The Khmer Krom people are mostly Buddhists and those living in Cambodia practice Theravada Buddhism, the oldest surviving school of Buddhism in the world. The Vietnamese Khmer Krom practice Mahayana Buddhism and a small portion of the community also practice Islam and Christianity. Their religious identity separates them from the rest of the people of the Indochina Region.

The Khmer Krom people trace their origins even before the Khmer Empire, and have thought to inhabit their native region since the first century AD. The Khmer Empire lasted from the 9th century AD to the 15th century, and was the most powerful empire in South East Asia during its peak period during the 12th century, particularly when the Angkor Wat was built.

Later, in the 17th century, the Khmer Krom people, who now currently live in Vietnam, were separated from the rest of their community in Cambodia, as Vietnamese settlers occupied the Mekong River Delta region. In fact, the modern day Vietnamese capital of Ho Chi Minh City, was known as Prey Nokor at the time of the Khmer Krom occupation, and was an important port city to the community.

After the French colonization of the region in 1863, the Mekong River delta was included in Vietnam after the independence of Vietnam from the French occupation. Cambodia protested on this step but to no avail, and the division of the Khmer Krom people led to tensions between Cambodia, which gained independence in 1954, and Vietnam, which further paved the way to violent conflicts between the states in the 1970s.

The Khmer Krom people have a rich cultural heritage which could be truly explored by visiting the heart of their homeland, the Mekong River Delta in Cambodia. This is where the cultural values of the Khmer Krom flourished and where you can find most of the cultural attractions that are representative of the people. Attractions like the Khleang Pagoda in Soc Trang, and other sites such as Long An, and Ving Long in the Mekong River Delta offer a good insight into their culture.

The Khmer Krom people also follow their distinct Lunar calendar, based on the Buddhist calendar, the practice of which is thought to have been originated from the Angkor period of the Khmer Empire. The Khmer zodiac however, seems to be an inspiration of the Chinese zodiac, and the local names of animals are associated with years, as is the case in the latter. The Khmer New Year is celebrated mostly on April 13, and sometimes on April 14.

The Khmer Krom people are represented by the Khmer-Kampuchea Krom Federation, which claim to be the only legitimate representative organization of the community and is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and People Organization. Although the organization maintains a non-political stance, but it primarily works to propagate awareness for the rights of the Khmer Krom community and to attract the attention of the world to the Human Rights violations they are facing in Vietnam.

Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor Wat, and so is the official nickname of the city: The Great Gate to Angkor. Yes, if you visit Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat, your camping site will surely be Siem Reap.

Siem Reap is located in the North Western part of Cambodia, and is the capital of the Siem Reap province. It is not far from the Great Lake or the Tonle Sap, which is an attraction in its own right, and is located just next to the site of Angkor, which is home to the Angkor Wat.

You can easily find flights to the city from the Cambodian capital or the major flight destinations in the region. Siem Reap, understandably, is the most favorite tourist destination in Columbia and offers hotels, spas and restaurants in good numbers, which include five-star rated accommodation.

Siem Reap also features an international airport, which means that the city can be your center of activity on your trip to Cambodia, as you can land right at the gates of the Angkor Wat, with the best amenities available in the country for the tourists. Siem Reap features a number of attractions within the city, so that you can catch all the action right away.

For those, who cannot resist the historical and archaeological mystique that shrouds Cambodia, the Angkor National Museum in the city offers the perfect start of their exploration. The museum offers a very good understanding for everyone who is interested to learn more about the archaeological wonders of the Angkor Wat and the Angkor Empire period.

Apart from the Angkor Wat, the 12th century royal city of Angkor Thom also holds a great significance and is a major tourist attraction. Angkor Thom was the last major city of the Khmer Empire and you can find the Khmer emperor Bayon Temple, built by Khmer Emperor Jayavarman VII, in the complex, apart from several other attractions such as the Baphuon pyramid temple, the Phimeanakas temple, the Elephant terraces and the nearby Ta Prohm.

Siem Reap does not only hold in itself attractions that pertain to the ancient Angkor period, but also offers a lot of other activities that can keep tourists engaged and entertained. The city offers Psar Chaa, which is a marketplace where you can collect plenty of souvenirs to remind you of this beautiful city.

Furthermore, you can enjoy evening shows, especially the Apsara dances in the local hotels and theaters to entertain you for the evening. Siem Reap can also offer you the perfect starting point to explore the rest of the country with attractions such as the Vietnamese Floating Village in Tonle Sap and the beaches near Sihanoukville to the south of Cambodia.

