Makara
Sign in to saveAlso known as Mákara, Makaras, Mákaras
thumb|Makara as the Vahana (vehicle) of the goddess Ganga Makara () is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn.
Key facts
- Mythical creature.name
- Makara
- Mythical creature.image
- Makara face at Konark temple 01.jpg
- Mythical creature.caption
- Makara at the Konarak temple
- Mythical creature.Country
- India
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Makara face at Konark temple 01.jpg
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- Commons category
- Makara
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Article
18 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Physical features of makara
- Iconography
- Vedic era iconography
- Middle kingdoms iconography - Pradyuma Makaradhvaja
- Later Hindu iconography
- Universal frequent occurrences
- Medieval South Indian iconography
- Indonesian iconography
- Khmer iconography
- Nepalese iconography
- Sri Lankan iconography
- Tibetan Buddhist iconography
- Distribution of iconography
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|Makara as the Vahana (vehicle) of the goddess Ganga Makara () is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn.
Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, and of the god of the ocean, Varuna. Makara are considered guardians of gateways and thresholds, protecting throne rooms as well as entryways to temples; it is the most commonly recurring creature in Hindu and Buddhist temple iconography, and also frequently appears as a gargoyle or as a spout attached to a natural spring. Makara-shaped earrings called Makarakundalas are sometimes worn by Hindu deities, for example Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, and Chandi. Makara is also the insignia of the love god Kamadeva, who has no dedicated temples and is also known as Makaradhvaja, "one whose flag depicts a makara".