Narasimha
Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह, 'man-lion') is the fourth avatar of Vishnu, a major Hindu deity — not a folklore creature. He emerged from a pillar to slay the demon Hiranyakashipu and protect the devotee Prahlada, embodying divine intervention beyond normal rules. Worshipped widely in temples with specific iconography (lion head, human torso, claws).