In 1970, the Khmer Rouge soldiers began an insurgency against the government. They were helped by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, and used this combined power to gain control over more than two-thirds of the country in a short time. The popularity of the Khmer Rouge is witnessed by the dramatic rise in strength from 3,000 in the year 1970 to 30,000 in 1973. With this, most of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops had withdrawn.

Finally, led by Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge overthrew the Cambodian government in 1975, after which the “Democratic Kampuchea” was established. Literally overnight, the new governance took cruel and drastic measures. Entire cities were evacuated. Property was abolished. Factories were closed. Schools were shut down. Money did not hold any value. Hundreds of thousands of taxi drivers, cooks, factory workers, clerks and everyone else became farmers suddenly. They even assassinated skilled workers and intellectuals, and many others died due to starvation. Records show that at least 2 million people died. Cambodia was reduced to nothing but a nation of slaves.

By the year 1979, tensions with Vietnam increased and Vietnamese troops invaded, helping the rival Communists factions in deposing the new Khmer Rouge government. But the Khmer Rouge continued to have a huge army of 30,000 near the Thai border and was also recognized by the United Nations as the official Cambodian government.

In 1982, this government entered into a coalition with former premier Norodom Sihanouk and Son Sann, who was a non-Communist leader. Leadership also changed hands from Pol Pot to Khieu Samphan, although it was widely believed that the real leader was still Pol Pot. In 1991, all the Cambodian factions signed a treaty asking for UN-supervised elections and in 1992; the UN assumed the administrative functions of the government. It was at this time that the Khmer Rouge disconnected itself from the peace process and started fighting. It also rejected the results of the UN-run elections that saw the beginning of a coalition government in Cambodia.

As is wont to happen, in 1997, due to factional fighting within themselves, Pol Pot was oustered and imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge and he died in 1998. That was the end of the Khmer Rouge, as most of the members were either captured, had surrendered or defected by 1999.

Not many scholars believed the reports of mass killings in Cambodia before 1979; however, when the Khmer Rouge was overtaken by the Vietnamese, the extent of the disaster was clear to all.

The Khmer Rouge even till this day evokes a sense of shock from Cambodians as well as the whole world, not just due to the death toll, which does not reflect the brutalities and tortures they carried out during their regime. The severity of their rule was such that there probably was no other revolution which changed the lives of an entire population.

The Khmer kings ruled over what is today Southern Vietnam to Yunan, China and from Vietnam to the Bay of Bengal. The beautiful structures seen at Angkor today, which consist of more than 100 temples, are all the religious remains of a grand administrative and social metropolis, whose other palaces, houses and buildings made of wood are long gone.

The Khmer Emperor Suryavarman II, who reigned during AD 1113-50 built the Angkor Wat temple. It was one of the many temples that came up when the Khmer civilization was enjoying the height of its power. This temple has earned the distinction of being one of mankind’s most impressive and enduring architectural achievements.

Lord Vishnu is the main deity; however, the sculptures on the temple also pay homage to several Vedic gods and goddesses including Lord Siva. The Angkor Wat temple is said to have served as an observatory where the rising sun was aligned on the equinox and solstice days with the entrance to the West of the temple, and numerous sighting lines were identified to be able to observe the rising of the sun and moon seasonally.

Angkor Wat is a masterpiece of Khmer art. All descriptions of the temple fall far short of communicating the perfect proportions and the astoundingly beautiful sculptures that the viewer is treated with face to face. The majestic architecture and the representation of form are astonishingly powerful and graceful. The inner galleries of the temple depict the battle of Kurukshetra, scenes from heaven and hell, churning of the sea of milk, and several more scenes drawn with great artistic beauty.

There were some European scholars who dated Angkor Wat as being built after the 14th century. The main reason for this being some of the decorative motifs at the temple bore a striking resemblance to some motifs from the Italian Renaissance. This argument has been proven to be wrong. Although, there is some connection between the art of the Renaissance and the 12th century art of the Khmer, it must have been due to a reverse process, which is that of importing oriental art into Europe and not the other way round.

The chief architect of the Angkor Wat temple is said to be Divakara Pandita, He is the priest who is most praised in all the inscriptions; and an image of him is also found at Wat Phu. He was said to have lived around 1050-1135. He designed the temple based on astronomy and the astronomical aspects were derived from Puranic and Siddhantic ideas based on the Indian traditions of altar and temple design. It is no wonder that Angkor Wat is ranked among the greatest human creations ever.

