Music to My Ears -The Cambodian Way !!!

 

We all were witnessing the amazing  ' Apsara Dance ' at Amazon Angkor Restaurant in Siem Reap. Equally enjoyable was the Khmer Cuisine which could be relished along with the performance. This is probably the first time I've seen a dance performance with dinner. On the stage, the Cambodian girls were performing a beautiful display of their country's art in front of tourists from other countries.

I had landed at Siem Reap by plane in the morning and was accompanying the group. The evening program was fixed, everyone was looking forward to enjoy the ‘Apsara’ dance along with the dinner. It sure was a unique way  to see the hospitality and culture of Cambodia. Apsara dance can be seen while enjoying the dinner here. The program lasts approximately two hours. The dinner is served as a buffet and the dishes are in accordance with the  Khmer food culture.   As it was a new experience for the group, everyone began with the simple steps of tasting the salad , veg soup , fruit , tofu as well as local fish preparations.

The  Apsara Dance consists of the delicate movements of the hands, neck, waist and the legs. All were wearing a large crown on their heads with a matching traditional Cambodian attire, a  colourful garment beneath. On one side of the stage sat a congregation of the artists - singing and playing traditional Khmer musical  instruments. It was later followed by  other dance performances depicting some folk tales , some about agriculture operations and  songs of the crop harvest time. A team of trained boys and girls performed with ease.

I could not understand  the songs but the traditional musical instruments caught my attention. These musical instruments are closely related to the Indian counterparts. You may call them distant cousins to be precise !! Some of them which I could relate to were the flute (Khloy), the string instruments  with bow (Tro Khmer) or plucked (Krapeu), the percussion instruments like drums especially the goblet shaped played with the hands and the big ones played with the sticks, a Khmer Xylophone (Roneat), the gongs, the clappers, the cymbals etc. These instruments are typically used during royal events, weddings, and festivals.

It’s a nice initiative to present the culture and the cuisine of the country, certainly commendable!!!

I have been an occasional follower of the traditional music forms and the instruments of the Far East countries on the YouTube or on the Television channels. What I could make out was the structure and the composition of these instruments is a bit different. So it may  sound different to the ears.  As evident, the western pop culture has eclipsed them to the great extent.  Do you remember the instruments played in the song ' Sayonara ' from the Hindi movie ' Love in Tokyo ' ?

I have been working as a Tour Manager for quite some time. I have been fortunate enough to gain the instant acceptance with the people on the group I have traveled till date. During the tour the friendship blossoms and then it culminates at the end of the tour with the exchange of  cell numbers.  Some of them have become my close friends. These people have been instrumental in changing and improving my personality as a tour manager. So far I have done numerous tours to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai with different groups .

A group of fifteen people led by Mr. Charuhas Kulkarni from Pune were in touch with Ms. Erica Kar and Mrs. Vasudha Kulkarni from Pegasus Holidays in Nagpur. They were planning to travel to Siem Reap in Cambodia. As I was introduced with the group before the tour commenced, I observed that each one of them was fully prepared by reading books about Cambodia.

Now, here in Siem Reap, I got introduced to the Cambodian musicians through the dance form    'Apsara '.  But hardly we could  expect  that for the next four days of the stay,  these instruments would make their presence felt during our visit to the  Angkor group of  temples. The melodies could linger on in our memory and leave a lasting impression on everyone.

The main purpose of coming to Siem Reap was to see these world famous group of Angkor temples and capture beautiful photos of them in your camera. The most important part was the visit to the Angkor Wat - the largest Hindu temple in the world outside India.   We were also eager to observe the historical progress of the country, previously called  Kamboja , then ‘ Kampuchea’  during the Pol Pot  era and then the  modern country named Cambodia.      

As we began our visit to the very first temple Bante Samre, I could hear the familiar musical instruments. It was acknowledged by everyone in the group. As we moved closer, we noticed that some people were sitting on the side of the road leading to the temple, playing these instruments. As I approached them I was stunned !!! Some of the men had no legs , some of them have had a single hands, some were blind.... but everyone was playing the instruments with ease !!!

