Makara (mythology)
A Makara ( Sanskrit मकर makara m. ) Is a being from Hindu mythology . He is the mount ( vāhana ) of the Hindu river gods Gangā and Varuna . It is also one of the insignia of Kamadeva , a Hindu god who represents love and lust. Kama's flag ( dhvaja ) is known as karkadhvaja , which is a flag with a Makara depicted on it.
Demarcation
In contrast to the lion-like yalis or vyalas, the Makaras are traditionally viewed as aquatic creatures, in some ancient texts they are compared to a crocodile , in others to a dolphin . Still other sources describe a Makara as a hybrid being with the body of a fish and the head of an elephant. Sometimes it is also considered a mythical creature from elephant, turtle, fish and crocodile, whose characteristics it embodies. All vegetable and animal food emerges from its mouth; it is therefore also considered a fertility genius.
In astrology, a Makara is often represented as a sea horse and corresponds to the Capricorn in western astrology .
Makara in India
Makaras can be found at the earliest Indian cave temples , the Barabar Caves in Bihar . They are more or less frequent or pronounced through North and South Indian art. A particularly beautiful medieval specimen can be found under the feet of the goddess Ganga in the entrance area to cave 21 in Ellora . Since the base zones of almost all temples were often damaged by water and / or kicks, many Makaras are completely or almost destroyed. Painted makaras have also survived from a later period.
Makara in Thailand
Makara is called Mangkon in Thailand ( Thai : มังกร , pronunciation maŋkɔːn , also Makorn - ม กร , other spelling Mangkorn ).
Mythical creatures
The mythical animal Mangkon is the dragon in Thai / Laotian mythology . Like the Naga, he is a water being. A Mangkon is often depicted in Thai works of art as a hybrid creature in which one part of the body (mostly the head) is derived from the dragon, the rest of the body from other mythical animals. These hybrid beings were represented in ancient manuscripts during the Rattanakosin period, only a few of which have survived. They were titled as "books with pictures of various animal figures that are used for the processions on the occasion of the royal cremations ". The animals come from the mythological snow forest ( Himaphan ) , which is located on the slopes of Mount Meru . They are reminiscent of representations in Angkor's art , such as in Prasat Thom in Koh Ker or in Banteay Srei . In Thai literature they were first mentioned in the Traiphum Phra Ruang .
Representations of the hybrid beings can still be found today in many Thai temples ( Wat ) , the best known are the golden statues on the upper terrace of Wat Phra Kaeo . Larger-than-life replicas used to be carried in the processions that carried royal urns to the cremation site. A catafalque modeled on the Meru was erected on the cremation site.
Thai art
In Thai art, a makara can easily be confused with a naga . Makaras are depicted on arches and stairs, on statues and as throne decorations throughout Southeast Asia . The Thai Makara is undoubtedly a reptile, similar to a crocodile. In contrast to the Naga, however, a Makara has only one head with a wavy, elongated snout and a wide mouth with sharp teeth. It has either a sinuous body, or a body with short front legs, or no body at all, but with a long, apparently leafy, sometimes scaly tail.
Makara are often represented in temple buildings in Thailand together with a Kirtimukha (Thai: กิ ร์ ติ มุ ขะ , Sanskrit: "Face of Glory", also Kirttimukha or Kala ), a lion-headed "demon" from Hindu mythology, who is in his wild Hunger ate up itself until only his head remained. Just as the Kirtimukha spits out vegetation, so do Nagas with one or more heads spring from the Makara's mouth. At the temples of the Khmer Makara and Kirttimukha are already located above the entrance gates, for example in Banteay Srei and also in Angkor Wat . The first examples in Thailand can be found at Wat Sri Sawai (Thai: วัด ศรี สวาย ), but also at Wat Mahathat ( วัด มหาธาตุ ), both in Sukhothai . The Sukhothai artists later adopted the Makara in their repertoire. In the aureole of the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, the main Buddha statue of Wat Benchamabophit , two elegant Makara are integrated on the right and left, which spew out flowery flamboyants.
Other meanings
"Mangkon" (Makara) can also have the following meanings in Thailand:
- McFarland's Thai-English Dictionary describes a Mangkon as:
- a mythological fish or sea monster, a fairytale sea dragon ,
- Russell lionfish ( pterois russelli ), also Dornfisch , (Scorpion fish - Muraenesox cinereus ),
- a small, scaleless saltwater fish that can reach the size of a human thumb. It is often found in saltwater canals.
- Mangkon is (rarely) used as a first name for men. The short form "Gon" is more common. Often muay thai fighters give themselves a name that includes Mangkon: z. B. "Mungkorn Dam" ( Black Dragon - different spelling from English-speaking countries ).
- Wat Mangkon is a historic temple in Sukhothai Historical Park ( Sukhothai Province )
See also
literature
- Anna Dallapiccola: Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend . Thames & Hudson, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-500-51088-1
- Gerhard J. Bellinger: Knaurs Lexikon der Mythologie. Knaur, Munich 1999, Makara, ISBN 978-3899962703
- Jean Boisselier: Painting In Thailand . Verlag W.Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1976, ISBN 3-17-002521-X
- GB McFarland: Thai-English Dictionary . Stanford University Press, Stanford 1944, ISBN 0-8047-0383-3
- Prof. Dr. Pinyo Suwankiri: Lined Figures of Himaphan animals . Chulalongkorn University Press, Bangkok 2543, ISBN 974-333-514-5
- Pamela York Taylor: Beasts, Birds, And Blossoms In Thai Art . Oxford University Press, New York 1994, ISBN 967-65-3051-4
- Heinrich Zimmer: Indian Myths and Symbols . Diederich's Yellow Series, Düsseldorf 1981, ISBN 3-424-00693-9
Web links
- Page about Hindu mythology (English)
- Thai mythical creatures:
Individual evidence
- ^ Gerhard J. Bellinger: Knaurs Lexikon der Mythologie. Knaur, Munich 1999, Makara