Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Dear Ibrahiim,

Please review the images you presented the forum more closely.

Some of these creatures in the images you present go by other names such as Leogryph, Yali or Sardula which have a Lion or Leo like face....the mane is hard to miss too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yali_(Hindu_mythology)


There is a relationship between the Leogryph and the Makara as noted with the link and also seen in item 04.1.116 from the National musuem of Afghanistan.

I can sometimes see a Makara face on some quillon ends but very rarely the pommel of a Kastane...the presence of a trunk on a Makara should be key to correct identification, not a beak, a floral motif or an upturned lip some times seen on the Leogryph/Yali or Sardula and they should not be mistaken for a Makara.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makara_(Hindu_mythology)

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...w=1280&bih=622

Gavin

Salaams SwordsAntiqueWeapons ~ I cannot recall any beaked Makara on any of my posts. They all have teeth. The trunks cannot be relied upon as often they are turned back over the head and shortened sometimes totally obscured or occasionally missing altogether. Where auxiliary deities appear they could be either miniature Makara and or Nagas ..secondary deities forming the design on the hand guard and cross guard. Another deity ... that of the humano/crocodile form can sometimes be found in the handguard as a human face..see #56. More deities form the endings to the Tibetan style Vagras on the false quillons...probably more Nagas. Did Lions spew deities...? No.


I have looked again and confirm my previous posts..I have considered the other deities you mention ie Leogryph, Yali or Sardula. Yali /Sardula looks like a soft faced horse..similar to a walrus face without tusks.. Leogryph don't spill/ spew monsters all over the place like Makara. Its what Makara do. Its what goes on all over the hilt of the Kastane..because the main handle is comprised the Makara.

Perhaps its not easy, this recognition of Makara, not least because even in the minds of believers they (Makara) slide through several different phases changing slightly as they morph. It should be noted however that in the Karava dynasty they were very much in play as serpent derivatives and it is this form that was (I argue) construed by the makers of this sword; The Portuguese and Karava Royal Sword workshops.

Even if I place in the margin the other countries in which Makara appear culturally including (Burma, Cambodia,China,India,Indonesia,Laos,Malaysia,Nepal ,Thailand,Vietnem Java)...but focus in on Sri Lanka specifically; I stand firmly behind this hypothesis (It's a Makara not a Lion)viz;

Makara (Sinhala Mythology)
'Makara' is the Sinhala term for dragon, an important figure in Sinhala Buddhist culture in Sri Lanka. Thus to prove it I have lined up many Sri Lankan Buddhist related links. viz;

History
Since ancient time, easterners believe thet Makara is one of watery creatures and even from the pre-era of the field of Buddhist art, Makara has been depicted both in work of literature and stone carvings. Makara gained a distinctive position in the Sinhala Buddhist culture - a special place not given in Buddhist artwork in other countries. It is for that reason that we should not be surprised by the addition of the Makara spewing other religious deities, Nagas etc but we should note that Lion motifs do not do that.

In Sinhalese ancient artwork Makara has been an invented creature; it is made up of body parts of six or seven animals such as the trunk of the elephant, jaws of the crocodile, ears of the mouse or ape, extruding teeth of wild swine, the tail plume of the peacock and feet of the lion. The plume of the Peacock is often seen on the rain-guard and or flowing down the throat of the Kastane blade. It is not associated with the Lion.

Artistic Work
It is obvious that the Sinhala artists attributed a special symbolic meaning to Makara by adding the picture of Makara around the said stone carving. In addition to that, the Sinhala artists have given more opportunities for Makara to enter into the art world.

Dragon balustrade
Dragon Balustrade at the entrance to Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Sir Lanka. The dragon balustrade is another kind of stone carvings which portray the Makara (dragon). These artworks used to decorate the entrance of Buddhist stupas, temples and Bo trees. There are two balustrades at the main entrance of Lankathilaka Viharaya in Kandy and they are sometimes called Gajasinha balustrades (ගඡසිංහ කොරවක් ගල්) because of the shape of the Makara there.

Guard stones
The guard-stone (මුරගල) has given a highest place to Makara. Over the head of the gatekeeper carved in there, the figures of Makara can be seen.

Pandol.
Makara pandol over the image of Lord Buddha in Dambulla cave temple. Doing what? Providing other deities to flank the main subject.

Sinhala-buddhist artists considered Makara as the symbol of prosperity and self-sufficiency so they were not hesitant in portraying the sign of Makara in the entrance arch gateway to the religious places, such as temples, stupa or bodi. Precious examples for the above are Temple of the Tooth and Lankatilaka Temple in Kandy. Examples for the arched gateway with Makara over the image of Lord Buddha can be seen in Ridi Viharaya and Dambulla cave temple.

Other Artefacts. A figure of Makara has been carved to the handle of a temple key of Gadaladeniya Temple built in 1344 in Diggala in the Kandy District.


Flags
Since long ago as of 1668, people in Karava (කෞරව) cast in Sri Lanka use a flag with the symbol of Makara which is called the Makara flag in their ceremonies. Not the Lion Flag !


The Pictures show;

# The Makara Jewelery style; a reflection in the design of the Kastane hilt from the Makara.

# The gold bangle is clearly of Makara form and the other bangle with coloured stones, rubies etc is noted as a Makara bangle by The Met Museum.

# The two brown coloured pictures of the odd Horse deity (Yali or Sardula) with the soft walrus like face which is not like the Makara.

# The picture of the Karava flag with Makara and Horseman ~ mirrored in the jewellery.

# Kastane illustrating the Makara Hilt spewing other deities onto the hand-guard and cross guard which includes Nagas.

# The peculiar chopping axe (Tibetan Vagra) giving rise to the strange quillon like devices on the Kastane.. proving a religious link.

# Finally the peacock tail typical of the Makara, in addition, proves; The Makara Hilt.[B]

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.