Erawan is the Thai name of the Hindu mythological elephant, '' Airavata ''. As explained elsewhere in thailandsworld.com Hinduism was brought to Southeast Asia 1,500 years ago and was the controlling belief system by the Khmers and later the Siamese Kingdoms.
Many Hindu myths are prevalent in art and architecture in ancient and modern Thailand. Erawan Museum is a five storey building shaped like a three headed elephant in which is a museum of ancient objects of cultural and religious significance.
The building is constructed as a symbol, just as the temple Phrangs are a symbol of Mount Meru. The former kingdom of Laos used the symbol head of Erawan on its flag, statues of Erawan can be seen in Bangkok, such as the Erawan Shrine and the name is also adapted for Erawan National Park in Kanchaburi Province, Erawan District in Loei Province, the Erawan Cave in Loei Province, etc.
The Erawan Museum is in Samut Prakan Province some 28 kilometers south of Bangkok and is where the Chao Phraya River enters the Gulf of Siam. Here also are other worthy attractions for tourists.
The Erawan Museum is part of a modern temple and inside this five storey tall building made of bronze and titles are displayed antiquities having significant cultural and religious significance for the Thai people.
The top portion of the structure is a gigantic bronze three headed elephant, '' Erawan '' on top of the rounded pink building pedestal beneath. At Erawan Museum the elephant, Erawan, is the symbol of the center of the universe and the building functions symbolically as the spiritual heart
of the place where sacred objects are housed and revered.
This building comprises three floors. One the first floor can be seen the antiquities on display, on the second floor are decorative artistic statues and a stained glass ceiling illustrating the zodiac and the world [ as featured in the pictures here ]. The top floor being the inside of the elephant contains for display Buddhist relics and ancient statues of importance. Here also the painted ceiling illustrates the cosmos. Access up is by a lavish designed stair way, also illustrated in the picture here.
