EAST MEBON TEMPLE
- Location : north of Pre Rup temple about 1,400 meters.
- Access : enter and leave it from the east entrance.
- Date : second half of the 10th century (952).
- King : Rajendravarman 2 (944-968).
- Religion : Hinduism (dedicated to Siva and the memory of the king’s parents).
- Art-style : Pre Rup.
- Clearance worked by Mr. Henri Marchal and Mr. Maurize Glaize 1935-1939.
1. BACKGROUND
Mebon temple stood on a small man-made island is 250 meters in diameters and situated in the center of the East Baray called “Yasodharatataka”, (1.8 kilometers wide by 7 kilometers long and 3 meters in depth) with a volume of 40 million cubic meters of water that could feed the river of Siem Reap. The temple was formerly accessible only by boat. Today it becomes a vast plain of the rice field.
2. LAY-OUT
The temple stood on the same axis of the east gate of Angkor Thom. The temple stood on a high laterite base with 3 levels and had 4 steep stairways on each of the 4 sides of the base and had 5 bricks towers on top; opening the east side. The first level is (130 meters for each side and 3.4 meters high) with 4 stairways on each of the 4 sides of the base and flanked by sandstone lions. A walkway on the first level is 5 meters wide around the first wall. The temple was surrounded by 2 laterite wall. The first wall is (120 meters for each side) with 4 across-shaped entry gates. A sandstone inscription was found inside the east gate of the first wall, but it was brought to The Angkor Conservation during 1995. We can see the beautiful monolithic sandstone elephants (2 meters high), which stood on the 4 corners of the first level. And in its courtyard, there are many rectangular laterite buildings, they were probably covered by timber-roof and used as long halls for meditation by priests. The walkway on the second level is 2 meters wide around the second wall is (95 meters for each side and 2.5 meters high) with 4 gates. On the 4 corners of the second level we see the beautiful monolithic sandstone elephants, but the one in the southeast corner is in the best condition. West lintel of the east gate of the second wall depicted Krishna who fights against a snake (Kalya) that lived in Ramanaka pond. In its courtyard, there are 8 brick towers, 2 towers are on each of the 4 sides and opening to the east and using for storing the Siva Linga. Besides the 8 brick towers and there are 5 rectangular laterite buildings are in the west side, opening to the east and other 3 buildings are in the east side opening to the west but the 2 buildings in the south axis where the 9 planets stone block was found (Chhandra, Surya, Vayu, Agni, Varuna, Yama, Indra, Skanda, Rahu). A west lintel on the northeast laterite building which has a depiction of the goodness Shri wife of god Vishnu, she was sitting on a lotus between 2 elephants. With raised trunks sprinkling holy water on her. East lintel on the west gate of the second wall has a depiction of god Vishnu in his incarnation as a man lion called (Narashimha) who tore a part of his enemy, demon king (Hiranyakshakashipu) who claimed to have the same right and ranks as god. The third level is (30 or 33 meters for each side and 2.3 meters high) made of sandstone which used as a base of the 5 towers (4 meters for each side).
3. TOP LEVEL
There are 5 brick towers on top, 4 towers are at the corners and one tower is in the center opening to the east side.
A. MIDDLE TOWER
East lintel : has a depiction of god Indra is riding on an elephant with 3 heads (Airavana) and also showing the small horsemen on a branch of lintel and a small frieze of worshippers. West lintel : It depicted Skanda, god of war, he rides on his peacock. South lintel : god Siva rides on his sacred bull (Nandin). North lintel : depicted a goddess is on a lotus flower. The central tower formerly stored a Siva-Linga (Sri-rajendrasvara). B. NORTHWEST TOWER
East lintel : It depicted Ganesa, god of wisdom is curiously riding on his trunk which is transformed into his vehicle.
C. SOUTHEAST TOWER
North lintel : The head of a monster is vomiting a head of an elephant.
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