required to light the torch
and walk in line in order to reach
place of water dropping.
to villagers of Phnom
sometimes the water in stone
filter is full, and sometimes it is half.

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Every year on the occasion of Khmer New Year, villagers

always celebrate ceremony at Phnom Banan. On the top of
the mountain, other events are held such as Poun Phnom
Ksach ( erect the sand hillock), offering food to monks,
dancing, boxing and giving offering in kind of money or
clothes to poor people. At the first day of New Year, they
always pray to Tevada Chnam Thmey (New Year God) for
happiness. This event sometimes this prayer is held by civil
servants and sometimes by villagers.

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If they forget to celebrate the prayer, there will be raining

for three days of New Year, and villagers will suffer from
the disease all over the villages. For the prayer event, there
are Sla Thor, Baisei and music playing in tune of praying
style. It is said that in the ancient time, whenever the music
was played in tune of praying style, many crocodiles were
seen to appear in Srah Tasen (Tasen pond) near the foot of
Phnom Banan. The pond was very deep in the previous
time, but now it is shallow, and when the payer IS

celebrated, no crocodile is seen to appear in the pond.