Padma Patil

[Ginny Weasley Potter]

Uh... Padma. She's pretty, intelligent, feminine, brave... I think it should be a lioness. I hope that helps!

[OliveOil_Med]

Yes...maybe, if she saw her sister as her protector, but keep this in mind as well. The Patronus is the wizard's protector while the Animagus takes after their personality. Do you think Padma ever saw her sister as her protector, or more the relationship they held from being identical twins?

I'm still holding out for an animal that is associated with twins. Anyone?

[Equinox Chick]

I'm still holding out for an animal that is associated with twins. Anyone?

Well there's wolves (Romulus and Remus twins suckled by wolves) but that's been done. Siamese cats?
But their relationship isn't as strong in a twin sense as Fred and George's so you could have them having very different, but perhaps complimentary, patronuses.

I see them both having something airbourne as their patronus - Pavarti admires Harry's owl and likes butterflies. Bit tenuous but that's my feeling.

Sorry can't be more helpful.

Carole
xxx

[Inverarity]

Some random thoughts:

Parvati also likes unicorns.

Her Boggart is a mummy.

Mummies are more of an Egyptian thing than Indian, but we don't know for certain where Padma and Parvati were raised. Most likely they were born in Britain, and they might be second or third-generation Anglo-Indians, for all we know. But they might have been born in India. Or they might have been born in Egypt. (There are Indians living in Egypt.) They might or might not have a Hindu or Muslim cultural background. So you can draw on any cultural reference you like: all we know from canon is that they are ethnic Indians.

In Egyptian mythology, hawks, falcons, and ibises are guardian animals.

None of this means that Padma's fears are at all similar to Parvati's, though.

In Hindu mythology, Hanuman the monkey god is a protector of sorts, a warrior who fought demons. Ganesh, the elephant god, is patron of scholars and represents wisdom. So an elephant or a monkey might be appropriate. But that assumes you're going to make Padma a Hindu, which she may not be.

[OliveOil_Med]

Hmmm, somehow I like the idea of a butterfly for Padma. I don't know why. Is there some corrilation between butterflies and the values of Ravenclaw that I'm not thinking of? Oh well. Thanks for suggesting this Equinox Chick.

And Inverarity, I don't know where the twins were raised either, but your thoughts on Egypt did give me an idea for a new one-shot. Thanks!

[Ginny Weasley Potter]

Originally Posted by Inverarity

In Hindu mythology, Hanuman the monkey god is a protector of sorts, a warrior who fought demons. Ganesh, the elephant god, is patron of scholars and represents wisdom. So an elephant or a monkey might be appropriate. But that assumes you're going to make Padma a Hindu, which she may not be.

OliveOil_Med, I know that you're going to keep up with the butterfly, but here's an extra that just struck me.

Padma Patil belongs to a Marathi clan. I can tell this for sure because I'm Indian and Hindu as well. Maharashtrians are very attached to one Hindu God: Ganesh. He is a God with a human body and an elephant head and he is the one who is supposed to swallow all our worries and keep us protected. Now, for all of us, God is like protection. So, an elephant should suit Padma.

As for the Egyptian thing, I cannot say anything about that, except that in Egypt, you find Gujaratis more than anyone else. Maharashtrians are not the business type. Padma might be in Britain only because she wanted to study in Hogwarts, or it could have been that her family got transferred. Of course, this does not rule out the assumption that she was born in Britain.

[OliveOil_Med]

Well, now I can see an elephant working too. Decisions, decisions...

I guess I'll just have to do research...and more character development. Yuck!

[OliveOil_Med]

Double posting to say I have an idea for one-shot, and for it, I have decided to have an animal associated with Egypt as Padma's Patronus form.

The only thing is, I don't want it to be a cat. It feels so over-done. I also am not crazy about using a Sphynx either, even if the riddles fit in with Padma being a Ravenclaw, I am saving that form for someone else.

What I would love is if there are any Egyptian animals associated with night time. It would play in perfectly with some of the themes I am trying to include in my story.

[Inverarity]

A jackal, perhaps. Traditionally associated with Anubis, the god of death. Since he guarded the gateway to the underworld and was in charge of mummification, it would be ironic if that is Padma's guardian animal, since her sister's greatest fear is mummies.

[OliveOil_Med]

PERFECT!!! This works out wonderfully for fitting in with my story! Thank you, Inverarity!