Yali (mythology)

Yali (IAST: Yāḷi),[1] also called Vyala,[2] is a Hindu mythological creature, portrayed with the head and the body of a lion, the trunk and the tusks of an elephant, and sometimes bearing equine features.[3]

Sculpture of a Yali's head, Warangal
Yali in pillars at Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple
Yali pillars, Rameshwara Temple, Keladi, Shivamogga District, Karnataka state, India
Yali in Aghoreswara temple, Ikkeri, Shivamogga district, Karnataka state, India

The creature is represented in many South Indian temples, often sculpted onto the pillars.[4] There also exist variations of the creature, with it possessing the appendages of other beasts. It has sometimes been described as a leogryph (part-lion and part-griffin),[5] with some bird-like features, with the trunk referred to as a proboscis.[6]

Iconography

Descriptions of, and references to, yalis are ancient, but they became prominent in South Indian sculptures in the 16th century. Yalis were described to be more powerful than the lion, the tiger, or the elephant. In its iconography, the yali has a cat-like graceful body, but the head of a lion with the tusks of an elephant (gaja), and the tail of a serpent. Sometimes, they have been shown standing on the back of a makara, another mythical creature and considered to be the vahana of Budha (Mercury). Some images look like three-dimensional representation of yalis. Images or icons have been found on the entrance walls of the temples, and the graceful mythical lion is believed to protect and guard the temples and ways leading to the temple. They usually have the stylised body of a lion and the head of some other beast, most often an elephant (gaja-vyala).[7] Other common examples are: the lion-headed (simha-vyala), horse- (ashva-vyala), human- (nir-vyala) and the dog-headed (shvana-vyala) ones.[8]

Symbolism
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The yali is said to be a guardian creature, protecting human beings both physically and spiritually. It is regarded to be a fearless beast, possessing supremacy over the animal world. It is also believed to be the symbolic representation of man's struggle with the elemental forces of nature.[9]


  • The Yali is often found on the neck of a modern Saraswati veena.
    The Yali is often found on the neck of a modern Saraswati veena.
  • Yali in pillars of Puthu Mandapam, Madurai, Tamil Nadu State, India
    Yali in pillars of Puthu Mandapam, Madurai, Tamil Nadu State, India
  • Yali in Thiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu State, India
    Yali in Thiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu State, India
  • Yali pillars at Vittala temple at Hampi, Karnataka state, India
    Yali pillars at Vittala temple at Hampi, Karnataka state, India
  • Yali pillars at Ananthasayana temple, Ananthasayanagudi, Karnataka state, India
    Yali pillars at Ananthasayana temple, Ananthasayanagudi, Karnataka state, India
  • Carved pillar in the 16th century Thousand Pillar Hall, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
    Carved pillar in the 16th century Thousand Pillar Hall, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
  • Yali pillars at Krishna temple at Hampi, Karnataka state, India
    Yali pillars at Krishna temple at Hampi, Karnataka state, India
  • Yali pillars at Bhoganandishvara temple in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
    Yali pillars at Bhoganandishvara temple in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
  • Yali pillars at the Ranganatha temple in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
    Yali pillars at the Ranganatha temple in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
  • Pillars with Yali and Kudure Gombe ("horse doll") at Ranganatha temple, Rangasthala, Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
    Pillars with Yali and Kudure Gombe ("horse doll") at Ranganatha temple, Rangasthala, Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka state, India
  • Yali and rider, Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India
    Yali and rider, Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India
  • Yali and rider, Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India
    Yali and rider, Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India
  • A Image of Yali at Orchha fort, Madhya Pradesh, India
    Image of Yali at Orchha fort, Madhya Pradesh, India

See also

References
  • Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
  1. Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 470. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
  2. www.wisdomlib.org (2021-08-31). "Figure 149. Yali [Sculptures in temples in Kumbakonam]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  3. www.wisdomlib.org (2021-11-07). "Yali, Yāḷi: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  4. Geer, Alexandra Anna Enrica van der (2008). Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-16819-0.
  5. "Carved wood bracket – description". British Museum. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  6. Walker, Benjamin (2019-04-09). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
  7. "Sculptural fusion". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 21 January 2007. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007.
  8. Khandro - Yali & Mukha
  9. Bane, Theresa (2016-05-22). Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. McFarland. p. 340. ISBN 978-1-4766-2268-2.
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