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Singa is an
Images of singa are carved in various objects such as domestic utensils, medicine containers, jewelries, amulets, wood coffins, stone sarcophagi, barns and Batak traditional houses. Its frequent use made the singa a symbol of the Batak culture. Carving of singa on a Batak house is called ''singa ni ruma'', or "''singa'' of the house".
The apotropaic use of a singa may stem from the Hindu-Buddhism period of Batak during the ninth century (the Batak people are predominantly Christian or Muslim community). One of the major features of Hindu-Buddhist architecture in
Singa is an apotropaic
Apotropaic magic (from Greek "to ward off") or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of supersti ...
figure from the mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...
of the Batak
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...
people of North Sumatra
North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...
, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. The singa represents a benevolent and protective power. The singa is described as "part human, part water buffalo, and part crocodile or lizard". It is variedly represented, but always has an elongated face, with big bulging eyes, a well-defined nose, and long spiralling beard. It is often represented only with its head, but sometimes it may also be represented full body. Other figures - such as other protective deity or ancestral figures - may also be represented standing or sitting on top of the head of the singa.
Etymology
The word singa is derived from the Sanskrit ''singa'', "lion". The Batak term ''singa'' has a predominantly magical - rather than zoological - meaning, so it does not symbolize a lion, butNāga
The Nagas (IAST: ''nāga''; Devanāgarī: नाग) are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. ...
or ''Boru Saniang Naga'', the primeval water serpent from the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. It is not fully understood why the name ''singa'' is attributed to this figure.
As ornaments
Images of singa are carved in various objects such as domestic utensils, medicine containers, jewelries, amulets, wood coffins, stone sarcophagi, barns and Batak traditional houses. Its frequent use made the singa a symbol of the Batak culture. Carving of singa on a Batak house is called ''singa ni ruma'', or "''singa'' of the house".
The apotropaic use of a singa may stem from the Hindu-Buddhism period of Batak during the ninth century (the Batak people are predominantly Christian or Muslim community). One of the major features of Hindu-Buddhist architecture in Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
and Bali
Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
is the ubiquitous kirtimukha
Kirtimukha (Sanskrit: कीर्तिमुख ,', also ', a bahuvrihi compound translating to "glorious face") is the name of a swallowing fierce monster face with huge fangs, and gaping mouth, very common in the iconography of Hindu temple arc ...
over arches and doorways. It was during the period of the Aparajita
Aparajita was an able Shilahara ruler of north Konkan branch from 975 CE – 1010 CE.
Chhadvaideva was followed by his nephew Aparajita, the son of Vajjada. Aparajita was an ambitious king. He sought to extend his sphere of influence by ...
style at the beginning of the ninth century, that these Batak version of kirtimukha - called ''singhamugam'' - appeared in full relief.
See also
*Batak
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...
* Architecture of Sumatra
The Indonesian island of Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world. The rich ethnic diversity and historical heritage in Sumatra is reflected in the range of architectural styles in the island. The vernacular style is the native Sumatran e ...
* Culture of Indonesia
The culture of Indonesia has been shaped by long interaction between original indigenous customs and multiple foreign influences. Indonesia is centrally-located along ancient trading routes between the Far East, South Asia and the Middle East, ...
References
Batak mythology Indonesian legendary creatures {{Indonesian architecture