vAyush

A rare coin of huviShka-1 showing the Zoroastrian Iranic rudra-class deity tishtrya. For most part for the Eastern Iranic rudra-class deity was the cognate of the old vAyu: vayush uparo kaiiryo: vAyu who acts in the upper realm.

In the Zoroastrian counter-religion rudra under the name saurva or aeshma daeva was demonized but the deity class was retained intact (note parallel with ashvin class) & his characteristics transferred to his star - alpha Canis Majoris which was deified as tishtrya.

In the eastern Iranic world following H conventions vayush was identified with rudra &depicted with the same iconography.

A parallel rudra-class deity, likely of the kushanic Iranians muzdhvAn (~vaidika mIDhvAn= rudra) faded away &vayush became dominant.

Again following H conventions the old goddess anAhitA, syncretized with Sumerian/Semitic ishtar/inannA as nAnA, was depicted identically as durgA & accepted as the consort of vayush in the Eastern Iranian tradition. However, it is notable that in a rare eastern Iranic fresco from Penjikent, tishtrya is shown as the male consort of durgA-nAnA. drawing of Penjikent 25