The Erawan Museum In Bangkok (Part 1)

Posted by : foongpc | Sunday, June 2, 2013 | Published in

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I have been to Bangkok many times but surprisingly, I have never heard of the Erawan Museum until my last visit in January this year.

When my friend and I got out of the taxi, we were certainly not prepared to see a huge, gigantic three-headed elephant in front of us!





The sight of the elephant which reaches 44 metres in height was so amazing my jaw almost dropped!

The spot where we alighted from the taxi was however not the entrance into the museum. It was a shrine for people to pray in front of the Elephant without entering the museum. We had to walk a little bit further round the corner to reach the front gate.





The Erawan Museum, located in the Samut Prakan district, does not seem to be in the mainstream list of tourist attractions in Bangkok. I wonder why, as it was to me, one of the most fascinating museums I have ever visited!





I said fascinating because this is not just any normal museum, but rather a combination of an elaborately created museum and temple. After exploring the whole place, I realized the museum is an all-in-one showcase of history, culture, religion, spirituality, architecture and art!





The word Erawan is a Thai name for the three-headed elephant, which is actually a depiction of Airavata, the white elephant that carries the Hindu God Indra according to Indian mythology.

The museum was the brainchild of the late, eccentric Thai business tycoon Lek Viriyabhun, who originally built it to show his vast collection of Asian antiquities, but soon ended up as something much bigger.

As we walked along the pathway from the front gate, I could not take my eyes off the giant elephant statue. I could not wait to see it up close!





We first proceeded to the ticket booth. The entrance ticket costs 300 baht (USD9.90 / RM30.60) per adult. A little pricey perhaps, but I think it's still worth it.





The museum building was divided into 3 levels - the Basement or Suvarnabhumi (which represents the Underworld), the Hall (which represents Earth or the human realm) and inside the Elephant's belly (which represents Heaven).

Yes, you read that right. You can enter the Elephant's belly! And I thought it was just a giant statue on top of the museum!
































Surrounding the museum is a beautiful tropical flower garden complete with mythical Thai sculptures and running water. More about this garden later.





This is how the colossal three-headed copper elephant looks like against the cloudy blue sky.
































It was such an incredible sight I do not think my poor quality photo can do it justice. You just need to be there to see it for yourself!

Weighing about 250 tons, this gigantic elephant took almost 10 years to construct!





There's a stream surrounding the circumference of the base of the museum. I was immediately distracted by a couple kneeling at one end of the stream.





What were the couple doing?





I soon learnt that they were floating lotus flowers on the stream. There were in fact, many lotus flowers traveling on the stream. Can you see them?





Now here's something interesting. The price of admission actually gets you a lotus bud, which you can then send it floating into the stream after you have made a wish. According to the locals, if the lotus flower floats all the way to the end of the stream surrounding the museum, your wish will come true!





But if your lotus flower gets snagged and stops before making it around the museum, then your wish will not materialize. Perhaps you will need to buy more lotus flowers and try to make a more realistic wish! LOL!





Besides floating lotus flowers, you can also throw coins like what these two ladies were doing.





Can you see where all those coins landed? They should not land inside the water or your wish will not be granted, or so it seems.





Another lady seen here releasing her lotus bud on the water.





I did not really believe in the wish-granting lotus flower theory but that did not stop me and my friend from trying it out! LOL!





After making our wishes, both my friend and I released the lotus flowers into the stream. We followed the flowers as they moved along the stream, hoping they would not stop halfway.





Midway, I was distracted by one of the elephant's head and tusks hovering above us. It sure looked incredible from here!





We reached the end of the stream, but where were our lotus flowers? No where to be seen. Our wishes had just gone down the drain! Oh well, at least it was fun. LOL!





It was time to enter the museum proper. But first let's take a look at the rules and regulations.






We entered the Basement first. It represents the Underworld, according to the Buddhist conception of the Universe. Photography was not allowed here so sorry, no photos. It mainly houses a collection of antique ceramics and art, probably most of them belonging to the founder Lek Viriyabhun. The Basement felt like a real museum to me.

After that, we moved on to the Hall or the large central area above the Basement.





The intricate design on the exterior part of the building was interesting.





A close-up shot of the carvings.





The view from outside the Hall with part of the Elephant's tusks in the photo.





More detailed carvings.





Magnified.





As I entered the Hall which was said to represent both the human realm of the Buddhist universe and Mount Meru, the centre of the Hindu universe, I was stunned by what I saw.

What? Stained glass windows? Christianity?!





To be continued ....

FIRST COMMENTER
MPG

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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
LOL suddenly saw new post on twitter, confirmed rajin to da max dis Panda bear! xD
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Ok lemme read first....
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Pink museum? Love it!! <3 <3
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
So cute, can go inside the belly it seems ha ha! <3
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
So where are the coins supposed to land for the wish to come true? More importantly, what did u wish for?? LOL! xD
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
I wouldn't mind visiting this museum if we ever go to Bangkok...cause it's pink.. hahahaha! Love the pics, thanks for sharing! :* <3
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Feel free to put up my pink MPG badge here to go with the pink museum hehehehe! B)
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
wow that's a gigantic elephant! i had encountered something similar like throwing coins into a container in the middle of the pond, i just couldn't admit defeat and ended up spent like few dollars just to get one coin thrown into the container xD xD
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
wow nice musuem..especialy the three head elephant!
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Merryn's avatar

Merryn ยท 634 weeks ago

U need to be smack lah. You don't believe yet you still release a flower... The elephant is really awesome. My jaw dropped too just seeing your pic!
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
wow..they've three-headed elephant, four-faced buddha, what else ah? B)
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
this museum looks quite interesting..esp the color...my fave color! hahahah <3
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
how come ur lotus flowers no where to be seen!? lol xD
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
nice pics of the elephants...love it! ^_^
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
i'm impressed with their carving skills too.. B)
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
another great series huh, well I will be looking
forward to see more of this amzing museum journey of yours
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
that sure is a gigantic elephant! and never thought of a three
headed elephant before! perhaps your version of
cerberus. I must say it was pretty well done, i mean the details were amazing
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
the carvings on those so detailed,
and even that stained glass ceiling was great
as well
My recent post Outcast
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
have a great day and happy blogging foong!
take the best of care and god bless you
My recent post Outcast
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Such a beautiful museum. DIdn't know such place existed.
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1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
where is this museum? I would like to pay a visit on my next trip to BKK.
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
Wah! Just outside only? Need to wait to see the inside pulak?
1 reply ยท active 634 weeks ago
I agree it's pricey hahaha need to think twice whether to visit or not :p
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1 reply ยท active 633 weeks ago
I swear that all your photos of Erawan Museum have triggered my pulse to visit that place!!! Good merits for you to make everyone visit temples!
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1 reply ยท active 628 weeks ago

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