Jaiyk
Jaiyk (Turkish: Yayık, Azerbaijani: Yayıx, Kazakh: Жайық, Kyrgyz: Жайык, Russian: Дьайык), also known as Cayık or sometimes Jayık Khan, is the god of rivers in Turkic mythology. He is an important deity in folk beliefs.
Jaiyk was previously known as Dayık in Altai mythology. He was originally the patron god of humanity and son of Kayra, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout Central Asia and to the Kyrgyz and Kazakh cultures. He was the deity of rivers, water, and lake water.
Jaiyk is depicted as a young man with a scourge in his hand. He lives at the junction of 17 rivers.[1] Jaiyk has all the power of water and can make storms on the water. If he becomes angry, he makes and causes by floods on the Earth. All of the rivers and lakes are in the command of Jaiyk Khan.[2] He send spirits to all rivers. Every river or creek has an İye (protector spirit or deity). The Turkic concept of the god seems to associate him both to the destructive and the purifier powers of water.
Rivers in Turkic culture
According to ancient Turkic traditions and opinions, water and rivers are a sacred phenomenon and can purify all things. The people used to be obliged to respect the water in family or in social life. In the water sits and lives a protector spirit (familiar spirit). If he is angry, then he can be harmful to humans. Because of this disrespectful behavior, water may also become dry. Therefore, Turkic or Mongolian traditional and oral narratives tell cautionary tales and stories of irreverence to water. The Great Law of Genghis Khan (Yassa) has serious penalties when anyone pollutes water or rivers.
Etymology
The word Jaiyk (or Yayık) means wide or infinite in Turkic languages. The root of the word is “yay" or "day." This root contains the meaning of creating and creation.
See also
Ural River, originally named Yayıq
References
- Türk Söylence Sözlüğü (Turkish Mythological Dictionary), Deniz Karakurt, (OTRS: CC BY-SA 3.0)
- Türk Mitolojisi Ansiklopedik Sözlük, Celal Beydili, Yurt Yayınevi (Page 603)