Suvannamaccha สุพรรณมัจฉา or Golden Fish, was a mermaid that was featured prominently in Thai culture and other Southeast Asian versions of the Ramayana. She was not a divine entity, but the daughter of Ravana, a rakshasa (or demon) who ruled over the Island of Sri Lanka many years ago. When the god Hanuman was charged with rescuing the princess Sita from Ravana, Suvannamaccha and her mermaid brothers and sisters were charged with the task of hampering Hanuman's attempts of building a bridge from India to Sri Lanka by removing the rocks that Hanuman and his followers have tossed into the sea to serve as foundations for his bridge. Hanuman tries to attack Suvannamaccha but eventually starts to fall in love with her. The two eventually become lovers and Suvannamaccha aids Hanuman in his quest to defeat her father once she learns of her father's evil deeds. Though the two part ways at the conclusion of the Ramayana tale, she would later bear Hanuman a son named Mudchanu. Although Suvannamaccha's role as a mythical figure is relatively small, her imagery is quite popular and is often used as a good luck charm in shops and houses across Thailand. In Cambodia, she is also a principal character in dances and dramas depicting the epic of Ramayana.
Suvannamaccha can be approached with by constructing a small shrine in her honor that is constructed by a water feature such as a small fountain or scrying basin. Her principal color is gold, red, and green. You can call upon her for aid in transitional matters and to clear road blocks in your path.
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