Khmer Versification

I want to talk about Khmer versification today. But first, a brief lesson on the language. Khmer is part of the Mon-Khmer family. Khmer, unlike our surrounding neighbors’, is a non-tonal language. Since the language has no inflections, conjunctions or case endings, it is rich in particles and auxiliary words. It is a language that does not need to repeat the subject, object or indication of time, once they have been established. But in most cases, especially in songs and lyrics, subjected are dropped altogether. 

Khmer is heavily influenced by Sanskrit, which reached Cambodia along with Hinduism via Indian traders around 5th century BC. The Sanskrit influence is found mostly in the religious, law, science, literature and royal registers. Having said that, the majority of Sanskrit borrowings are more of a style rather than a necessity. This also applied to Pali, the language of Theravada Buddhism, which came into contact with Khmer in the late 14th century. After the mid-19th century, the French influence on the language emerged as well.

Khmers have always liked verse and there is a lot to like, at least to the Khmer ear. Native Khmer is very ornate. Its lexicon offers a great wealth of rhyming, chiming and alliterative words. The alliteration sometimes involves more than one syllable and in poetry, they are used to the full. For examples: can cap (capture), srapan srapon (wilted).

Khmer versification is divided into four categories, pre-Angkorian, Angkorian period (802-1432), Middle period (1432-1863) and French Protectorate (1863-1953). There are about fifty metres in total. But some of them are referred to as artificial metres, which are variations of various syllable metres. Excessive uses of alliteration and rhyme are two of the many characteristics of these metres. 

The following eight metres are some of the oldest ones. But first, the basic: each metre (pad) has a name. Next are the stanzas (lbah/vagg), and each stanza is broken into lines/sentences (klear). Each metre specifies a number of lines that can exist in a stanza. Next are the syllables (byang), and the rule of each metre dictates how many syllables are in a line. A short, unstressed open syllable in a word of Sanskrit origin many sometimes count with an adjacent syllable as one, not two syllables. Rhymes occur at predetermined places. Two syllables that have the same vowel sound and consonant sound are considered rhymed, as you would expect. But there are two more that are acceptable in Khmer verse. The first comprised of rhymes which are across register. These are rhymes where the writing supports but the pronunciation denies (due to the differences between first and second vowel series). The second one comprises of rhymes that are near perfect. These imperfect rhymes are the result of development in pronunciation. These near-rhymes, though considered sloppy, can be used as a last option when you can’t come up with any rhyme. And lastly, an important rule which applies to all metres is that the last syllable of a stanza rhymes with the end syllable of a particular line of the next stanza. Metres are used according to moods, though not always strictly. 

Pad Baky Buon (Four-syllable Metre)

This is the oldest of the Khmer metres. It predated the arrival of Sanskit/Hinduism in Cambodia. It is the only metre in which the rhyme link between the last syllable of a stanza and the last syllable of a line of the next stanza is not mandatory (but only when used in songs). 

There are 4 lines in a stanza, and each line has 4 syllables. This metre is used for daily life.

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _A

_ _ _ _A

_ _ _ _B.

_ _ _ _ 

_ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _C.

Pad Pathyavat (Viaticum Metre)

This metre originated in the early Chenla period (550-802). There are 4 lines in a stanza. And each line has 8 syllables. This metre is used for vengeance, wrath, and irascibility.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _A

_ _ _ _A _ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _B

_ _ _ _B _ _ _ _C.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _C

_ _ _ _C _ _ _ _E

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _E

_ _ _ _E _ _ _ _F.

Pad Brahmagiti (Brahma’s Song Metre)

There are 4 lines in a stanza. The 1st line has 5 syllables. The 2nd line has 6 syllables. The 3rd line has 5 syllables. The 4th line has 6 syllables. This metre is used for lamentation and grieving.

_ _ _ _ _A

_ _ _A _ _ _B

_ _ _ _ _B

_ _ _B _ _ _C.

_ _ _ _ _D

_ _ _D _ _ _C

_ _ _ _ _C

_ _ _C _ _ _E.

Pad Bhujunlila (Serpent’s Movement Metre)

There are three lines in a stanza. The 1st line has 6 syllables. The 2nd line has 4 syllables. The 3rd line has 4 syllables. This metre is for descriptions of pleasant scenes, boating, and activities in the countryside. 

_ _x _ _x _ _A

_ _ _ _A

_ _A _ _B.

_ _y _ _y _ _B

_ _ _ _B

_ _B _ _C.

Next time we’ll go over the next four metres. 

