Makara

Makara, a mythical sea-creature often depicted as a crocodile or a composite aquatic beast, is the vāhana of both the river goddess Gaṅgā and the ocean god Varuṇa. It represents the ambivalent nature of water—life-giving yet potentially destructive. The Makara is a common motif at temple thresholds and spouts, symbolizing the transition from the earthly to the divine realm.