Indias sacred Animals Limited Edition Print

This illustration is inspired by the animals traditionally considered sacred in Hindu culture. Sometimes the animals accompany the Hindu gods or are symbolic reincarnations of them. There are said to be five main sacred animals found in various mythological narratives of India:

Waghoba वाघोबा: is an ancient tiger/leopard deity worshipped by a number of tribes in India for centuries. Depending on the region of India, the deity is either described exclusively as a tiger or a leopard or as a deity that can take both forms. Also, the The Royal Bengal Tiger is a national symbol of India.

Hanuman हनुमान्: Represented as monkey, he is often described as the “son of Pawan”, the Hindu god for wind. Hanuman is also known for his extraordinary daring feats, strength and loyalty.

Kamadhenu कामधेनु: Hindus are vegetarians and they consider the cow to be a sacred symbol of life that should be protected and revered. In the Vedas, the oldest of the Hindu scriptures, the cow is associated with Aditi, the mother of all the gods.

Ganesha गणेश: Represented as an elephant, Ganesha means “Lord of the people”. Lord Ganesha clears the obstacles and paves the way for us to move forward in life. He symbolizes wisdom, understanding, and a discriminating intellect that one must possess to attain perfection in life.

Manasa মনসা: She is the Goddesses of snakes or Serpentine Goddess. Her name means Intelligence and she is widely worshiped in the rainy season, when the snakes are most active. Manasa is also a very important fertility deity.

If you are a wild animal lover like me, have a look at this beautiful Leopard Print!