Kom Ombo - A Temple of Balancing Forces

The existence of parallel forces of good and evil or positive and negative is not unknown to man. Ever since eternity these concepts have amazed and baffled man at the same time. In the process of discovering an answer, it has made him a seeker.

In a similar line, years ago Egyptians during the Ptolemaic dynasty, in 180 - 47 BC came up with another theory of such balancing forces, Universal and Local. One force connects us with our roots to Mother Earth and the other expands us to reach our highest being and merge with what lies above and beyond.

We may not be aware of it but both these forces are nevertheless working their magic on each one of us. And Temple of Kom Ombo was built along the banks of the River Nile in Aswan to celebrate the harmony that these forces brought with them.

Being a first of its kind, everything about the Temple is unlike any other temple built in Egypt during that time. A single temple duplicated and dedicated to two different Gods, the northern part for the falcon god, Haroeis (Horus the elder) and the southern half dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek.

Silently both the Gods have been guarding their people since time immemorial. Even today as you walk around the courtyard you might feel the strong forces that rule this place. All you probably need to do is ‘feel’. And believe me when I say Temple of Kom Ombo will definitely make you feel things that you were not even aware of. It will leave you pondering about a greater force that’s at play all around us.

Every niche and corner of the temple mirrors the other. It would not be unusual if you are lost within yourself in the wonderment of a perfectly symmetrical world. The concept of singularity in dualism is reflected in every stone and pillar of the construction.

Another thing that makes this Temple unique is the dedicated places and hieroglyphics showing evidence of ‘surgery’ and the instruments used during the period. This is a clear indication of how the Egyptians were a progressive civilization and were ahead of their time.

A museum just outside the temple dedicated to crocodile mummies should be a must. It is remarkable to think that a usually feared animal was revered as a god. Shrouded in semi-darkness the museum evokes anxiety and admiration at the same time.

Overall Temple of Kom Ombo harnesses and balances in its very heart a cosmic duality which man either consciously or unconsciously already knows about, making it a temple of balancing forces, that will leave you in complete awe.