The Gandaberunda is a mythological bird (Gun-da-bae-rundaa, with its origins from the language Kannada spoken in Karnataka state of South India).

Ancient religious Hindu texts (Vishnu Puranas) annotate the Gandaberunda to be a personification of Lord Vishnu - the Mediator (one of the three primary Gods in Hinduism, the other two being Brahma - the Creator, and Shiva - the Destroyer).

This mythical bird formed the royal emblem of the Wodeyaar Kings of the princely state of Mysore, in Karnataka.

Shown with two heads and beaks, connected to one body the Gandaberunda is believed to possess unimaginable strength. Several depictions have been found in Indian texts and historic art portraying the bird as carrying an elephant in each of its talons and beaks (just imagine the size of the bird!!!)

Also see Ziz and Roc