Khmer New Year Tale

Folk Belief in Relation to Khmer New Year

It was believed that at the beginning of every New Year, there was a Goddess who came down to Mount Kailas. She would take the head of her father and make three circumrotations of the Mount Kailas which marked the end as well as the beginning of the year. And the story reads as follows.

Long ago lived a rich man whose only son named Dharmabal was well-versed in Trivida at the age of seven. His father built for him a palace close to the river bank where many birds lived. Dharmabal could understand the speech of those birds. He as well-known throughout the country and had been considered by the people as a very famous Brahmin. He was in charge of all religious ceremonies. His reputation was known also in heaven. In that time the people used to obey and worship Kabel Moha Prohm who was one of the mightiest Gods,. Kabel Moha Prohm felt that his own reputation and power could fade away in favor of Dharmabal, so he decided to challenge Dharmabal. Kabel Moha Prohm came down to meet. Dharmabal was in his palace. Kabel Moha Prohm asked him to solved three riddles and if Dharmabel could not solve them, his head would be cut off. But if Dharmabal could solve them Kabel Moha Prohm would accept to have his head cut immediately. Under these circumstances Dharmabal could not solve the Puzzles and he asked for seven more days during which he would be able to think of them. Six days passed by, still he could not find out any solutions.

Hopelessly, he ran away for escape. Early in the evening he reached a place where grew the two tallest palm trees on which two Entris (fabulous eagle) had built their nest. Exhausted from his long journey, Dharmabal decided to take rest on that site.
By that time the female Entri had asked her mate “what will we have as food for tomorrow?” Her mate answered: “we will have a gig feast. We will eat the flesh of Dharmabal who will be decapitated because he cannot solve the puzzles.” The female Entri continued her question. “What are those riddles? And what are the right answers?”

Those three riddles were:
“Where is the Seri (fortune) located in the morning?”
“Where is it at noon?”
“Where is it in the evening?”

The answers should be:
“In the morning, it is on the face so everyone washes their face.”
“At noon, it is on the chest therefore some water is spread on the chest to give it freshness.”
“In the evening, it is on the feet so everyone has his feet washed before going to bed.” Save by the female Entri, Dharmabal returned home happily and waited for Kabel Moha Prohm. The next morning Kabel Moha Prohm came down to see Dharmabal and demanded his answers. Dharmabal gave him three right answers. Kabel Moha Prohm was defeated and therefore he asked his seven daughters to take care of his decapitated head in turn for one year each. This head was not to be placed on the ground because that would cause the whole world to be burnt. It could not be thrown in the sea because it dried it up to the last drop. It could not be thrown in the sky because it would prevent any rainfall.

After giving his instructions he cut his head and handed it to his daughters. The oldest daughter name Tungsa received her father’s head on a gold tray and flew to Mount Kailas in the company of her six sisters and other gods. There, after making three circumrotations of the Mount Kailas, she kept it in a stupa. Immediately, Prah Visvakam, the architect, built upon the same spot a colored-glass palace named Bhagavati. It was used as a meeting place of Gods and Goddesses.

On every New Year day, the daughter who is in charge of her fathers’ head for the coming year has to perform the same ritual activity as her eldest sister did. This marks the beginning of the New Year. And on earth, there is also a ceremony which symbolizes this. People make three circumrotations of the Phnom Khsac or Phnom Sroev (the man made hillock of sand or rice). This ceremony may take place on the day preceding the New Year’s Day as on the last day of the New Year.

Adapted from Khmer by Thel Thong