Gajasiha

Gajasimha

Gajasimha

Add article description

The gajasimha or gajasiha (from Sanskrit: gaja+siṃha / Pali: gaja+sīha) is a mythical hybrid animal in Hindu mythology, appearing as a sinha or rajasiha (mythical lion) with the head or trunk of an elephant. It is found as a motif in Indian and Sinhalese art,[1] and is used as a heraldic symbol in some Southeast Asian countries, especially Cambodia and Thailand. In Siam (pre-modern Thailand), the gajasimha served as the symbol of the kalahom, one of the king's two chief chancellors. It appears as a supporter in the coat of arms of Siam, in use from 1873 to 1910, and the royal arms of Cambodia, officially adopted in 1993.

Gajasimha sculpture, Museum of Cham Sculpture, Danang, Vietnam
  • Ivory throne leg, Eastern Ganga dynasty
  • Architectural motif, Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Lintel detail from Prasat Prei Kmeng, Siem Reab, Cambodia
  • Door painting, Wat Arun, Thailand
  • Statue, Ministry of Defence, Thailand
  • Royal crematorium of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand

In heraldry

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gajasimha.
  1. [1]
    Bane, Theresa (2016). Encyclopedia of beasts and monsters in myth, legend and folklore. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 9780786495054.


Stub icon

This article about a legendary creature is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This heraldry-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Gajasiha, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.