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5. Discovering Tonle Sap lake |
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Tonle Sap: Source of Lives |
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Tonle Sap is at the heart of Cambodia Tonle Sap lake, which means "freshwater lake" in Khmer, is also known as the "Great Lake." It lies in the center of Cambodia and is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. According to the French scholar Carbonnel (1963), it was formed some 5-6,000 years ago. The lake's surface area quadruples from 2700 km2 in the dry season to more than 12,000 km2 in the rainy season. At this size, it accounts for 7% of the total area of Cambodia. The water's depth ranges from 1-2m to 8-10m with the seasons, while the average water temperature is 28 degrees celcius. More importantly, the Tonle Sap is the richest freshwater fishing ground in the world. The lake also has a very important symbolic value for the Cambodian people and fully illustrates the richness of the Khmer natural heritage. Tonle Sap is unique in the world Tonle Sap lake is unusual because it shrinks and expands dramatically with the seasons. First of all, the lake is connected to the Mekong river through the Tonle Sap river. The rivers meet in Phnom Penh at a point known as Chakto Muk or "Four Arms." Each year in June, when the rains begin and the Mekong is swollen by melting snow in the Himalayas, the water level at Chakto Muk rises more rapidly than the Tonle Sap river. This makes the latter reverse direction (going south-north instead of north-south) and it flows back into Tonle Sap lake, taking with it the extra water from the Mekong. As a result, the lake gets four times bigger! In November, when the rains ease, the Tonle Sap river changes direction again to flow out of the lake and gradually empty it. This unique phenomenon creates exceptional flora and fauna. Fishing and agriculture benefit greatly. This makes Tonle Sap a source of fertility and abundance…that is to say a source of lives. |
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The water festival is among the most popular The reversal of the Tonle Sap river's flow is celebrated with one of the most joyous festivals in Cambodia: the Water Festival. For three days in November, hundreds of longboats compete on the river. Millions of spectators and street vendors go to Phnom Pen for this special event. At night there are fireworks displays, and illuminated flotillas on the river. The festival coincides with the full moon of the Buddhist month of Kadeuk. On this night, people give thanks to the moon. Nagas, the mythical water serpents, are also thanked for fertilizing the land and are set free to return to the sea. [next] |
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