Towns and cities

Pursat

The town of Pursat is situated on the road from Phnom Penh to Batambang at 187 kilometres north of Phnom Penh. The town centre is situated along the Stoeung Sen river. Over the bridge at the right hand river bank is a small park where evenings in the dry season, many inhabitants come to enjoy the river breeze and hang out around the statues and fountain.

If you make a stop in this town, you might want to visit a marble workshop for marble is found in the Cardamoms and processed in local handicraft workshops. Traditional themes are very popular with Cambodians.

Photo: a Shiva in white marble. If you have a lunch stop in Pursat along the National Road 5, you may find a broad collection of marbles and woodwork in most restaurants.

About 5 km from town is  the Venerable Site of Nhek Ta Khleang Moeung. This is the place of worship for the Spirit of this Nhek Ta. His statue was constructed in 1993 to replace an older statue that was destroyed during the civil war. Behind the statue is the place where local people gather during Khmer new year to play traditional games. On weekends and holidays, the place is flooded with Cambodian people who come to beseech the assistance of this eminent and powerful Spirit. Around the Venerable Site are several monuments and statues, offered by prominent Cambodian politicians as appreciation for His support. 

Photo: Khmer youngsters from Pursat play traditional music at the memorial. 

This is the same music you can hear at Cambodian wedding and funeral celebrations screeching from the loudspeakers. Cambodians have no idea about the distortion of sound that results from their overpowering the volume on an inadequate sound-system.  When you hear this from the speakers, it sounds horrific but when you hear it played live, it is quite enchanting.

Their music is linked to the ceremony for the Nheak Ta when the people come and make their offerings.

Oknha Khleang Moeung was a Khmer national hero,  a legendary 15^th century army commander who sacrificed his life to defend Cambodia against its Siamese enemies in 1482.

Another place of worship is Baktra, a natural site popular with Cambodians, about 16 kilometres from the provincial capital in the forest at a stream in which water flows all year round with many natural wells. There is a 50 metres high hill. 

Pursat province has one of the larger and markedly less besieged floating villages.