LOLEI TEMPLE

Introduction:

Temple of Lolei was built in 893 at 9th century A.D. Lolei temple was also built by king Yasovarman I (889-910). King Yasovarman I dedicated Lolei temple to his ancestors, in the concept of believing the Hinduism. Lolei has meaning in Cambodian as "Island", due to its location was in the middle of a reservoir. This reservoir was known as Indratataka, the manmade reservoir, which one his father king Indravarman I constructed for following with two different purporses. The two different purporses were including a concept that belief of "a universe consisted many worlds, that all of the worlds surrounding by oceans, an additional, all the worlds existed very good harmony between earth, sky and water spirits". The another one was also, in the idea for develop of argricultural irrigation purporses.

As Lolei located in the middle of the lake, people at that time came to worship at this temple by using boat. But so far, it's Waterless since its systems include dams and canals had been eroded. The enclosing wall of Lolei island is measuring of 80m X 90m. The island foundation constuected of laterite designation with two levels. There is one staircase on each side for leading to the temple.

About the monastery:

Buddhist monastery of Lolei temple is more than 100 years, which is almost the same time to Bakong temple monastery. Under Pol Pot regime Lolei monastery vihara was using as cow dung stored house for fertilizer, and all the monks were defrocked and forced an overwork in the ricefields. In the Khmer Rouge regime did not allow people pratice any religion, as they said that "the religion is making exploitation over the back of government, because a monk has nothing to do, except eating and steeping liked a pig".

There are now about 50 monks living in Lolei tempe, the head monk of this monastery is well known about fortune telling, reading astrology and making good supernatural in^-imitates. He is quite busy during the Buddhist perception days of the full moon and new moon. Now you can see houses of monk always built on stilt, it is the idea to understand the idea for having a house builds on stilt, because not to protect from being flooded, here is on the high land area, it will not get flood, but the Khmers had have their own cultural beliefs of "alive man living above the death man and above of all life, an additional, steps in the staircase must in odd number, odd number is scared the evil spirits from going in the house"...