DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2026.v14i01.002

Pages: 4-14

Garuda is one of the most enduring mythological figures in Southeast Asia, functioning simultaneously as a religious, cultural, and political symbol. Originating from Hindu cosmology, Garuda appears across regions with varying visual forms and ideological meanings. This article examines the visual semiotics of Garuda as represented in the reliefs of Candi Kidal (East Java, Indonesia) and the architectural-symbolic manifestations in the Grand Palace, Bangkok (Thailand). Employing a qualitative methodology grounded in visual semiotics, iconography, and cross-cultural analysis, this study investigates how Garuda’s form, posture, narrative structure, and spatial placement articulate different systems of meaning. Using semiotic and iconographic analysis, the research examines how the mythological Garuda, originating from Hindu cosmology, transforms visually and conceptually within two distinct cultural frameworks. In Indonesia, Garuda’s imagery at Candi Kidal manifests as a sacred protector symbolizing liberation and spiritual ascension, while in Thailand, it evolves into a royal emblem embodying power, divinity, and state identity. The study reveals how each visual form conveys differing ideological narratives spiritual transcendence in Java and political- theological authority in Siam yet both remain rooted in shared cosmological archetypes. By comparing their symbolic forms, aesthetic syntax, and contextual meanings, this paper demonstrates that Garuda functions as a semiotic bridge uniting the region’s mythic imagination and visual identity. In Java, Garuda embodies moral struggle, devotion, and spiritual liberation, whereas in Thailand, Garuda signifies royal authority, state power, and cosmological sovereignty. This research contributes to Southeast Asian visual studies, semiotics, and design scholarship by positioning Garuda as a dynamic visual sign shaped by local epistemologies, power relations, and historical contexts.