GANDBHERUNDA SCULPTURE, KELLADI RAMESHWARA TEMPLE, KELLADI, DIST. SHIVAMOGGA, KARNATAKA.

The Gandaberunda or Berunda is a two-headed bird in Hindu Sanskriti, believed to possess immense magical strength.

It is an avatar of Lord Vishnu to fight Lord Sharabha, who in-turn was an avatar of Lord Shiva and had the mission of stopping Narasimha, Vishnu’s lion avatar. It was the emblem of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore under the Wodeyar kings.
It is used as the official emblem of the Karnataka state government because it is a symbol of strength.
The bird is generally depicted as clutching elephants in its talons and beaks, demonstrating its immense strength. In a coin [Kasu] found in Madurai, it is shown holding a snake in its beak.
All 2-dimensional depictions show a symmetrical image similar to the double-headed eagle while other images show the long tail feathers resembling a peacock.

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