From Pakse to "Wat Phu": A Temple of Sacrificial Offerings

A ferry, known as a "bak" by the Lao people, transports passengers and vehicles across the Mekong River to the opposite bank of the city of "Pakse", which is part of the great metropolis of southern Laos known as "Champasak".

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Traveling from Ubon Ratchathani to southern Laos, Pakse serves as the gateway to Champasak. While not a large city, it is the largest in southern Laos, after Vientiane and Savannakhet. Pakse has experienced significant economic growth and is bustling compared to the tranquil city of Luang Prabang.

In 1905, the French established Pakse to diminish the power of Champasak. Consequently, the architectural landscape of Pakse is predominantly European in style, lending the city a unique charm despite its age.

The Mekong River flows through the city of Pakse, the capital of Champasak Province. Another river, known as the "Sedone River" by the Lao people, also flows through the city. This river is the origin of the name Pakse.

From this bridge over the Sedone River, looking down at the Pakse city side, you can see the residence of Ms. Daoreuang, the owner of Daoreuang Coffee, the richest businesswoman in southern Laos. Further away, the Champasak Palace Hotel stands majestically in front of you. This hotel was originally the old palace of Chao Boun Oum of Champasak, the last ruler of Champasak and Prime Minister of Laos before the change of government.

Prince Boun Oum of Champassak fled Laos and sought asylum in France in 1974, while the palace was still under construction. He died in Paris a few years later.

After the successful revolution in Laos, this palace was transformed into a meeting place for the party and a residence for visiting dignitaries in Pakse. Later, a Thai businessman negotiated with the Lao government to renovate the old palace into the most modern hotel in southern Laos.

Besides Champasak Palace Hotel, which is considered the most luxurious in Champasak, there are also Eravan Riverside Hotel and Grand Champasak Hotel, which are equally luxurious. These are 4-star hotels in Laos. For ordinary tourists who travel with backpacks and are looking for affordable accommodation, there are many small hotels with prices starting from 350 baht per night, which are comfortable enough to rest your head.

Despite being a small town located in a remote area, the nights here are far from quiet. Numerous **"nightlife establishments"** offer live music and dancing until midnight, ensuring a vibrant atmosphere.

As previously mentioned, most travelers to Pakse have a destination further afield, nearly thirty kilometers away, near the historic city of Champasak. This city was once renowned for its grandeur, particularly the ancient temple complex known as "Wat Phou," situated on a hilltop.

According to the legend of Wat Phu, the castle is believed to be associated with the Funan or Chenla Kingdom, which was part of ancient Khmer. The castle was built by King Traivarman, the ruler of Sambhupura in the Champasak region. The castle was built during the 8th Buddhist century, or around 933-943 AD. At that time, there were records of these kingdoms in the records of Ma Tuanlin.

"In the capital city of the country of Jenla (Cham - author), there are approximately twenty thousand houses. In the center of the city, there is a large palace where the king resides and conducts his affairs. The city has thirty subordinate cities, each with thousands of houses."

The men of the city were small in stature and had dark skin, while the women were slightly lighter in complexion. The people wore their hair in braids and adorned themselves with earrings. They were agile and strong, and bathed every morning, using small twigs to clean their teeth.

The northern region of the kingdom is characterized by ravines and valleys, while the southern region is dominated by lowlands and large marshes. The climate is not particularly pleasant. Rice is the primary crop cultivated on the plains. During the fifth and sixth months, violent storms sweep through the area, prompting the people to sacrifice pigs and sheep at the western city gate in an attempt to mitigate the devastation caused by the storms.

And near the city of Isanapura, there is a small mountain. On the top of the mountain, a temple was built, and there were always thousands of soldiers guarding it. This temple was dedicated to a god, and human sacrifices were required. The king himself had to go to the temple to perform the sacrifice at night every year.

This is not merely a speculative claim. The Suay Chronicle, dating from 1132-1161 CE, explicitly records that...

"Near the capital city, there is a mountain called Linggiypopo (Lingkaparvata). On the top of the mountain, there is a castle guarded by a thousand soldiers. This castle was built for a god named Potoli (Bhutasesvara), and a human sacrifice was made every year. The king himself went to the castle to perform the sacrifice ceremony at night."

The next generation of stone inscriptions, dating back to 1193 AD, mentions that King Jayavarman VII ascended the throne and ordered the Brahmin Divakara to build a Shiva temple on Phnom Sandak Mountain in Cambodia, as well as the Preah Vihear Temple. He then ordered the construction of a Shiva temple on top of Wat Phu. Although he moved his residence to Angkor, he remained a patron of Wat Phu.

This is the origin of the temple of Wat Phu, located in Champasak Province, during the time when the Khmer Empire held power in the land of Suvarnabhumi before its collapse. This led to the people who lived in that city to disperse and establish new cities.