The first few centuries saw these two major religions, the Sanskrit language and other aspects of the Indian civilization making a strong impact on Khmer culture. The way Cambodians greet others with a “sampeah” gesture, is similar to the “namaste” in India or the “wai” in Thailand. During different periods, Cambodian culture also absorbed the Chinese, Javanese and Thai influences.

Khmer culture strongly defines every aspect of living, such as child birth, death, childhood, marriage, divorce, food, dance, music and literature. It is based on hierarchy and the level of respect a person gets depends on their age; the older they are the higher the status. It is a patriarchal society where the father is the head of the family and one of the most noticeable things about Khmer culture is the fashion of the Cambodian people, which is dependant on the social status and caste of a person.

Cambodians have a strong belief in the spirits and this is the reason the birth of a child, in spite of being a happy occasion, is also believed to bring harm from the spirits because the woman and the child are exposed. Similarly, a woman who dies in childbirth is believed to turn into an evil spirit. One of the most surprising cultural beliefs is that death is not considered as an occasion of grief, as it is said to be the beginning of a better life.

Mention of Khmer culture inevitably brings to mind the exotic cuisine, which is well-known for a variety of delicacies, such as the prahok, is a fermented fish paste used to flavor several dishes or kapi, a fermented shrimp paste. Coconut milk is one of the main ingredients used in curries and in the preparation of desserts.

Visual arts, music and dance play a very important role in Khmer culture and have been prominent for many centuries. The Angkor period saw the peaking of Khmer art. Modern art made its way into Cambodia only in the mid 20th century. The pinpeat ensemble consisting of percussion instruments dominates the music scene in Cambodia. There are other popular music categories like the ritual music of the courts – phleng kar, and mahori, the secular entertainment music. Folk dances and Khmer classical dance are known for the use of hands and feet as a form of expressing emotions.

While the Khmer culture flourished until the 14th century; the Khmer rouge era saw the devastation of the culture, but the pieces have long been picked up, and the rich Khmer traditions of science, art, architecture and spirituality again resonate throughout Cambodia, an exotic region located at the crossroads of India and China.

Legend has it that old Lady Penh was collecting firewood by the river when she saw a floating koki tree in the water.  She managed to get the out of the water and inside of the tree was something magnificent.  There was four (number varies by version) Buddha statues and one of Vishnu. She understood this discovering as a blessing.  She thought of herself as divine because of her findings and saw it to be a sign that the capital of Cambodia should be Phnom Penh.  She had a house made for the statues inside a hill, which is what we know now as Wat Phnom or Lady Penh, which is in the center of Phnom Penh.

The discovery was made in 1371, but Phnom Penh did not become the Khmer capital until the 1430’s under King Pohea Yat.  The choice of this capital was based upon the economic shift and need for outside trading; Phnom Penh became the hub of commerce.  In the 16th century and through the 19th century the capital was no longer in Phnom Penh, but the city still grew and was still the hub of commerce.  In the 19th century, under King Ang Chan’s rule, the capital came back to Phnom Penh.  Within the next ten years the city began to grow and develop by adding schools, hotels, prisons, banks, courts, and health services.

In the 1920s Phnom Penh became widely known as the Pearl of Asia, and of course, it kept growing.  An addition of a railway and airport allowed for further expansion, along with a National Museum.  The city continue to expand quickly, wetlands had to be filled in to allow expansion westward.

Finally in 1954, Cambodia won its independence from France.  This allowed for the Khmer culture and architecture to form.  Hundreds and hundreds of shophouses were built, along with monuments.  The Khmer people were happy; they finally felt free to express their culture.

The time did not last long, in 1970 Cambodia engaged into war with the communist group, Khmer Rouge.  Within three years Khmer Rouge had the capital, Phnom Penh, filled with refugees and demanding the Khmer people to evacuate.  The Khmer Rouge went to great extent to destroy everything the Khmer people loved and cherished, every aspect of their culture.

In 1979, a neighboring country, Vietnam, came into help and aid the Khmer people.  Khmer Rouge fled, leaving behind horrific evidence of a genocide.  The Khmer people are still scared from these terrible events, but luckily they have been successful at recovering most of their culture.  The population grew from 100,000 to 600,000 the next ten years after Khmer Rouge fled.  In the 2000’s we have seen Cambodia’s culture and architecture boom into popularity as they begin to restore their historic infrastructures.

