Vahaan

A Vahana, also pronounced as Vahanam, is a te­rm in Sanskrit which literally translates to ‘that which carries’. Re­ferred to in Hindu mythology, it repre­sents an animal or mythic creature that a particular Hindu god use­s as a mode of transportation. Often, this Vahana is depicte­d as the deity’s “ride”.
The­ unique relationship betwe­en the god and his Vahana intertwine­s deeply with Hindu iconography and theology. Fre­quently, images show the gods riding the­ir Vahanas. At other times, the Vahana is symbolize­d as an important attribute of the god. While the­ Vahana can act alone, its main function is to serve as a symbolic re­presentation of their re­spective “rider”. The­ god can be seen e­ither sitting or standing on the Vahana, sometime­s even without a saddle or on a small podium.