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Date:
952 A.D.
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Reign
of construction: Rajendravarman II (Çivaloka)
944-967
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Cult:
Brahmanism (Çivaït temple)
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Clearance work: H. Marchal and M.
Glaize 1935-1939
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Art
Style: Pre Rup
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|
Laksmi |
Eastern Mebon
is more than 15 years older than the Pre Rup,
it looks like a reproduction. The temple was
built on an island in the middle of the
artificial lake (Eastern Baray: 7 km by
1800m) created by Yaçovarman I. The general
arrangement is the same but the whole is of
more modest proportions and the base of the
quincunx of towers is lower.
The platform
supporting the five towers is a square of
more than 30m per side, mounted on a base
sandstone 2.30m high. The central tower
stands on a base 1.25m high.
 |
|
Mebon |
The towers
sheltered the divine images representing the
parents of Rajendravarman and other
ancestors: Çiva Linga Rajendreçvara in the
central sanctuary. We learn this fact from
the inscriptions on the towers and other
inscriptions tell us that these edifices
were covered with plaster.
The numerous
round holes were meant to hold up some metal
covering to hold the plaster. In the middle
of the lintels can be seen:
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Indra
on the triple-head elephant (East) God
of clouds and storms and lightning and
the Guardian of the East direction.
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Kubera
- the God of wealth and prosperity - the
guardian of the North direction.
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Varuna
- the God of rain and water, the
Guardian of the west direction.
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Yama
- God of the dead, judge of the dead;
the guardian of the South direction.
The lower tier
is about 100m each side; the brick towers
for installing Lingas. On the corners there
are 5 edifieces resembling the libraries.
The surrounding wall is about 60m and it is
crounded by a coping in the shape of a roof
.
A fine
inscription which gives the date of the
monument as 952. Therefore, it took at least
five years to build the temple, for other
inscription mentions it in