The temple’s architecture reflects the varied styles of different kings who modified it during their reign. While most of the Khmer temples are oriented toward the east, this temple has the distinction of being different by being constructed along a north-south axis, which is unusual.

The construction of this temple dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva was started as early as the 9^th century by the monarchs of the Khmer Empire, who had a strong Brahman influence.  Initially, the Shiva sanctuary was built at the very top of the mountain.  Over the centuries, the temple paid tribute to Shiva’s different manifestations; as Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara, the mountain gods. Most of the temple was constructed during the reigns of kings Suryavarman and Suryavarman II.

You will also find an inscription at the temple that provides details of Suryavarman II celebrating religious rituals, reciting sacred rituals and making gifts for his spiritual advisor, who was an aged Brahman. The inscription also reveals that the Brahman also took great interest in the temple and donated a golden statue of Shiva to the temple.

Preah Vihear is dissimilar to the other temple mountains of Angkor, but it also represents Mount Meru, the adobe of gods; albeit a more stylish version.  There are a total of five gopuras that are on different levels, increasing the impact. These gopuras act as blocks so that the next part of the temple is not seen unless a gateway is passed.  The whole temple complex cannot be seen completely from any one location.

The Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, where the temple is located, gets its name from this temple. This temple set the stage for the surrender of the Khmer Rouge in 1998. There have been significant disputes between Cambodia and Thailand over the ownership of the temple.

It all started with an ownership battle between Thailand and Cambodia as early as in 1958, and this put an end to their diplomatic relations. Finally, Cambodia won, but the scars still remain.

Preah Vihear was part of two Cambodian civil wars; one in May 1975 and the other in December 1998.  Even the cement bunkers and bullet holes from those times still remain around the temple complex, as witnesses to the agony the temple has been put through.

In the 12^th and 13^th centuries, the Khmer Empire covered most of the land that Thailand sits on today. Although, many of the Khmer temples are in Thailand, in the north-eastern province that boarders Cambodia, Preah Vihear has always been the most contentious.

It was the French that marked the Thai-Cambodian border in the year 1904 and composed a map.  They used the watershed on the Dangrek Mountain range as the line of segregation.  Thailand argues that Preah Vihear is clearly on the Thai side of the divided line; however, the temple is shown on the Cambodian side in the map.

It was in 2007, that this old dispute was ruffled again, when Cambodia decided to propose giving Preah Vihear the distinction of being a World Heritage Site.  Thailand brought to the fore some unresolved disputes pertaining to a piece of land outside the temple compound, and Cambodia agreed to redraw the map, leaving that land to Thailand.

However, this decision could prove inconvenient for Cambodia, as rumors are rife that there are plans of building a hotel-casino complex on that land, with perhaps a cable car to take the gamblers to the temple.

Amidst all these disputes, gods reign in all their glory, in Preah Vihear, looking down with amusement at human nature, which is never satisfied.

MegaFoo

It was the power and promise of the Merrimack River that led to the settlement near the Pawtucket Falls by natives, and to the formation of a new city in the 19th century. The vision of a community based on the production of textiles gave rise to the construction of a massive complex of mills, and by the 1840s, Lowell had the distinction of being the second largest city in New England and the industrial center of America. These accomplishments provided the basis for the city’s cultural and ethnic diversity, attracting immigrants from central and southern Europe initially, mostly young women farmers, who came to be known as the “mill girls.” Along came the Yankees and Irishmen, who dug Lowell’s first power canal, the Merrimack Canal. But soon due to competition, the salaries were lowered shattering their dreams of fortunes and they left, to be soon replaced by new immigrants.

It was in the 1980s that immigrants from Southeast Asia fled to the city; including Cambodians who came in large numbers as refugees, after the Khmer Rouge rule. Now, Lowell holds the second largest concentration of Cambodians in the country of Uncle Sam, with around 35,000 Cambodians living in the city. They initially settled in the “Acres” and “Highlands.” There soon came into existence businesses made just for Cambodians. Today, there are more than 100 Cambodian businesses in Lowell, with the most popular commercial areas being the “Pailin Plaza,” which hosts a restaurant, shops and a supermarket. Cambodians even built their own pagodas in Lowell.

A market to note is the Phnom Penh Market, which is one of the largest Asian markets in Lowell. This offers the visitor a Cambodian shopping experience very different from that of a supermarket. Everything from decorative items to vegetables and fruits, from kitchen appliances to outdoor equipment is available here. How about a Cambodian newspaper?