There was a printed banner on their side which mentioned ‘ Cambodia Landmine Survivors and their Musical Band’. In front of them was a large vessel in which the tourists were donating money. I had read the history of Cambodia before and  was aware about the  carnage done by the  Khmer Rouge. I stood there spellbound, looking at the first ‘musically’ vocal proof. The war with the United States in the neighboring Vietnam affected Cambodia. Several civilians were killed during the same period. The notorious Pol pot's four-year regime (1975-1979) and his group Khmer Rouge killed lakhs of people. It’s considered as a black spot in the history of Cambodia and the mankind.  

During the war, Khmer Rouge soldiers planted landmines all over the country. A lot of civilians were killed in it . Due to these landmines, some lost their arms , legs and eyes. Many children were victims of these landmines. Those who survived them were looked down upon.  

The melody that came out while playing these instruments was definitely not pleasing to the mind and soul. The music made you restless and disturbed at the same time . While conversing with locals we came to know that these musical bands are now considered as Ambassadors of the Folk Songs and Folk Music of Cambodia. Through their music they convey the unfortunate times they have experienced – to the tourists and to their fellow countrymen. By performing they get the meagre income to run their homes.

We also came to know that after so many years  landmines are still there in the countryside, sometimes killing people or sometimes injuring them and crippling them. Given the number of international tourists visiting the Angkor Temples, it is a source of employment for all these victims. Some of them earn about four to six hundred rupees a day. Now a days they also  train some of these tourists to play these traditional Khmer musical instruments.

The next four days, where ever our group went, we could not miss the sight of these Landmine Survivors. We could find them at the main entrance of the temples, normally a group of five or six people sitting and spreading the magic of music through these instruments. These melodious sound could be heard during our walk inside the temple. Angkor Wat , Angkor Thom , Ta Prom , Bante Kadai , Ta Som , Bante Shri  ..….where ever we went, we had their company, these melodious  tunes followed us.

 The only place where I could feel the melody of these instruments blending with the atmosphere  was at  Nick Peon. As you are on the way to this place, you first meet the musicians, then you go through a wooden footpath built on the water and reach a place where you find a group of four small water pools surrounding a bigger pool in the middle. The place is surrounded by green trees and it has a pleasant feel. This greenery on all four sides, the massive water body and the  melody coming from somewhere far away is the purest form of pleasure I had.  From my point of view, it was a divine experience.

While interacting with the people, I came to know about a person named Aki Ra, who had taken this daunting task of locating the landmines and disarming them.  Earlier he was recruited as a Child soldier by Khmer Rouge  . Later, the same person started searching for all these landmines.  He brought all these useless landmines in one place and built the  museum. He got help from the local government and foreign organizations. The income generated from this is used to take care of the orphans living  in the same premises where the museum is. Even today, Aki Ra is busy !!!

In Cambodia, the government not only has provided the space outside the temple as a base for these Landmine Survivors, but also in the markets in the city of Siem Reap. This   effort is certainly commendable.

During the four days stay at Siem Reap, I came in contact with the with the locals, we visited temples, markets , museums  and Khmer restaurants where we learned about Khmer food culture .  Considering the importance of the place as a whole, the people here  are well versed with the history of their country and provide apt information to the tourists.

My salute to these self-respecting and loving people whom I met during the four days,  the traditional musical instruments they played and being true ambassadors of the folklore of the country. The tunes still ring in my ears.

My favorite hobby is seeing new countries as well as getting new experiences.  I was fortunate to accompany the group of these friends from Pune.  The most important thing, as the tour progressed, I became the part of their group and enjoyed a lot.  My mother tongue is Marathi and the group was from Pune, all well versed in Marathi. This was the main reason to accompany the group as advised by  Erica Madam.  No doubt it was a great opportunity and a heartfelt thank you to Pegasus Holidays.

 

 

 

Amit Naseri

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