However, if we do not rely on legendary tales and instead turn to the chronicles of Thailand, we find that Champasak was mentioned as a deserted city for thousands of years. It was then ruled by the Chams, who rebuilt the city and named it "Champanakorn." The original ruler was known as "Thao Khatthanan," and his lineage continued until the reign of Phya Kamathat.

Following the demise of King Khamthatha, a ruler named Chao Khemrong seized control of Champasak and renamed it "Kalasin Kampaknaburi." Chao Khemrong's reign continued until the reign of King Suthatsanracha, who, upon his death, left no heir to the throne. Consequently, Kalasin Kampaknaburi remained without a ruler for a decade.

Until 1638, the townspeople invited a man to become the lord of the city. However, when the man died, he had no sons, as he had been cursed in ancient times. Therefore, only his daughter, Nang Phao, ascended to the throne and ruled the city after her father.

At that time, Chao Pangkham resided in Vientiane, holding the position of elephant commander. He went out to raise and train elephants at Nong Bua Lamphu, and brought his people down to hunt elephants in Champasak. There, he fell in love with Nang Phao and they had a daughter named Nang Paeng. Later, Chao Pangkham returned to Vientiane. After his mother's death, Nang Paeng succeeded him as ruler of the city.

Meanwhile, in Vientiane, King Suriya Vongsa passed away. Phraya Muang Chan, the minister, seized the throne and attempted to take Nang Sumangkala as his consort. However, Nang Sumangkala, who was widowed and pregnant, refused. She fled with her eldest son, Chao Ong Lo, to seek refuge with her relative, Phra Kru Yod Kaew, at Wat Phon Samek.

Pursued by the relentless King of Muang Chan, the revered monk and his followers fled Vientiane for their lives. Seeking refuge, they found sanctuary for Nang Sumangkala and her son at Phou Sangor in the Muang Brican district. It was there that she gave birth to another son, named Chao Noy Ksatriy.

Phra Khru Yot Kaeo led the people to establish settlements along the way, eventually reaching Don Khong and Nang Paeng's city of Champasak. Due to the people's deep respect for the monk, Nang Paeng entrusted him with the governance of the city and the education of its citizens. Consequently, Phra Khru Yot Kaeo gained widespread recognition and admiration.

Subsequently, Phra Kru Yot Kaeo, realizing his status as a monk and the unsuitability of certain administrative tasks for the clergy, invited Nang Sumangkala and Chao Noy to govern Champasak in his stead.

Upon ascending the throne of Champasak, the young prince adopted the new name "King Soysri Samut Phutthangkun". He established the boundaries of his kingdom, separating it from Vientiane on the right bank of the Mekong River. The new kingdom encompassed the territories of Mukdahan, Thung Kula Rong Hai, and the Sai Maenam Yang River, which flowed from Dong Mak I south of Nakhon Phanom to the Chi River north of Yasothon. Champasak thus became an independent state, no longer under the rule of Vientiane.

According to legend, the city of Champasak was renamed to Kalasin Champasakburi because the locals believed that "Li Phi," a location south of the city, was the gateway to the Naga underworld. However, during the reign of King Suthatsanracha, the people of Champasak disrespected the Naga, and the old city of Champasak, or Wat Phu temple, which was located on a deserted hill, was cursed. The curse stated that the city would be without a peaceful lineage and no man would rule the city until a new royal lineage was established.

During the reign of King Chaiyachet Kumar, son of King Soisri Samut, the Siamese army captured Vientiane and Luang Prabang. As they passed through Champasak, King Chaiyachet Kumar pledged allegiance to Siam. Consequently, the three Lao kingdoms came under Siamese rule, marking a significant shift in regional power dynamics.

The temple of Wat Phu is located south of Pakse, near Champasak, in the area of Ban Tung village, which is the gateway to the ancient city. The temple is believed to be cursed, and the most convenient way to reach it is by boat, which departs from Pakse every morning and takes about 2-3 hours to reach Champasak. Traveling by car is not recommended due to the poor road conditions.

The ruins of the ancient royal palace of Wat Phu are located approximately 9 kilometers from Champasak town. These well-preserved ruins are still revered today, and the tradition of ancestor worship continues to be practiced. The annual ceremony, held on the full moon night of the third lunar month, has been observed since ancient times and continues to be celebrated today.

Despite the passage of millennia, the remote temple of Wat Phu continues to attract numerous pilgrims each day. Offerings of garlands and flowers adorn various points believed to be inhabited by deities and sacred spirits, demonstrating the enduring reverence for this ancient site.

Despite the intense battles that occurred during the regime changes in Laos, it is remarkable that no fighting took place near or within the Wat Phu temple complex. This suggests that the temple was respected as a sacred site by all parties involved in the conflicts.

The reason for this is self-evident. According to local beliefs, the ancient castle is a site for ritual human sacrifice. Consequently, no one would dare risk their lives by entering the castle and becoming a sacrificial offering.

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