The Mythical Yazhi

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My fascination for Liminal beings is well known in my circle. I prefer to believe in Gods such as Lord Narasimha or Hanuman, whose includes parts of more than one species. Thankfully for me, Hindu mythology is rich with liminal beings—mythical creatures, chimeras, and sometimes, monsters. Creatures such as Uchchaihshravas (the seven-headed horse that emerged during the Samudra Manthan) and Gandaberunda (the two-headed bird possessing immense strength) are multi-headed. Others, like the Yazhi, Makara, and Navagunjara, are chimeras of various animals. Hindu temples serve as records of these fascinating creatures, preserving their forms, textures, and embellishments, and keeping their memory alive.

Discovering Yazhis in Kanchipuram

During Christmas this year, I took my parents on an impromptu temple tour of Kanchipuram—the city of silks and temples—where we visited 15 temples in a 20-hour span. Our first stop was the famous Kailasanathar Temple, a prototype of Pallava architecture, showcasing its spectacular nature. It is said that King Rajasimha (Narasimhavarman II) was not only the patron but also the designer of this temple. Historians believe he drew sketches of the entire temple, panel by panel, on large screens to show the sculptors and builders his exact vision.

yazhi temple pillar
Varadaraja swamy temple, Kancheepuram

The temple is adorned with numerous statues of lions and majestic Yazhis. I resolved at that point to write about them.

What is a Yazhi?

A Yazhi, or Yali (pronounced YA-lee and unrelated to the Navajo name), is a mythical creature that is a chimera of a lion, elephant, and snake. It may have the face, paws, claws, and tail of a lion; the fangs of a snake; and the body, hind legs, and trunk of an elephant. Sometimes referred to as Vyalas, they are known for their ferocity, speed, and strength. A Yazhi embodies the male aggression of a lion, the grace of a snake, and the intelligence of an elephant. The closest English term that I can think of is a Leogryph.

lion yazhi

As a transmuted animal, the Yazhi is believed to be stronger than a lion or an elephant combined, which is why it was used as a war mount. In this era of gene modification, I sometimes wonder: were Yazhis created as a fighting force, or did such creatures exist and become extinct over time?

Types of Yazhis and their form

While there are many forms of Yazhis, three types are commonly seen in temple architecture:

  1. Simha or Lion Yazhi (சிம்ம யாளி),
  2. Makara or Capricorn Yazhi (மகர யாளி), and
  3. Yannai or Elephant Yazhi (யானை யாளி).

Some texts also mention horse-headed, human-headed, or dog-headed Yazhis, though I have not encountered these personally.

lion and yazhi
Kailasanatha temple, Kancheepuram

My colleague recently mentioned the Yazhi pillars of the Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli, said to be inspired by the bamboo shoots of the Venu Vanam (bamboo grove) that once surrounded the Swayambhu (self-created) Linga of Lord Shiva. Some sculptures depict Yazhis as wild animals in a standing or sitting pose. However, others show them as tamed creatures, adorned with fabrics and jewellery.

horse yazhi

Could Yazhis have been decorated with bells, necklaces, and laces, much like horses and elephants were during ceremonial processions? The bells and leg ornaments on the standing Yazhis I saw at the Kailasanathar Temple suggest they were once adorned for festivals, adding to their mystical allure.

yazhi veena

A Legend of the Yazhi and the Veena

There is a legend that connects aYazhi to the Saraswati Veena. According to this story discussed with gusto in a particular Google Group, Goddess Saraswati subdued a menacing, dragon-like creature with her music. Enraptured by the sound, the creature pleaded to always remain in contact with music and the musicians who create it. To honour this request, the creature’s head was incorporated into the design of the Veena.

220px-KumaraguptaFightingLion
Above: Gold coin of Gupta era, depicting Gupta king Kumaragupta holding a bow (Source Wikipedia Commons). Is that a yazhi that he is trying to hunt?

