No. |
Birds Name |
Religious role |
|
|
Common |
Scientific |
In mythology |
|
|
1 |
Eagle (Crested Serpent Eagle) |
Spilornis cheela |
Garuda |
Garuda is associate of Indra and Sun.
Also a vehicle of Vishnu.
|
Garuda by Raja Ravi Varma
(Source : Wikipedia)
|
2 |
Kite (brahminy Kite) |
Haliastur indus |
Garuda |
Also Consider as a Garuda.
(but the Eagle is the more probable bird)
|
http://i536.photobucket.com/albums
/ff327/Fauch_/Visnu-Garuda_zpsbb97f3a7.jpg
|
3 |
Vulture |
Gyps bengalensis |
Jatayu & Sampati |
Jatayu fought with Ravana to save Sita.
His brother Sampati Confirmed Sita’s abduction to Lanka and her imprisonment in the forest of ashoka trees.
|
1) Sampati meeting with Vanaras painted by Balasaheb Pandit Pant Pratinidhi
2) Ravana cuts Jatayu's wings, by Ravi Varma
(Source : Wikipedia)
|
4 |
Owl (Brown Wood Owl) |
Strix leptogrammica |
|
Vehicle of Chamunda, a form of Durga.
Vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi in Bengal.
|
Uluka – The Owl as Vahana or Vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi
http://www.hindu-blog.com/
2009/04/uluka-owl-as-
vahana-or-vehicle-of.html
|
5 |
Crane (Sarus Crane) |
Grus antigone |
|
The crane is a symbol of love, fidelity, long life and marital bliss.
|
Valmiki curses the hunter that killed the Kruncha (Sarus crane)
http://yousigma.com/religionand
philosophy/balakanda-chapter2_image002.gif
|
6 |
Crow (House Crow) |
Corvus splendens |
|
It is usually identified with departed souls or ancestors.
The bird is the vehicle of Shani (Saturn).
In Buddhism, the Dharmapala Mahakala is represented by a crow in one of his physical/earthly forms.
It is believed that crows heralded the birth of the First, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Lamas.
|
Shani with his vahana - the Crow
http://www.dollsofindia.com/dolls
ofindiaimages/articles/shani_
saturn_navagraha_hi79sm.jpg
|
7 |
Dove/ Pigeon |
|
Kapoteshvara and Kapoteshvari |
It is said that, Shiva and Parvati live in the form of a male and female dove called Kapoteshvara and Kapoteshvari respectively in the Amarnath Cave.
|
|
8 |
Parakeet (Indian Rose-ringed Parakeet) |
Psittacula krameri |
|
It is Associated with Andal (Alvar or Saint of Tamil Vaishnavism).
The parakeet is sacred to Goddess Meenakshi.
|
Srivilliputtur Andal
http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/
alvars/andal/
|
9 |
Peacock |
Pavo cristatus |
|
Whenever Indra, lord of the heavens, transformed himself into an animal, he is believed to have become a peacock.
Peacock named Paravani is the vehicle of Lord Karttikeya (also known as Skanda or Muruga).
The bird is sometimes associated with Goddess Saraswati, as a vehicle.
The crown of Lord Krishna is usually adorned with a peacock feather.
The Mori clan of the Bhil tribe of Central India worships the peacock as a totem.
Similarly, the peacock is the sacred totem of the Jat community.
The bird is sacred to Ahir and Khand tribes.
The Warli tribe of Maharashtra fix peacock feather in a pot to represent their god Hirva.
There is a belief that Sita was born from the egg of a Peahen.
According to popular legend, Parvati manifested herself in the form of peahen in the ancient village of Mylapore.
|
Murugan or Skanda seated on a peacock, painting by Raja Ravi Varma.
(Source : Wikipedia
|
10 |
Pheasant (blood Pheasant) |
Ithaginis cruentus |
|
It is sacred to the Lepchas who are the aboriginal inhabitants of Sikkim.
(for mythological Story behind it, check the following link
http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/12345678
9/11078/1/IJTK%2010(1)%20173-182.pdf )
|
The Lepchas regard the blood pheasant as a sacred bird
(Source : Wikipedia)
|
11 |
Rooster |
Gallus gallus |
|
The bird heralds the rising sun and is hence a symbol of the sun.
In Tamil tradition, it was taken as the symbol on flag by Lord Muruga.
It is associated with Goddess Kamakhya of Assam.
|
Lord Murugan
http://shirdisaibaba100.blogspot.in/
2013/03/lord-murugan-wallappers-photos.html
|
12 |
Swan (Mute Swan) |
Cygnus olor |
Hamsa |
It is Vehicle of lord Brahma and Goddess Sarasvati.
It is sacred to the Buddist.
|
Goddess Sarasvati with Swan
http://bridgesoul.blogspot.in
2010_11_01_archive.html
|