Matrcakra

Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Shylaja B S

---

Matrichakra on a globe in Jaipur (18th c.); the full name is written.

Mātīcakra, (मातृचक्र), is an Indian name for Corona Borealis .

Concordance, Etymology, History

Variants

• Mātīcakra
• Matrichakra
• Mātṛmanḍala (मातृमन्डल )

All these terms are synonymous; Manḍala and Cakra both mean "circular" or "circle". This is not be confused with viśākhā of the 27 nakshatras.

Origin of Constellation

The astrolabe C022, dating 1720, has the marker with the abbreviation "vi ma" for "viśākhāmātṛmanḍala".

On early modern Indian astrolabes, the individual stars are listed with coordinates with this name included. In fact, the constellation is marked as Viśākhā Mātṛmanḍala abbreviated as vi ma on some astrolabes. The pointer tip is for α CrB (Alphecca), but this only marks the brightest star of the asterism. Therefore, it is assumed that the name refers to a single star. The word mandala signifies a group, a circular arrangement.

The example of the globe from 18th century shows the name and the the stars of Corona Borealis marked.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 
  The astrolabe C022 dated 1720 has the marker with the abbreviation vi ma for viśākhāmātṛmanḍala
• 
  Matrichakra on globe in Jaipur (18th century) with the full name.

Religion/ Tales/ Mythology

The word matr refers to the mother. Since this is a mandala, it is a group of mothers. The word visakha refers to another deity, Skanda, with six faces. Therefore, putting the words together, we may gather that these were the six mothers who nourished the six-headed baby. However, the same story is told in the context of Krttika, Pleiades. In the absence of any chart of an earlier period (maybe this was in use at the beginning of the millennium), this remains a speculation

References

• References (general)

https://srsarma.in/catalogue.php