Ancient stupa set to become visitor attraction in Champassak

[Lone Rider]

Ancient stupa set to become visitor attraction in Champassak

Head of the Vat Phou World Heritage Office, Mr Oudomsy Keosaksith, spoke to Vientiane Times yesterday during a visit by Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Savankhone Razmountry and his team to the provincial department. He said the stupa had been found at Nongdinchi temple on Phou Malong mountain in Phonthong district.

- The stupa is 400 years older than the Vat Phou World Heritage Site and is also thought to be older than Angor Wat in Siem Reap, he said.

- The stupa is ornately decorated in the Hindu style, which has not been seen anywhere other than the Vat Phou heritage site.

Vat Phou was built between the 5th and 7th centuries. Officials are readying documents for submission to the governor's office, requesting that the site be designated one of the province's cultural, historical and natural sites. The office will then submit an application to the government to consider the stupa as a national heritage site. The mountain is located along the Mekong River and is an attraction in itself due to its scenic beauty.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update February 28, 2017)

 

[Lone Rider]

Ancient stupa set to become visitor attraction in Champassak

Head of the Vat Phou World Heritage Office, Mr Oudomsy Keosaksith, spoke to Vientiane Times yesterday during a visit by Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Savankhone Razmountry and his team to the provincial department. He said the stupa had been found at Nongdinchi temple on Phou Malong mountain in Phonthong district.

- The stupa is 400 years older than the Vat Phou World Heritage Site and is also thought to be older than Angor Wat in Siem Reap, he said.

- The stupa is ornately decorated in the Hindu style, which has not been seen anywhere other than the Vat Phou heritage site.

Vat Phou was built between the 5th and 7th centuries. Officials are readying documents for submission to the governor's office, requesting that the site be designated one of the province's cultural, historical and natural sites. The office will then submit an application to the government to consider the stupa as a national heritage site. The mountain is located along the Mekong River and is an attraction in itself due to its scenic beauty.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update February 28, 2017)

View attachment 52394

Hindu stupa in Champassak considered for heritage listing

With a rich heritage and recently rediscovered stupa closely linked to an ancient empire inspired by the faith of Hinduism, Phou Malong (Miss Malong Tale Mountain) is set to become another tourist attraction in Champassak province. Located within striking distance of the provincial capital of Pakxe, the mountain temple is set to attract increasing numbers of visitors to its historical and cultural treasures related to the already renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vat Phou.

Located in Phonthong district, Phou Malong mountain is the site of Nongdinchi temple which plays host to the rediscovered Hindu stupa dating back to before the heyday of the Khmer empire. Ornately decorated in the Hindu style not found elsewhere in Laos outside Vat Phou, the site is considered an important piece of the area's rich cultural heritage. According to expert analysis, the stupa is 400 years older than the structures at the Vat Phou World Heritage Site and older again than Angor Wat in Cambodia's Siem Reap. Based on available evidence it is believed Vat Phou was built between the 5th and 7th centuries, making the stupa a significant find indeed. Now, Champassak's Vat Phou World Heritage Office is gearing up to submit documents to officially register the Hindu-era stupa and surrounds as a tourist attraction with the provincial governor's office seal of approval.

Map identifying the location of Nongdinchi temple on Phou Malong mountain some 10km from Pakxe on the way to Vat Phou World Heritage Site, located to the west.​

The mountain is located by the Mekong River and is an attraction in itself due to its scenic beauty, proving increasingly attractive to tourists for visits and to enjoy relaxation. Not only home to the stupa and other ancient objects, Phou Malong mountain also has a popular association with the story of Miss Malong, a character in Lao literature or folk tale.

According to the tale of Miss Malong, a long time ago there were two best friends. They promised each other that if each had children they would grow up to be best friends or in the case of having a boy and girl, get married to each other. One friend had a daughter named Miss Malong and the other a son by the name of Mr Bachieng. The day passed, and both best friends and their kids lived in different villages. Their children grew up day by day and they rarely met each other because they lived in different villages. Eventually the youngsters came of age and it was time to be married to each other, but alas Malong wasn't at all keen on Bachieng. Instead, she had feelings for another man named Mr Champassak. Her father didn't approve of the idea of her betrothal to the interloping Mr Champassak at all, insisting she could only marry with Bachieng, the son of his best friend. And so, the day of the wedding for the ill-fated pairing arrived. Bachieng and his family organised a traditional procession, carrying sacks of rice, chicken soup, wines and various gifts and jewelry by way of dowry to show suitable devotion to Malong and respect for her family. Unluckily for Mr Bachieng, halfway way to the home of his bride to be word arrived that his dream lady Malong had run away to elope with Mr Champassak. Mr Bachieng was so furious he threw away many gifts, wines and other goods and chattels in his anger and despair. It is said Mr Bachieng cast away his wines at an area known as Phou Salao mountain also located nearby.


Source: Vientiane Times - (Latest Update March 25, 2017)

Note LR: A few weeks ago I had a look at the Nongdinchi temple (coordinates N15.03809 E105.85213) but I was not impressed by the wooden building with a tin roof so I took no pictures of it