From the rivers and forests of India, between earth and heaven, a guardian arrives — the Makara. Traditionally, it appears at temple thresholds, protecting spaces and guiding the flow of life, a symbol of strength, intellect, and prosperity. The Makara is reimagined as Nakra - a crocodile: communicative, engaging, serene. It emerges as a bench, inviting pause and reflection. Its curved tail opens to reveal a hidden fable: the Panchatantra tale of the crocodile and the monkey, where wit outshines brute strength, reminding us that knowledge wears many guises. Crafted in brass through a union of hollowed joinery and intricate repoussé, the Nakra bench transforms myth into function, narrative into form and protector and companion.