Harappan seals depict unicorns, sphinx, and horned tigers, and these may have been inspired by their trading relations with West Asia.
- The Harappan sphinx is a woman with a tiger’s body. The tiger body indicates the indigenous origin of the Harappan motif.
- Men with horse bodies, known as centaurs, are from Greek mythology. Such images are also found in the Bhaja Caves of Maharashtra’s Western Ghats, and are dated from 200 BCE to 300 CE.
- In South India, the images of the purusha-mriga, a man with the feet of a tiger are found. Sometimes he is shown with a lion’s mane. No such images exist in North India.
- In Tamil mythology, purusha-mriga is identified as Vyaghrapada, or the one with tiger feet.
- Purusha-mriga is linked to Vishnu through a version of the Mahabharata found in a Tamil temple.
- The most popular mythical creature in India is the multi-headed serpent or Naga, which is very indigenous. It is linked to fertility and wisdom, and found in the earliest Buddhist, Jain and Hindu art, protecting Buddha, Parsvanath and Vishnu.