Sources: 

• Khmer Poetry by Ly Somony
• The Traditional Literature of Cambodia: A Preliminary Guide by Judith M. Jacob

If you understand Khmer, see if you can identify the metres in the following clips.

Quick Assumption

Do not assume the rich don’t work hard; do not assume the downtrodden don’t
try to raise themselves up.

Khmer Proverb

Go Big

You can’t claim heaven as your own if you are just going to sit under it.

Khmer Proverb

 

Let's Raise Another Cup

If you are a warrior, why refuse the battle? If you are a drinker, don’t push away the cup.

Khmer Proverb

Ravana’s Past Life: The Yaksha with the Magic Finger

There was once a yaksha called Nandaka, who was a doorman at Lord Shiva’s palace on Mount Kailāsa. Nandaka was a simple and humble yaksha with no particular power or skill. Nandaka was also an ugly yaksha. Even worse, he was nearly bald but for a few tufts of hair at the sides of his head. Everyday, Nandaka found himself the butt of jokes from angels, nagas and yakshas, who were seeking audience with Lord Shiva. These various beings would bully him, tap his bald head and mock his appearance.

'That was how it was every single time!' Nandaka thought in anger after another bully scuttled into the palace after she mocked his look. He had enough of these bullies. Nandaka thought they bullied him because he had no power to retaliate. He then decided to seek his Lord for help.

Nandaka prostrated himself in front of Lord Shiva, bemoaning all the bullies he had to endure to his Lord. Lord Shiva took pity on Nandaka and granted him a boon. Nandaka left Lord Shiva with a powerful magic index finger on his right hand. Nandaka took to his power right away. With his magic finger, Nandaka terrorized every angel, naga and yaksha. Not a single one escaped his punishment. He would point his magic finger and repel them all into far-flung chakravala (domain/realm). Before long, Lord Shiva’s palace became deserted. No visitor would dare grace its hall.

Eventually the matter reached Lord Shiva. The Lord, quite understandably, became very anxious.

'Suppose Nandaka went beyond expelling those approaching, suppose he harmed them? Suppose he turned his finger toward me.' thought Lord Shiva. He gave Nandaka too great a power. Lord Shiva then sought counsel with Lord Narayana.

“You cannot take it back. The matter has already gone too far.” Lord Narayana scolded Shiva “the only thing to do now is to kill him off.”

“Leave the matter to me.” Narayana told Shiva.

Lord Narayana transformed himself into a beautiful young woman as he walked toward Nandaka’s home. When Nandaka saw the beautiful woman, he thought she was one of the apsaras (celestial dancers) from the visiting dance troupe. He was so enchanted by her beauty. He walked to her and broke into a song.

Nandaka:

Come, O dearest treasure! Approach beloved.

I would like a talk with you.

Where are you going? And where have you come from?

I look at you and I want us to be friends.

Female Narayana:

You have asked me a question;

I must reply - with warmth, with eagerness, with desire.

I am here to look for a husband. If one pleases me, I will take him on.

Nandaka:

Dear lady, blessed with beauty, you are here looking for a husband, to live together in harmony.

What kind of a man are you looking for, precious love?

Does a man like me please you?

Female Narayana:

O handsome young man, I am searching for a husband who can dance.

If you can dance well, I can like you, love you and take you as my husband.

Nandaka:

My treasure, your beauty excels that of all others.

As for dancing the Rae dance, whatever the measure, I can perform it.

What’s the difficulty? Dance on my lady.

I shall then follow you and so dance correctly.

Being a man of intelligence, I shall learn all the rules from you, my dear teacher.

Please dance, beautiful lady!

After hearing Nandaka’s willingness to follow the dance, the female Narayana swayed her body, performing the steps and she twisted her right index finger around so that it pointed down toward her tight. Nandaka imitated the movement and pointed his right index finger the same way and promptly fell down on the spot.

The female Narayana turned herself back into the splendid and all powerful four-armed Narayana, holding the disc. Narayana grabbed Nandaka’s head, pressed him down, ready to behead him.

Nandaka was full of gloom and dismay. 'I am beaten by Narayana’s trickery. I lost my senses' he thought.

In anger, Nandaka spoke "So I have slipped up and let you get the better of me! What can I do, my Lord, with my two arms? How can I fight you, with your four arms? If we both had two, I would not accept defeat by you!”

Lord Narayana said “You lose because you have only two arms. Then off you go and be born with many faces and many arms. I shall then descend and be born as a man. We shall fight each other again.”

And with those words Lord Narayana killed Nandaka.

