Kayra
| Kayra | |
|---|---|
Creation | |
| Abode | 17th floor in the Sky |
| Symbol | Spirit of God |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | Sky God |
| Siblings | Earth Godness |
| Consort | Earth Godness |
Kayra or Kaira, (Altai: Кайракан "Kayrakan", Kyrgyz: Кайра, Turkish: Kayra Han or Kara Han, Azerbaijan: Kayra Xan, Ottoman: كايرا) is the Spirit of God and creator god in Turkic mythology. Supreme god of the Tatars. Son of the sky deity (Gok Tengri). This son, Kara Han (the black king), left his father's home in the heaven and went to live in the underworld. On occasion, identified as Kara-Khan (black king).
Etymology
The deity has a different name here, as does his opponent. "Kayra-Khan" connotes such meanings as "merciful king" and with other pronunciation "Kara Han" as "black king". Therefore, according to Deniz Karakurt, they are (Kara-Han and Kayra-Han) different personalities.[1] Kara means in Turkish black or land, so Kara Han thus means Khan of the Lands.
God of Creation
In ancient Turkish beliefs, Tangri (God) Kara Han is a pure, white goose that flies constantly over an endless expanse of water (time). Among all Altaic Tartars the dualistic division is most clear (Ulgen and Erlik), and the highest god, Tengre Kaira Khan, is a good power. But before Ak Ana appears to urge Kara-han to create, he experiences a disturbance of his calm. The water becomes turbulent and he reassures himself that he "need not fear." The only person who needs such assurance is the one who is afraid. As gander, Kara-han is lord of the three realms of air, water and land. Creation occurs in a context of loneliness, turmoil, and fear. It is the biggest and the strongest of all the gods. The creator of everything. It sits on the 17th floor of sky and determines the fate of the universe. It had created the other gods. After the creating of universe it planted the nine-boughed tree of life. Derived the ancestors of humans from the arms of this tree. Thus emerged the nine races (nine clans). It is not male or female and not depicted in human form. It has three sons: Ulgan, Mergen and Kyzaghan.
A Tuvinian / Soyoth legend, told as follows... The giant turtle which supported the earth moved, which caused the cosmic ocean to begin flooding the earth. An old man who had guessed something like this would happen, built a raft. Boarded it with his family, and he was saved. When the waters receded, the raft was left on a high wooded mountain, where, it is said, it remains today. After the flood Kaira-Khan created everything around the world. Among other things, he taught people how to make Araq (some kind of liquor).
See also
References
- ^ Türk Söylence Sözlüğü (Turkish Mythology Dictionary), Deniz Karakurt, (OTRS: CC BY-SA 3.0)
Bibliography
- Türk Mitolojisi, Murat Uraz, OCLC 245853289
- Türk Mitolojisi Ansiklopedik Sözlük, Celal Beydili, Yurt Yayınevi (Page-305, Kayrakan)