The Cambodians imported the famous cultural events, traditions and arts of their motherland. They are a norm today and attract thousands of tourists throughout the year. The traditional South Asian Water Festival in Lowell is organized on the 3rd of August every year on the Merrimack River. This festival is hugely popular and is the ultimate must-see event for tourists visiting Lowell, with more than 60,000 people from around the world celebrating water. Crafts, foods, performances, and boat races with drummers are the highlight of this festival. The award-winning “Angkor Dance Troop” performs the classical Khmer Ballet and has earned a great reputation all over the continent.

For Cambodians a temple is as important as the air they breathe and the food they eat, if not more. The first Buddhist temple was built in the 1980s with a colorful Buddha statue and it was presided over by Monks coming to Lowell. The strong religious flavor of Cambodia can be witnessed to this day in the large new Trairatanaran Temple, which is located in the North Chelmsford.

If the Cambodian festivals, cultural events and temples leave an indelible imprint and tickle the senses, the food in Lowell impacts in such away that it leaves people craving for more. The Theptida Khmer and Red Rose are just two of the many restaurants that offer authentic Khmer cuisine; be it grilled Lok Lak, Sngou Chruok Trey or the Mee Ka-tang Rice Noodles, and a fine dining experience without having to empty the pockets. A trip to the Southeast Asian Restaurant is a must, as it is the first such restaurant of its kind to be opened in Lowell in 1985 and their menu is diverse, concentrating on Cambodia, Thai and Chinese cuisines. The aromas wafting through their kitchens are sure to drag you in.

The famous Clemente Park on Middlesex Street, a major tourist attraction, proves that parks are not only for children. Built in the 1970s, this park is a social hub for Cambodians, and a wonderful place to taste great home-made Cambodian eats, such as papaya and mango salad, teriyaki, beefsteak and a host of other foods. There is also a stone chess table for chess lovers and it is frequented by Cambodians of all age-groups.

An event that cannot be missed falls on the last weekend in July of every year; when the downtown streets in Lowell are shut down to celebrate the cultural diversity with guests from around the world. A smorgasbord of music, dance, art, ethnic food and other activities make this festival exciting, with thousands of people out on the streets. Music enthusiasts can even enjoy the Lowell Folk Festival, which is more of a jazz, country, ska and mariachi music festival held on warn July nights.

Lowell is a beautiful place to be and a visit to the Museum can help tourists understand the immigrant’s path of struggle leading to success. If textiles tickle your fancy, the American Textile History Museum and the New England Quilt Museum offer a glimpse into the evolution of art, and not to forget the Revolving Museum that holds colorful reminders of the 1960s, and is a major attraction of downtown. If not, then a two-hour tour of the city on a boat, trolley or by foot conducted by the Lowell National Historical Park, can give a peek into the extremely enchanting charm of this beautiful city.

With all these flavors of Cambodia in Lowell, a visit to this city gives an in-depth understanding of the centuries-old Cambodian culture, leaving visitors mesmerized.

Article is written and contributed by Khmer Portal.

It was built in the 12^th century for King Suryavarman II, and is one of the most well preserved temples in Cambodia.  It epitomizes the classical style of the Khmer temple architecture, which is a combination of two plans: one is the temple mountain and the other is the galleried temple.  The design of the temple represents Mount Meru, the mythological home of the Hindu Gods (devas).

Angkor Wat is oriented to the West, which is not the case with the other temples in Angkor.

Until the 19^th century the Angkor city and temples were hidden by the forests.  It was seen by the world only when French archaeologists took up the extensive restoration of this hidden marvel that stood the test of time.  It involved clearing the forests, repairing the damaged foundations and constructing drains to ensure that water does not damage the buildings.

The Angkor Wat temple is now a World Heritage Site, which ensured that the Cambodian government protected the site and also funded part of the restoration project.

In the 1980’s, after another restoration, the roof was replaced with cement, but this cement leaked into the temple and caused immense damage.  Now, restoration is underway and the roof stones have been removed, but they will be reassembled on stronger foundations. There are also sections of the structure that have collapsed, and this restoration is to ensure there is no further collapse.

This architectural masterpiece with its perfect balance, composition and sculpture is one of the finest monuments in the world. A moat surrounds the temple and the wall around it measures 1300m x 1500m.  The walls of this temple are covered inside and outside with carving and bas-reliefs.  Keeping such a massive structure intact is a huge task, which is being undertaken with a lot of love and care it deserves.