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Boraspati ni Tano or Boraspati, also known as Ilik, is the earth deity in Batak mythology. It is represented as a tokay gecko. The image of Boraspati (or Beraspati in Karo culture) can be found decorating the door of a Batak Karo and Batak Toba buildings as well as other objects e.g. the cover of the pustaha.^[1]

Mythology

Boraspati ni tano is the Earth deity in Batak mythology representing fertility, wealth and the underworld.^[2] The name Boraspati ni Tano is borrowed from Sanskrit Brihaspati, a Hindu astrological representation of Jupiter and the day of the week Thursday.^[3]

Boraspati ni Tano is one of the most important personified natural forces, together with Boru Saniang Naga (water deity). While Boraspati ni tano is a male god of earth and underworld, Boru Saniang Naga is a serpentine female water deity who is the personification of storm and other danger weather elements for the fishermen, and spring water. Boraspati ni Tano is responsible for the fertility of the land, and thus occupied a principal place in the public invocations (Batak tonggo-tonggo). Boraspati ni Tano was always invoked on occasions e.g. founding of a village, building of a new house, when the offering-pole was driven into the earth, etc. The Batak deities are the focus of the animistic religion of Batak known as the Sipelebegu, adhered to the Batak people before the arrival of Islam and Christianity.^[4]

Astrology

The Bataks preserved their animistic Indonesian inheritance and ancestral pattern while borrowing little from their Islamic and Buddhist neighbors. The Bataks write in ancient script that is not related with India or the Arabs. Although the Bataks are now largely Christians, the Batak ritual calendar was still in regular use with some knowledge of older beliefs. The Batak calendar consisted of 12 or 13 lunar months of 30 days each. The days were named and involved four repetitions of a borrowing of the planetary names of the 7-day week from Sanskrit, with 2 additional days at the end.

In Hinduism, Brihaspati is associated with Jupiter and Thursaday. The relation between Brihaspati and Boraspati showed how Hinduism influence in the animistic belief of Batak people.

Architecture

Boraspati magical motifs (Batak gorga) are often painted on the walls of a Batak house or a granary. Together with other motifs, they form a magic to bring auspicious to the house e.g. fertility.

Reference

^ Kozok 1999, pp. 42–5.
^ Vergouwen 2013, p. 111.
^ Kelley & Milone 2011, p. 307.
^ Vergouwen 2013, pp. 67–9.

Cited works

Kozok, Uli (1999). Warisan Leluhur - Sastra Lama dan Aksara Batak [Ancestor's Heritage - Ancient Literature and Script of Batak] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia. ISBN 9799023335. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Kelley, David H.; Milone, Eugene F. (2011). Exploring Ancient Skies: A Survey of Ancient and Cultural Astronomy (2, illustrated ed.). New York: Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781441976246. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Vergouwen, J.C. (2013). Keuning, J.; Scott-Kemball, Jeune (eds.). The Social Organisation and Customary Law of the Toba-Batak of Northern Sumatra. Translation series. Vol. 7. Amherst: Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9789401510356. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)