Dawon

Last updated
Durga upon her lion mount, Dawon Durga riding on her lion killing a demon. Watercolour drawin Wellcome V0045153.jpg
Durga upon her lion mount, Dawon

Dawon is either a lion or a tiger that serves as the mount of the goddess Durga in some Hindu traditions. [1] Dawon is rewarded as a battle-mount to the goddess by other deities, though it does not appear in any mainstream Hindu texts. As Durga fights with ten weapons wielded on her arms, Dawon is believed to serve its mistress, attacking her foes with its claws and fangs. [2]

Dawon has often been represented in traditional and ancient Bengali culture and Indian culture in the form of Ghatokbahini (Bengali : ঘটকবাহিনী সিংহ), i.e. in the form of a half-lion, half-tiger hybrid. It is a sacred tiger in Tibetan lore, and was later known as 'Gdon.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parvati</span> Major goddess in Hinduism

Parvati, Uma or Gauri is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi in her complete form. She is also revered in her appearances as Durga and Kali. She is one of the central deities of the goddess-oriented sect called Shaktism, and the chief goddess in Shaivism. Along with Lakshmi and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakshmi</span> Principal Hindu goddess

Lakshmi, also known as Shri, is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with Maya ("Illusion"). Along with Parvati and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi of Hindu goddesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durga</span> Principal Hindu goddess

Durga is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhavani</span> Hindu goddess

Bhavānī is a manifestation of Adi Shakti (Durga). Bhavani translates to "giver of life", meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijayadashami</span> Annual Hindu festival

Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, the seventh month of the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaktism</span> Goddess-centric sect of Hinduism

Shaktism is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti (Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Shaktism has different sub-traditions, ranging from those focused on most worshipped Durga, gracious Parvati to that of fierce Kali.

Mahishasura is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of Brahmarshi Kashyapa. He was ultimately killed by goddess Durga with her trishula (trident) after which she gained the epithet Mahishasuramardini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durga Puja</span> Annual Hindu festival

Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated because of Durga's victory over Mahishasur. It is celebrated all over the world by the Hindu Bengali community but it is particularly popular and traditionally celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and the country of Bangladesh. The festival is observed in the Indian calendar month of Ashwin, which corresponds to September–October in the Gregorian calendar. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, of which the last five are of the most significance. The puja is performed in homes and public, the latter featuring a temporary stage and structural decorations. The festival is also marked by scripture recitations, performance arts, revelry, gift-giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions. Durga Puja is an important festival in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been inscribed on the Intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO in December of 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhakeshwari Temple</span> Hindu temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhakeshwari National Temple is a Hindu temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is state-owned, giving it the distinction of being Bangladesh's 'National Temple'. The name "Dhakeshwari" means "Goddess of Dhaka". It is also the largest Hindu temple in Bangladesh. This temple is part of the famous Shakti Peethas in Indian Subcontinent. Here the gem of Sati's crown had fallen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandi</span> Goddess in Hinduism, a form of Durga

Chandi or Chandika is a Hindu deity. Chandika is another form of Mahadevi, similar to Durga. Chandika is a powerful form of Mahadevi who manifested to destroy evil. She is also known as Kaushiki, Katyayani, AsthadasabujaMahalakshmi and Mahishasuramardini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navadurga</span> Nine manifestations of Hindu goddess Durga

Navadurga, also spelled Navdurga and Navadurgas, are nine manifestations and forms of Durga in Hinduism, especially worshipped during Navaratri and Durga Puja. They are often considered collectively as a single deity, mainly among the followers of Shaktism and Shaivism sect of Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vishalakshi Temple</span> Hindu goddess temple in Varanasi, India

The Vishalakshi Temple or Vishalakshi Gauri Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Vishalakshi, at Mir Ghat on the banks of the Ganges at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is generally regarded as a Shakti Pitha, the most sacred temples dedicated to the Hindu Divine Mother.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumortuli</span> Neighbourhood in Kolkata in West Bengal, India

Kumortuli is a traditional potters' quarter in northern Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The city is renowned for its sculpting prowess. It not only manufactures clay idols for various festivals but also regularly exports them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kali</span> Major deity and fierce form of the Hindu Goddess

Kali, also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika, is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In this tradition, she is considered as a ferocious form of goddess Mahadevi, the supreme of all powers, or the ultimate reality. She is the first of the ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tantric tradition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devi</span> Term for goddess in Hinduism

Devī is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is deva. Devi and deva mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navaratri</span> Annual Hindu festival

Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra, and again in the month of Sharada. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kali Puja</span> Hindu festival dedicated to the goddess Kali

Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu calendar month of Ashwayuja or Kartika. The festival is especially popular in the regions of West Bengal, Mithila, Odisha, Assam, and Tripura, as well as the town of Titwala in Maharashtra, along with the neighbouring country of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vimala Temple</span> Hindu temple of goddess Vimala in Puri, India

The Vimala Temple or Bimala Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Vimala or Bimala (ବିମଳା), located within the Jagannath Temple complex in Puri in the Indian state of Odisha. It is generally regarded as a Shakti Pitha, among the holiest temples dedicated to the Hindu Goddess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durga Mandir, Varanasi</span> Hindu Temple in Uttar Pradesh, India

Durga Mandir, also known as Durga Kund Mandir and Durga Temple, is one of the most famous temples in the holy city of Varanasi. This temple has great religious importance in Hinduism and is dedicated to the Maa Durga. Durga Mandir was constructed in 18th century by Rani Bhabani of Natore.

References

  1. Ewing, Susan M. (1 May 2019). 77 Things to Know Before Getting a Cat: The Essential Guide to Preparing Your Family and Home for a Feline Companion. Fox Chapel Publishing. p. 476. ISBN   978-1-62008-292-8.
  2. Briggs, Korwin (21 August 2018). Gods and Heroes: Mythology Around the World. Workman Publishing Company. p. 140. ISBN   978-1-5235-0391-9.

cz:Dawon