In one of his later reincarnations, Nandaka was born as Ravana, the ten-headed and twenty-armed king of rakshasas (demons), and the lord of Lanka. Ravana would later abduct Sita, consort of Rama, the seventh incarnation (avatar) of Lord Narayana. The two would have their rematch in the Battle of Lanka which you can read in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana or the Khmer versions, Ramakerti I and II, or view it on the bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat, one of Cambodia’s temples.

O Nandaka, you have your Lord dip your finger so that it became a weapon. With the power thus achieved, you pointed your finger at the heavenly throngs and dispersed them.

You confidently used your finger, without forethought, until all the heavenly body felt angry with your Lord. Through him, you were consumed with lusty power. And you lost your life due to that power.

Note:

There are two versions of Khmer Ramayana. The first one, known as Ramakerti, was composed in the 15th and 16th centuries. This early version included the story of Hanuman and Sovann Macha, which is a purely Khmer creation. You won’t find it in the Valmiki’s epic. Ramakerti II, better known as Reamker, was composed between the late 17th and 18th centuries. This second version included the above story, The Yaksha with the Magic Finger.
Here's my attempt of reading out the duet

Tug-of-War and the Khmer New Year

This year, Khmer New Year falls on April 14, 15 and 16. All over Cambodia, people play various traditional games in the days leading up to and on New Year days. A few are ritual games to be played only on those New Year days. Teanh prot (pulling the rope) is one such game. It is a game most people would understand as tug-of-war.

Teanh prot is to be played on the last day of New Year in the village square or on temple ground. According to old Khmer tales, the origin of this game can be traced back to samudra manthana, the Hindu myth of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. The myth tells of a time long long ago when gods and demons came together to churn the Cosmic Ocean in order to obtain amrita, the elixir of immortality. The Churning was an elaborate process. Mount Mandara was used as a churning rod and the serpent Vasuki (Lord Shiva’s naga) offered himself as a churning rope. Out of the Ocean, many treasures arose, including the apsaras (celestial dancers), one of whom would later become the progenitor of the Khmer race. Khmers view the Churning as chaos. We view ourselves as creation born of chaos. We also view New Year days as one chaotic period, betwixt the old and the new year.

The game of teanh prot requires a 30-foot rope as thick as a small wrist. The rope is usually made of water buffalo hide or braided vines and palm leaves. A drums is needed to signal the start and to accompany the game. The players are divided into two teams, males vs. females, of at least 10 people per team, though the female team usually has at least two more people than the male team. The rope is marked at the center by a color knot. When one team is pulled over where the color knot passes the marked line, the other team wins the game. The winners bump their buttocks against the losers’ bodies. In the past, a brahmin would cut off the rope at the end of the game, which symbolized the end of the old year and the start of the new. Also, the last day of New Year is known as pdach prot “cutting off the rope.”

If you ever find yourself in Cambodia around New Year, join in a game or two.

Happy New Year!

The King's Lament

O my love, I miss you and am sleepless.

My distress overwhelms me.

Surly I am on the point of death?

I endure your absence but tears flow, glisteing

May the Gods take pity and help me to live.

What can I do? You have been stolen, my darling,

You who were close to me, united with me.

Even if they killed me, cast me away, dead,

I would rather have you.

I would risk my life, cut off my life with no regret.

Sri Hariraksha Surya Adipati (Ang Duong) of Cambodia (1840-1860)

Composed in Pad Baky Prampuon (Nine-syllable Metre)

That’s Cynicism

When the flood rises, the sovereign garners merits.

Khmer Proverb

(Khmer) Kampot Noodles

Khmer Noodles

Did you know that noodles originated in Cambodia? Well, according to the Khmer legend of Dhmen Jay, noodles were introduced to China around the start of the Common Era. Along with noodles, Dhmen Jay (also spelled Thoun Chey) introduced kites to China as well. But I want to talk about Khmer noodles today. If you followed that link about and read the article, you’d know that num banh chok is a fermented rice noodles. Making num banh chok is a very laboring work, as you can tell from that article.

I’m not certain of the age and provenance of num banh chok, but my third grade teacher’s family claimed to have been making Khmer noodles for more than a thousand years. And there are many villages all over Cambodia that have claimed the same. I’ve heard that there are a few areas in Kampong Thom and Kratié provinces that have been making num banh chok for more than two millennia.

Whatever the claim, Khmers love num banh chok, which is also the name of the dishes made with these noodles. Today, I am introducing you to one of the dishes. Num banh chok kampot is a dish of noodles served with crushed dried shrimp tossed with pineapple fish-sauce dressing and topped with roasted peanuts and coconut cream. 

Kampot is a coastal province, which explains the use of dried shrimp. Kampot fish sauce is considered to be the best in the nation. The same goes for agricultural products grown in the province, such as peppers, durians, rambutans and pineapples.

