According to Hindu mythology, Makara, a mythical creature, is the vahana of Ganga and Varuna. It is also the insignia of Kama, a god (of Hindus) representing love and lust, and Kama’s flag (dhwaja) is known as Karkadhvaja, that is, a flag having makara depicted on the flag. Traditionally, a makar is considered to be an aquatic creature, and some traditional accounts identify it with crocodile, whereas some other accounts identify it with dolphin. The tradition identifies the makar with water, the source of all existence and fertility. In astronomy, it is the sign of capricon, one of the twelve symbols of the Zodiac, other being Hindu mythology is a term used by modern scholarship for a large body of Indian literature that details the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... In Indian mythology, the vahana is the object or vehicle that serves a divinity. ... This article is about the god. ...
In Indian art, the makara finds expression in the form of motifs, and have been so portrayed in different styles, including the following:
on the entry points (torans) of several Buddhist monuments, including the stupa of Sanchi, a world heritage site.
on royal thrones
Reference
Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
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