South East Asian Aesthetics

I also noticed similarities between the Yazhi sculptures of South Indian temples and the lion-dragon statues I saw in Bangkok, reflecting the shared cultural heritage of ancient South Indian kingdoms and those of present-day Southeast Asia. Despite differences in aesthetic styles, the influence of Yazhi-like figures in both regions suggests a cross-cultural exchange, perhaps an example of the trickle-across theory, which promotes fusion in styling and design.

Temples with Yazhi Pillars

Some notable temples in South India where Yazhi pillars can be found include:

  • Tamil Nadu: Nellaiappar Temple (Tirunelveli), Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, Kailasanathar, Vaikunta Perumal, Ulagalantha Perumal, Varadharajar Perumal temples in Kanchipuram, and the Thiruvanamalai Temple.
  • Karnataka: Ranganatha and Bhoganandishvara Temples (Chikkaballapur), Vitalla Temple (Hampi).
  • Orissa – Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar.
The State emblem of Karnataka includes both the Gandaberunda as well as the Yazhi

Meaning and Metaphors

In temple architecture, Yazhis are carved into pillars for three main purposes:

  1. As a decorative element,
  2. To showcase man’s struggle with nature (in sculptures where a man is depicted riding a Yazhi), and
  3. To stimulate discussions on creativity, imagination, and uniqueness.

A Yazhi is a creature that is constantly evolving, neither this nor that, embodying nature’s transformative behaviour. It personifies victory, greatness, evolution, and resilience.

Yazhi Vahanam

Functions of Yazhis

Sculptures of the Yazhi are commonly positioned on either side of temple entrances, shrines, and temple chariots to ward off evil. They are often referred to as protectors of the temple and its lands. One particular image shows Yazhis used as vahanams (processional rides) for the utsava murthi of Vishnu at the Ulagalantha Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram. In ancient times, the Yazhi was the mount of Budh (the planet Mercury) and was said to be genderless. I once used an image of a Yazhi from Ganjifa cards in my Navagraha necklace, part of my Chitra Katha collection from 2014.

budh and yali vahanam

Yazhi as a Motif in textiles and Jewellery

Due to its fascinating form, the Yazhi has frequently been used as a motif in textiles, particularly in silk saree borders, as well as in jewellery, where it is prized for its unique design. I have used Yazhi motif in my Patinam and Parampare jewellery collections. You can also find a selection of Yazhi picture jewellery in Bherunda.

kanchipurm saree with yazhi border

Conclusion

This post was born out of a sense of duty to document the precious cultural heritage of my country. Just before this temple tour, a student approached me with questions about Kemp jewellery, as she was working on a collection inspired by the Yazhi. She sheepishly admitted that her research was based on my blog. This reminder of my role as a designer and teacher compelled me to delve deeper into the subject.

I am not an expert on the topic, and these are simply my personal observations collected over years of temple visits, storytelling, and secondary research. I welcome readers to share their thoughts, comments, and any corrections they may have.

References: Most web references have been linked to in the body of the text itself. Here are more links for additional reading. Post and links updated in 2024.

  1. Mythical creatures from Hindu mythology
  2.  Yali on temple pillars
  3. There are several fictional books (in Tamil) which includes Yazhis as central characters. One such example is Yazhi by Mani Thanigai Kumar.

 I hope you found it interesting
Cheers
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23 responses to “The Mythical Yazhi”

  1. Neena Shilvock avatar

    Wow, that was one interesting post – I have sarees and bracelets with dragons and elephants, like every other Indian girl, and it was fab to read about the heritage. Isn’t it fascinating that two ancient cultures, Indian and Egyptian both have these chimeras in their history? Excellent post Divya.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar
      jewelsofsayuri

      Thanks Neena. Yazhi motifs in sarees is an old trend that is coming back in a big way now. I am glad that the Indian textile and fashion industry is starting to tap into our vast heritage

  2. Maya avatar

    A great post Divya! I always like discovering more about a culture and although I have seen yazhis in films and pictures I didn’t know anything about them so I quite enjoyed learning about them! The photos are great too!