Without further ado:

Num Banh Chok Kampot

1 lb. fresh num banh chok, or 1-8 oz package of rice vermicelli

1 ½ cups dried shrimp

½ cup coconut cream

½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly crushed

½ small head of lettuce, torn to bite-sized pieces

2 cucumbers, julienne  

2 cups bean sprouts, trimmed

A handful of herbs (mints, basils, etc.)

A handful of young mango leaves (optional)

Pineapple Fish-Sauce Dressing

¼ ripe pineapple, julienne

½ cup fish sauce

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup sugar

5 garlic cloves

1 bird's eye chili (optional)

Preparing the dressing: pound the garlic and chili in a mortar. Spoon out and place the garlic/chili mixture in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well. Taste and adjust accordingly. You can either add in the pineapple at this time or you can wait until you assemble the dish.

If using dried rice vermicelli, prepare it according to the direction on the package.

Soak the shrimp in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse them several times and drain. Pound the shrimp in a mortar with pestle until they become crumbly. Conversely, you can use a food processor.

Dried Shrimp

To assemble the dish: in a bowl, add all the trimmings, noodles, some pineapple slices, and shrimp. Add some fish-sauce dressing and coconut cream. And top everything with crushed peanuts. Enjoy!

Kampot Noodles

Eclipses

There was a total lunar eclipse last night. If you were outside anywhere in the

Northern Hemisphere, you could have seen it. In Khmer language, lunar eclipse

is called rahu chab chan, meaning Rahu catches/swallows the Moon. So who

is Rahu? Well, Rahu is a demon.  And his story and the origin of eclipse dated

all the way back to samudra manthana, the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, in a

time when demons were on the ascension in the universe.

It all started with the suggestion of Lord Vishnu, that gods and demons come

together to churn the Cosmic Ocean in order to obtain amrita, the elixir of

immortality. The churning was an elaborate process. Mount Mandara was used

as a churning rod and the serpent Vasuki (Lord Shiva’s naga) offered himself

as a churning rope. Herbs of every kind were tossed into the Ocean. And out

of the Ocean, many treasures arose, including the Goddess Lakshmi,

shankha (Vishnu’s conch), the apsaras (celestial dancers), and at the end, the

celestial physician Dhanvantari emerged holding the pot containing the elixir.

The demons snagged the pot and battle broke out between the two sides.

Vishnu, in the form of the enchantress Mohini, his only female avatar, beguiled

the demons into handing over the pot to her. She then distributed the elixir to

the gods. One demon, Svarbhanu, who kept his sight on the pot the entire time,

disguised himself as a god in order to take a sip of the elixir. Surya (the Sun)

and Chandra (the Moon) noticed and informed Vishnu, who proceeded to

behead Svarbhanu instantly. But Svarbhanu already took a sip of the elixir

and as a result, his head became immortal and known as Rahu. But since

he was beheaded before the elixir could pass down his throat, his body died

and became known as Ketu.

Unsurprisingly, Rahu holds a grudge against the Sun and the Moon. He chases

them to exact his revenge and once in awhile he catches up to either one. And

since Rahu is just a head, when he catches up to either the Sun or the Moon,

he tries to swallow either one. Sometimes, Rahu manages to swallow the Sun

or the Moon entirely. But since he has no body, eventually the Sun or the

Moon comes back out again.

This, dear readers, is how eclipses happen.

A Universal Truth

Nothing is as difficult as doing a task set by one’s own wife.

Khmer Proverb

A Nihilist

Don’t die like a snake; don’t live like a frog.

  Khmer Proverb

"O Phnom Penh"

O, Phnom Penh!

During the three years we were apart,

I missed you and my heart suffered each and every day,

Because the enemy cut off the affection between you and me.

When I was forced to leave you,

Anger burnt in my heart

And compelled me to redress the sufferings you bore,

To show my faithfulness to you.

Phnom Penh, our beloved city,

In spite of the three years of hardship,

You managed to preserve our history

And represent the soul of Cambodia.

You prevented the disappearance of Cambodia,

Land of the Khmer race.

The soul of the Khmer nation lives on

And stays strong under the shade of Angkor.

O, Phnom Penh, now we are reunited

And you are relieved from your sadness and your sorrow.

O, Phnom Penh, our nation’s heart and soul.

Music by Bunnaray Morm

Lyric by Chenda Keo

Original vocal by Sokha Morm

Do Bring Something

When visiting someone, do not show up empty-handed.

My Grandmother

Cambodia 1904?-May 1975