Erawan Museum in Bangkok - The Three-Headed Elephant Statue...!!
Thailand it is well known for its giant three-headed elephant art display called the Erawan Museum (Thai: พิพิธภัณฑ์ช้างเอราวัณ) is a museum in Samut Prakan Province, Thailand. The three storeys inside the elephant contain antiquities and priceless collections of ancient religious objects belonging to Khun Lek Viriyapant who is the museum owner.
Erawan Museum in Thailand is an important model of sculpture. The Erawan Museum is the door opening to the heritage of Thai culture. The Erawan Museum creates a kind of atmosphere that induces visitors to perceive and appreciate the continuity of history, cultures, religions, arts and customs of faith from past.
The massive three headed elephant made of bronze weighs 250 tons, is 29 metres high, 39 metres long and stands on a 15 meter high pedestal. Definitely amazing and a spectacular statue to see. From conception to completion it took almost ten years to construct.
The domed upper level of the pedestal, representing Mount Meru (the center of the Buddhist universe), is brashly beautiful. A towering, techno-coloured hall rich with iconography and artistic exuberance, what really impresses here is craftsmanship.
The melange of artistic skills used to ornament everything from walls to winding staircases is incredibly diverse, and includes hand-beaten copper work, Benjarong inlays, intricate stucco by Petchaburi craftsmen, tin embossed tableaus, and mural paintings.
A statue of Bodhisatva Guan Yin stands centreplace. Four supporting pillars depicting scenes from the four religions prop up the roof which, in turn, symbolises earth. Rounding off the fanciful, eclectic blend of East, West, traditional and modern decorative styles is a splendid stained glass ceiling by a German artist, which represents the roof of the world, the Zodiac and stars above.
The second floor representing the earth (or human world) houses more precious antiques and arts including ceramics and European pottery. The hall features a statue of Guanyin, the Chinese Goddess with a thousand arms.
At the top, in the belly of the beast, is Tavatimsa Heaven just a truly masterpiece of a Temple that you wouldn't even image. This in Buddhist cosmology lies above Mount Meru and said to be where sacred beings, including elephant deity Airavata, congregate.
Here the solemn serenity of the room's Buddha images a walking Buddha and eight more in a variety of postures is oddly offset by lurid abstract art that lines the concave walls, and depicts the solar system.
True to the fusing of ideas, art-forms and religions which runs throughout here the solemn serenity of a temple meets the surrealism of a Dali painting albeit a three-dimensional one.
And after a spiritual showiness, you can wallow too in the tranquility of Erawan's lush tropical gardens. Thick swathes of rare flora, and tucked away benches, pavilions and rocks make it easy to find spiritual soothing, or seek quiet repose.
You can wander along the stone paths, cross diminutive streams or admire the vivid coloring's of plants and palm trees with exotic titles like West Indian Jasmine, Ixora Bush and African Oil Palm.
There are also schools of carp in the rock ponds that you can feed if you like or seek out mythological statues strewn throughout. Another popular, and rather beautiful, merit-making pursuit is to set adrift lotus leafs on the decorative moat, and with them dispense of bad luck.
Wondering throughout however as conspicuous as the elephant is a surreal feeling. As you explore Erawan Museum you seem at every turn to be wandering through the dreams of its creator. Leaving this Museum i must say i felt more cleansed and spiritual.....Maybe a different person at mind if i can say.
If you like to visit the Erawan Museum if ever touring Thailand here is some information for you.
Erawan Museum Opening Hours: Everyday 8:00-17:00
Location: Sukhumvit Road, Samut Prakan.
How to get there: From the BTS Skytrain On Nut Station, take a taxi to the museum it's short drive (About 5km)
For more Travel, Food, Drinks & Adventure..Be Sure to Follow and please feel welcome to Upvote and Resteem. Thank you for your time in reading my post.
Erawan Museum in Thailand is an important model of sculpture. The Erawan Museum is the door opening to the heritage of Thai culture. The Erawan Museum creates a kind of atmosphere that induces visitors to perceive and appreciate the continuity of history, cultures, religions, arts and customs of faith from past.
The massive three headed elephant made of bronze weighs 250 tons, is 29 metres high, 39 metres long and stands on a 15 meter high pedestal. Definitely amazing and a spectacular statue to see. From conception to completion it took almost ten years to construct.
The domed upper level of the pedestal, representing Mount Meru (the center of the Buddhist universe), is brashly beautiful. A towering, techno-coloured hall rich with iconography and artistic exuberance, what really impresses here is craftsmanship.
The melange of artistic skills used to ornament everything from walls to winding staircases is incredibly diverse, and includes hand-beaten copper work, Benjarong inlays, intricate stucco by Petchaburi craftsmen, tin embossed tableaus, and mural paintings.
A statue of Bodhisatva Guan Yin stands centreplace. Four supporting pillars depicting scenes from the four religions prop up the roof which, in turn, symbolises earth. Rounding off the fanciful, eclectic blend of East, West, traditional and modern decorative styles is a splendid stained glass ceiling by a German artist, which represents the roof of the world, the Zodiac and stars above.
The second floor representing the earth (or human world) houses more precious antiques and arts including ceramics and European pottery. The hall features a statue of Guanyin, the Chinese Goddess with a thousand arms.
At the top, in the belly of the beast, is Tavatimsa Heaven just a truly masterpiece of a Temple that you wouldn't even image. This in Buddhist cosmology lies above Mount Meru and said to be where sacred beings, including elephant deity Airavata, congregate.
Here the solemn serenity of the room's Buddha images a walking Buddha and eight more in a variety of postures is oddly offset by lurid abstract art that lines the concave walls, and depicts the solar system.
True to the fusing of ideas, art-forms and religions which runs throughout here the solemn serenity of a temple meets the surrealism of a Dali painting albeit a three-dimensional one.
And after a spiritual showiness, you can wallow too in the tranquility of Erawan's lush tropical gardens. Thick swathes of rare flora, and tucked away benches, pavilions and rocks make it easy to find spiritual soothing, or seek quiet repose.
You can wander along the stone paths, cross diminutive streams or admire the vivid coloring's of plants and palm trees with exotic titles like West Indian Jasmine, Ixora Bush and African Oil Palm.
There are also schools of carp in the rock ponds that you can feed if you like or seek out mythological statues strewn throughout. Another popular, and rather beautiful, merit-making pursuit is to set adrift lotus leafs on the decorative moat, and with them dispense of bad luck.
Wondering throughout however as conspicuous as the elephant is a surreal feeling. As you explore Erawan Museum you seem at every turn to be wandering through the dreams of its creator. Leaving this Museum i must say i felt more cleansed and spiritual.....Maybe a different person at mind if i can say.
If you like to visit the Erawan Museum if ever touring Thailand here is some information for you.
Erawan Museum Opening Hours: Everyday 8:00-17:00
Location: Sukhumvit Road, Samut Prakan.
How to get there: From the BTS Skytrain On Nut Station, take a taxi to the museum it's short drive (About 5km)
For more Travel, Food, Drinks & Adventure..Be Sure to Follow and please feel welcome to Upvote and Resteem. Thank you for your time in reading my post.