The chatra or chhatra, also known under various translations including the ceremonial, state, royal, or holy umbrella or parasol, is a symbol of royal and imperial power and sanctity in Indian art and a symbol of holiness in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. There are also various specific forms, including 3-, 7-, 8-, and 9-tiered chatra and the bejewelled chatraratna.
India and Tibet
In India, the chatra was an ancient symbol of kingship and emperorship, representing both kingly power and righteousness. In particular, it is employed in depictions of chakravartis, the supposed holy emperors over the entire earth. It is also reckoned as one of the
ashtamangala, the eight holy symbols of enlightened
Rishi and
buddhas, in
Digambar Jainism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and other
.
In Hindu mythology, Chatra can itself be recognized as a deity, yidam, and ishta-devata. More often, it is an emblem of various gods including Varuna, Ganesha (particularly during Ganesh Chaturthi), Revanta, Surya, Vishnu in his Vamana avatar, and Vishvakarman.
In the chakra systems of Dharmic faiths and Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine, the chatra is used as a symbol of the sahasrara, the crown chakra.
File:Vasudeva Krishna on a coin of Agathocles of Bactria circa 180 BCE.jpg|A chatra crowning Vāsudeva-Krishna on a coin of Agathocles of Bactria, [Osmund Bopearachchi, Emergence of Viṣṇu and Śiva Images in India: Numismatic and Sculptural Evidence, 2016.]
File:Buddha, Mathura IIe s. Musée Guimet.jpg|Mathura art statue of a bodhisattva crowned by a chatra
File:Umbrella with Eight Auspicious Motifs - Circa 1st-2nd Century CE - Gita Enclave - ACCN 75-32 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5698.JPG | Mathura art chatra,
vishwakarmaji.png | Vishvakarman with chatra
File:Chandragupt maurya Birla mandir 6 dec 2009 (31).JPG | Chandragupta Maurya with chatra
Chhatra.jpg | The chatra of the Tijara Jain temple in Rajasthan
Image:Parasol.svg | A chatra diagram
Myanmar
In
Burmese culture, the chatra is known as the
hti. It is used as
regalia and employed at the crowns of
.
File:Saya Chone's "Royal Audience".png | Htis flanking the throne in Saya Chone's 1907 "Royal Audience"
File:Head of Shwedagon Pagoda.JPG | Shwedagon Pagoda's hti
File:Mandalay, Ku Tho Daw 12.jpg | Kuthodaw Pagoda's hti
Thailand
In
Thai culture, the chatra developed into the white Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella, part of the country's regalia. Properly, only a crowned king may use the 9-tiered umbrella, uncrowned kings and other members of the royal family being restricted to a 7-tier form. The 9-tiered chatra is used as the logo of Royal Umbrella rice.
Gran Palacio, Bangkok, Tailandia, 2013-08-22, DD 57.jpg | Thailand's Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella attached to a throne inside a hall in the Grand Palace, Bangkok
King Prajadhipok Signs Constitution of Siam 1932.jpg | A 9-tiered umbrella beside the throne as King Prajadhipok signs a constitution in Ananta Samakhom Hall
พระราชพิธี เจ้าฟ้าเพชร 1.jpg | A 7-tiered umbrella over the urn of Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda as it is moved to the Great Chariot of Victory
File:Nobapadol Maha Svetachatra above King Bhumibol Adulyadej's funeral pyre.jpg | A 9-tiered umbrella over the funeral pyre of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
See also
Footnotes
Bibliography
External links
