Friday, October 01, 2010

Kailasanth Temple Yali figures and symbolism

Like many South Indian temples, the mythical creatures known as yali grace the columns of the Kailsanth Temple. Yali have the head of a lion, tusks of an elephant, and tail of a serpent. They are deemed as creatures who protect the temple.

The circumambulatory passage of the Kailasanth temple symbolizes birth (seven steps = seven births), which leads to a dark passage (representing the journey of life), and then finally to a narrow outlet which indicates death.

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