Ta Dumbong Statue

Ta Dumbong Statue, Battambang Overview

Ta Dumbong Statue is a prominent landmark - a giant statue of a man holding a black stick located in the provincial town of Battambang in Cambodia. The city acquired its name from and hence it is one of the top attractions for tourists visiting the city. It is very easy to spot this sizeable brightly-coloured statue of Ta Dumbong located at the roundabout of the city.

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Ta Dumbong History & Significance

Ta Dumbong in the local Khmer language means Lost Stick. The legend goes that Ta Dumbong was a cowherd, who found a magic stick. He used it to usurp the King, after which the King's son ran off to nearby woods and became a monk. After Ta Dumbong became a king, he had a dream that he would be dethroned by a monk who would arrive on a white horse. Scared of losing his power, he ordered all the monks, including the former King's son to round up before him to kill them all. A hermit got to know this and presented the King's son with a beautiful white horse. The horse could also fly. The prince mounted on it and approached Ta Dumbong. The King was shocked to see his dream come true, so he threw his magic stick at the prince. He missed hitting. The magic stick, as well as Ta Dumbong, disappeared never to be seen again.

Even today, the locals still believe in Ta Dumbong as their saviour. People visit him to pray, and they buy a cage with a small bird to release. 

The town got its original name Bat-dam-bong named after Ta DumBong. The current name Battambang is the French translation of the above, which came into practice during French's colonization of Cambodia.

How To Reach Ta Dumbong Statue

It is easy to visit the statue if you are located close to the city centre of Battambang. You can reach by walking for about 20 minutes. You can also hire a Tuk Tuk for about 3 USD for a round trip that can also be shared.

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