We have seen quite a number of Mythical Creatures in previous posts. Have you wonder what are them?
I've did some digging and brief reading regarding on them. I doubt so of the information is accurate but anyways, here's what I had found.
The Yaksha
The Yaksha takes the shape of a grimacing giant statue often sporting brightly coloured faces. They tower above the entrances to temple compounds of which many superb examples can be seen at the Grand Palace Complex and at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.
Extracted from luxury-thailand-travel.com »
Panorn Maruek
Panorn Maruek - This mythical creature is said to have begun simply as a monkey, but the passage of time and the re-telling of stories gradually changed him into what you see here. The female version of this animal has the name: "Panorn Maruekkee". The linguistic origins of the second word in its name suggest a deer like creature native to the forest or jungle. Sometimes it is drawn with lion-like claws, although its upper body still retains the original monkey form.
Extracted from chiangmai-chiangrai.com »
Naga
The Naga, or king snake, with its beard and pointed crown, is the half-brother of the garuda. Base on mythology, the two had the same father and their mothers were sisters. There is only one garuda, but there are one thousand nagas, all sworn enemies of the snake-eating half-brother. In many northern Thai temple stairway the handrails depict the great Naga, the many-headed bearded serpent with its pointed crown. The Naga is often found in Thai architecture and also frequently portrayed giving comfort and shade to the meditating Buddha, the coils of the great snake acting as a cushion while the many heads function as an umbrella.
Extracted from chiangmai-chiangrai.com »
Garuda
The most important of the animals of the Himapan forest is probably the Garuda, with the head, wings, tail and lower body of an eagle, and the upper body and arms of man. This was the king of the birds and the mount of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Traditionally the Thais believe that their kings are incarnations of Vishnu and the Garuda has come to represent the King of Thailand. It is used as a symbol of the monarchy or of the government itself, appears on Thai bank notes and on the royal flag, which is flown only in the presence of the His Majesty.
Extracted from chiangmai-chiangrai.com »
The Singha figurehead is a type of temple guardian accredited to one of the mythical creatures known throughout Thailand. They are depicted as half-man and half-lion. Some sit atop gateposts while many others tend to guard temple entrances. You'll find that the marble temple of Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok city has a number of these large beasts gracing the compound. Smaller specimens can be seen on the grounds of the Grand Palace including Wat Phra Kaew.
The name is believed to have originated from the Hindu word Singh which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word Simha which means lion. In western astrology, it can be viewed in the same context as the zodiac sign of Leo. The final syllable is marked as silent. Sanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan form of communication as well as being the primary liturgical language of both Hinduism and Buddhism.
Singha is also the name used for a popular local brand of beer. It is frequently used as place names and for the name of the Thai solar calendar month of August. The latter for which the "ha" is pronounced.
Extracted from luxury-thailand-travel.com »
Kinnari
The Kinnari is one of the loveliest of the mythology beings, a beautiful half-woman, half swan, with the head and torso of a woman yet below the delicately tapered waist she has the body, tail and legs of a swan. She also has both human arms and the wings of a swan. While the Kinnari has a male counterpart (the Kinnara) and is similar in form, it is less beloved by Thai artists. The Kinnari is renowned for her excellence in song and dance and her graceful form is often seen in sculpture and temple murals.
Extracted from chiangmai-chiangrai.com »
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