View source for Chatra umbrella

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| headerChhatra
| image1   = Buddha, standing under umbrella, inscribed Gift of Abhayamira in 154 GE 474 CE in the reign of Kumaragupta II.jpg
| caption1 = The Buddha, standing under a ''Chhatra'' umbrella, inscribed: "Gift of Abhayamira in 154 [[Gupta era|GE]]" (474 CE) in the reign of [[Kumaragupta II]]. [[Gupta art]]. [[Sarnath Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Collections-Virtual Museum of Images and Sounds |url=https://vmis.in/ArchiveCategories/collection_gallery_zoom?id=1329&search=1&index=147669&searchstring=kumaragup |website=vmis.in |publisher=American Institute of Indian Studies}}</ref>
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{{ Infobox Buddhist term
| title = ''Chhatra''
| en = Umbrella
| pi = Chatta
| sa = Chhatra
| bn = 
| my  = ထီး
| zh = 伞/傘, 伞盖/傘蓋
| zh-Latn = sǎn, sǎn gài
| ja = 傘, 傘蓋
| ja-Latn = san/kasa, sangai
| km = ឆ័ត្រ
| ko = 산(傘), 산개(傘蓋)
| ko-Latn = san, sangae
| mnw = 
| mnw-Latn = 
| shn = 
| shn-Latn = 
| si = 
| si-Latn = 
| ta = 
| th = ฉัตร
| th-Latn = chat
| bo = རིནཆེན་གདུགས, གདུགས་ནི།<ref>Sarat Chandra Das (1902). ''Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms''. Calcutta, India: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot, p.69</ref>
| bo-Latn = rin chen gdugs, gdugs ni
| vi = 
| id = 
}}
The '''''chhatra''''' (from {{lang-sa|छत्र}}, meaning "umbrella"){{efn|Also '''chhatraratna''' ({{lang-sa|छत्ररत्न}} "jewelled/precious parasol"}} is an auspicious symbol in [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]].

==The ''chhatra'' in various traditions==
According to [[Hindu mythology]], it is the emblem of [[Varuna]], also considered an embodiment of [[kingship]]. ''Chhatra'' is also a deity, [[yidam]] and [[ishta-devata]].{{Fact|date=December 2007}}  In various Dharmic traditions it is an accoutrement of ''[[chakravartin]]''. A number of deities are depicted with ''chhatra'', and they include [[Revanta]], [[Surya]], and [[Vishnu]] (in his [[Vamana]] avatar). The ''chhatra'' is cordoned amongst the symbols that approach [[universality (philosophy)|universality]] within the numerous [[:wikt:octavalent|octavalent]] suites or sets of Ashtamangala, e.g., in the [[Digambar]] [[Jain]] tradition, and the [[Vajrayana]] tradition.

In Dharmic tradition [[iconography]], [[traditional Tibetan medicine]] [[thangka]]s and [[Ayurvedic]] diagrams, the ''chhatra'' is uniformly represented as the [[Sahasrara]].

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the umbrella or parasol is included in the 'Eight Auspicious Signs' or [[Ashtamangala]].

The ''chhatra'' shares a similar symbolic value to the [[baldachin]], refer image of [[Vishvakarman]].

In [[Burmese culture]], the ''[[hti]]'' is considered regalia, and also crowns [[Burmese pagoda]]s.

The [[Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella]] is one part of the royal regalia of Thailand, and appears in connection with this role in the logo of Royal Umbrella rice.<ref>NTUC Fairprice, [https://web.archive.org/web/20170623212349/http://www.fairprice.com.sg/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&productId=49568&urlRequestType=Base&catalogId=10051 Royal Umbrella Fragrant Rice 5KG], 2017.</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
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]], circa 180 BCE.<ref>[[Osmund Bopearachchi]], [https://www.academia.edu/25807197 Emergence of Viṣṇu and Śiva Images in India: Numismatic and Sculptural Evidence], 2016.</ref>
File:Buddha, Mathura IIe s. Musée Guimet.jpg|Statue of a [[Bodhisattva]] crowned by a ''chatra'', [[Mathura art]]
File:Umbrella with Eight Auspicious Motifs - Circa 1st-2nd Century CE - Gita Enclave - ACCN 75-32 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5698.JPG|Umbrella with Eight Auspicious Motifs, circa 1st-2nd Century CE. [[Mathura Museum]]
vishwakarmaji.png|[[Vishvakarman]], Divine Architect of [[Vedas]] in a modern Hindu representation: note ''chhatra''
File:Chandragupt maurya Birla mandir 6 dec 2009 (31).JPG|A modern statue of [[Chandragupta Maurya]] under a ''chatra''
File:Head of Shwedagon Pagoda.JPG|A closeup of [[Shwedagon Pagoda]]'s ''[[hti]]''
Gran Palacio, Bangkok, Tailandia, 2013-08-22, DD 57.jpg|The [[Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella]] (''Nobapadol Mahasvetachatra'') attached to a throne inside a hall in the [[Grand Palace]], [[Bangkok]]. Only a [[Coronation of the Thai monarch|crowned king]] can use an umbrella with nine-tiers, until then he must make do with only seven.
Prajadhipok's coronation records - 001.jpg|King [[Prajadhipok]] of Thailand signs a [[Constitution of Thailand|constitution]] within the [[Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall|Ananta Samakhom Hall]]. A large white ''chatra'' is seen nearby his throne.
พระราชพิธี เจ้าฟ้าเพชร 1.jpg|A ''Saptapadol Mahasvetachatra'' (seven-tiered-white-umbrella) hangs over the [[urn]] of Princess [[Bejaratana Rajasuda]] of Thailand whilst the urn is being moved up to the [[Great Chariot of Victory]], the seven-tiered umbrella denotes her rank as a royal princess.
File:Nobapadol Maha Svetachatra above King Bhumibol Adulyadej's funeral pyre.jpg|''Nobapadol Mahasvetachatra'' (nine-tiered-white-umbrella) over the funeral pyre of King [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]].
Chhatra.jpg|''Chatra'' kept in office of [[Tijara Jain temple]], [[Rajasthan]]
Image:Parasol.svg|A ''chatra'' symbol
</gallery>

==See also==
* ''[[Hti]]''
* [[Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
===Footnotes===
{{reflist}}
===Bibliography===
*[[Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend]] ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dallapiccola
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001720/http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/general_symbols_buddhism.html General Buddhist Symbols]

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline|Chatra}}

{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Buddhist ritual implements]]
[[Category:Buddhist symbols]]
[[Category:Ritual weapons]]
[[Category:Hindu symbols]]
[[Category:Indian iconography]]
[[Category:Jain symbols]]


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