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar
      jewelsofsayuri

      Thanks for your support as always, Maya. Like chinese dragons, yazhis too rear their head from time to time in popular culture but they are often treated as a novelty factor. I am glad that I was able to get such good pictures on my cellphone as I didn’t carry my camera with me.

  3. Vijay Devarajan avatar
    Vijay Devarajan

    Great interesting post, when time permits you will find beautiful yazhi in Thiruvanamalai. Loved reading it.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar
      jewelsofsayuri

      Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll add it to the list

  4. Rosantia Petkova avatar

    It was an interesting read – indeed, even though I have seen such figures mainly in travel albums and documentaries, I have never taken to explore their meaning!

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar
      jewelsofsayuri

      I love anything that is out of the ordinary and a big sucker for liminal beings, chimeras and all such creatures

  5. kindleandkompass avatar

    Interesting read !
    You will find Yazhis in the great living chola temples aswell.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Yes, but Pallavas immortalized them mainly due to their resemblance to lion which was the Pallava Sigil

      1. kindleandkompass avatar

        Totally agree on your point. I recently visited Mahabalipuram and found them in every nook and corner of the monuments.

      2. Sruthy avatar
        Sruthy

        Hi
        I am a history student , can your share me or suggest the source of your content , because its very interesting to see how the same motif evolved and reappeared under the different kingdoms and i like to dig in more about it .

        1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

          Online references have been linked to in the body of the text itself. Two more links are in the reference section in the end of the post. Rest of the information are from oral sources.

  6. Yuvaram avatar
    Yuvaram

    Planning to place a yazhi idol needs all your inputs
    It will be 15-20feet height in line of merlion with water coming from mouth
    Please share details

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      I am not the right person to give vaasta or space advice. Sorry

  7. Sivakumar avatar
    Sivakumar

    Great post, I’m from Southern part of tamilnadu (madurai), I have seen numerous times this yazhi eventually got confused. Now I got know what is what thanks for the post again

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      I am glad that you found it useful

  8. Aarthy Pushparajah avatar
    Aarthy Pushparajah

    Sir, at one point you mentioned that Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar had a legendary Veena where the YaLi head faced upward. Just 2 days ago, I bought my Veena and the YaLi also faces upwards. My mother bought me this for my studies and tokd me how rare it was (which I knew). The reason YaLi is pn the Lakshmi/Saraswathi Veena is because YaLi was destroying forests and structures, so Saraswathi offered to play to him. YaLi was entranced with the meledious music that after he was calmed, he felt anger without the music. So he prayed and Godess Saraswathi came in person (goddess?) to play for him. YaLi asks Saraswathi for a place he will always be near the magical notes of the Veena. Pleased, Saraswathi replaces the peacock on her Veena with the head of YaLi. The other type if Veena ( Vishnu Veena) has a snake head because Vishnu sleeps with a snake towering over his head, do the rest of the research yourself.

    1. jewelsofsayuri avatar

      Dear Aarthy, if you were kind enough to read the entire post (particularly the content under Meaning and metaphors subheading), you would know that I have linked to web page detailing the same information that you mentioned. That is called giving credit. Also Vishnu veena is the not the only one with snake heads. There are Rudra veena, Nagaphani and other novelty versions that have them too. I hope this satisfies your query regarding my research skills. While I am but a humble novice researcher, I would still be able to tell whether the author of a post is a man or a woman by reading their name and looking at their picture.

  9. Vaishali Rastogi Sahni avatar

    I am a Paper artist and I am in the middle of creating a Veena for Ma Saraswati sculpture. While doing my R&D about this mythical creature I pounced upon this article and I am really impressed with the details you have laid out here. Great post. Thankyou.

    1. Divya avatar

      I am glad you found it interesting. Your work is beautiful!!

  10. Rekha avatar
    Rekha

    I am fascinated by the article on Yahzi. You wrote it well.
    I couldn’t recognize this icon in the temples. Now, I feel enlightened.

    I wish I can find some more articles on icons of Hindu temples well explained.

    1. Divya avatar

      Thank you Rekha! Are there any specific motifs/icons that you would like me to write about?

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